After the New York Knicks won their first title in 53 years, Mike Brown took time to advocate for associate head coach Chris Jent. He expressed surprise that Jent hadn't been interviewed for one of the open head-coaching vacancies around the league. It didn't take long for that to change, as Sean Highkin reported on Thursday that Jent had emerged as a candidate for the Trail Blazers' opening.
A new name that’s started to circulate in the last day or two in connection to the Blazers’ coaching opening, in addition to confirmed finalists Micah Nori and Tyler Lashbrook: Knicks associate HC Chris Jent.
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) June 18, 2026
Jake Fischer confirmed he had heard the same:
I’ve also heard Chris Jent has now emerged as a candidate in Portland, following New York’s run to the championship. https://t.co/uxJ99u1Yvo
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) June 18, 2026
Tiago Splitter served as Portland's interim coach after Chauncey Billups was put on leave, and he was a candidate to become the head coach, but he left for the Bulls job.
The Trail Blazers are one of two remaining teams in the NBA that haven't hired a new coach, and part of that is because owner Tom Dundon, who also owns the Carolina Hurricanes, was occupied with their Stanley Cup run.
There has been controversy about Dundon and his ability to navigate the NBA realm, which is quite different from the NHL, but he got an assist from Brown. It's no coincidence that Jent is suddenly a candidate for Portland's opening.
Mike Brown: “Chris Jent, my associate head coach, I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten an interview. He’s our offensive coordinator. He’s been around for a long time. Somebody needs to give him an interview because he’ll help your team win at the highest level.” pic.twitter.com/CfVyVXoIAe
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 14, 2026
Chris Jent is a candidate for Trail Blazers' head coach opening
Jent briefly played in the NBA. He was with the Rockets in 1993-94, when they won a championship, and spent time with the Knicks in 1996-97. He got his first NBA assistant job in 2003 with the Sixers, and before he joined Brown's staff, he spent the 2024-25 season with the Hornets.
He led Charlotte to its first NBA Summer League title last July, and shortly after that, he joined Brown's staff in New York. Little did Jent know that 11 months later, he'd help the Knicks win a championship.
Brown referred to Jent as New York's offensive coordinator. The Knicks had the fourth-best offense in the NBA during the regular season and, of course, the top-rated offense during the playoffs. It was quite the addition to Jent's resume, one that almost went unnoticed by teams in need of a new head coach.
New York is still soaking in the 2026 title, but before long, the Knicks will start their journey to go back-to-back. They would love for Jent to be part of that, but he could be across the country, in Portland, leading his own team for the first time. You know there would be no one happier for him than Brown, though it'd be bittersweet to see him go.
The Trail Blazers should want to have a head coach before the first round of the draft on Tuesday, and it seems like it could come down to Jent, Timberwolves' Micah Nori, or the Celtics' Tyler Lashbrook.
If Jent is still with the Knicks in 2026-27, it is hard to see him getting overlooked again at the end of next season when a new coaching cycle opens.
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