Official Knicks Coaching Search Thread pt. 2 (update: poll added 6/18/25)

[Gravy]

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I believe CP

[JBreezeNY]

I’m sure 90% wanted Johnnie and the other 10% was pulling for Wingo to beat the odds and lead us but this does ironically bring us back to Thibs.

Would collaborative effort & player development be a point of emphasis for the new coach if Thibs didn’t move how he did?

I like Mike, far, from a distance, on other teams, but he’s the coach and it is what it is.

[stuporman]

The nearly universal disregard for Brown almost makes me want to root for him to succeed so I can watch everyone seethe and cope about it....almost.

[Knick4Real]

I’m sure 90% wanted Johnnie and the other 10% was pulling for Wingo to beat the odds and lead us but this does ironically bring us back to Thibs.

Would collaborative effort & player development be a point of emphasis for the new coach if Thibs didn’t move how he did?

I like Mike, far, from a distance, on other teams, but he’s the coach and it is what it is.

Well, he's not the coach yet. At least, not officially and announced.

I wanted Johnnie Bryant. However, my opinion is irrelevant since I'm not the billionaire owner who gets the final say on who's hired. However, if it is Mike, I hope several great assistants come along with him for the ride.

[knickstape4ever]

If Mike Brown ultimately is the hire, and he hires James Borrego, it isn't because the FO forced a CAA client on him. Borrego and Brown both played at U San Diego

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[NoStatsGuy]

thibs is a better coach. Unfortunately he lost the locker room. But this is definitley a downgrade and i dont see how he unlocks the offense or improves the defense.

Well at least he has a better roster than thibs and some bench players.

[knickstape4ever]

thibs is a better coach. Unfortunately he lost the locker room. But this is definitley a downgrade and i dont see how he unlocks the offense or improves the defense.

Well at least he has a better roster than thibs and some bench players.

I think the offense will definitely take a step forward. look at the personnel he had in Sacramento: Fox and Sabonis and he was able to produce a top offense. We have Brunson and KAT, a step above

and if he does bring Borrego, that'd a great offensive assistant

[MrDollarBills]

thibs is a better coach. Unfortunately he lost the locker room. But this is definitley a downgrade and i dont see how he unlocks the offense or improves the defense..

Can you explain why you think this? Brown's offensive coaching is actually a strength.

[WaltFrazier]

If Mike Brown ultimately is the hire, and he hires James Borrego, it isn't because the FO forced a CAA client on him. Borrego and Brown both played at U San Diego

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I was going to ask if they played with Tony Gwynn, but San Diego State is a different school I think?

[NoStatsGuy]

thibs is a better coach. Unfortunately he lost the locker room. But this is definitley a downgrade and i dont see how he unlocks the offense or improves the defense..

Can you explain why you think this? Brown's offensive coaching is actually a strength.

im just not impressed with his trackrecord or offense at all tbh.

im only looking at his HC stints tbf.

he coached lebron and the cavs that were extremely carried by a young and very hungry lebron. i didnt go back to watch the tape. but im pretty sure lebron mainly just played how he wanted to play. so its hard for me to give credit to brown for that offense. Didnt get the lakers to work, didnt get the cavs (2nd stint) to work. I dont know what to think of his stint in GSW, he wasnt the HC and joined when they already won a ring.

The only thing that is somewhat impressive is what he did with the kings. It was only one season tho. I havent watched enough kings to say, it was player driven success (i think sabonis is like a mini jokic and did tremendous work) or coach driven success. but if its only 1 year of succes and getting fired after a slow start i have to think it is the former. and lets be real, 48 wins in the west is good but its also nothing super crazy.

i dont wanna be a debby downer or come across as salty because thibs was fired. as i said, once a coach loses the locker room theres no point and the coach has to go, no question about it and i am fine with it. i just had a different approach in mind lets say.

i wouldnt mind being educated about his offense and how it is a strenght. what does he do well? i dont mind changing my opinion or admitting being wrong. I just dont see it

[thebuzzardman]

Hopefully Brown brings Fizdale back to the Knicks. Fizdale was treated very poorly by many on here.

[Fat Kat]

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Thibs could never

[Jeffrey]

thibs is a better coach. Unfortunately he lost the locker room. But this is definitley a downgrade and i dont see how he unlocks the offense or improves the defense..

Can you explain why you think this? Brown's offensive coaching is actually a strength.

Listening to Sac fans... supposedly it was Jordi Fernandez?

[god shammgod]

hoop collective kind of hinted they think it's mike brown

[Knicksfan1992]

thibs is a better coach. Unfortunately he lost the locker room. But this is definitley a downgrade and i dont see how he unlocks the offense or improves the defense..

Can you explain why you think this? Brown's offensive coaching is actually a strength.

Listening to Sac fans... supposedly it was Jordi Fernandez?

I've posted this before.. But when Brown got let go this year, the Kings were I think 8th in Offensive Rating without Jordi there.

Seems like even if Jordi had a heavy hand in installing the concepts, Brown was able to maintain it without him there.

[Iron Mantis]

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BIG emphasis on Player development. This is the way. Cost-controlled contribution with the potential to blossom.

So glad the front office had the courage to dump the old coach and prioritize this.

[G_K_F]

The GB had Cavs, Kings and Lakers fans collectively laughing at the Knicks for this hire. Just to give you a perspective of fans of Mike Brown coached teams.

[3toheadmelo]

It’s not common for owners to piss away 30 million (and have to spend another 30+ million on a new coach) after giving an extension to the coach a season before.

If that’s my money, I’m sitting in too and better hear some good reasons for doing it. Not only that, but I’m using that time to evaluate the FO too… dude has been out of the mix a while and seeing the team crash and burn the way they did is gunna raise concerns.

Can’t blame him for wanting to make sure these guys get the right man for the job after that debacle… especially since we’re so close to a chip… and again, he’s gunna be paying two coaches… doubt he wants to have to pay three at once if this one don’t work out.

There was no point in firing a coach when Leon and your franchise player backed him. And it made even less sense to fire him after we were 2 games away from going to the finals. Dolan didn’t like Thibs and that’s why Thibs got fired. Fred Katz and James Edward said it themselves, they had an idea that Dolan didn’t like Thibs and the decision to fire Thibs was in dolan’s hands. Leon would’ve kept him otherwise. Dolan meddling in never ends well so you better hope it’s different this time.

I was just debating this point the other day with someone else… Katz reporting contradicts all the other reports we’ve been hearing like this was a Leon decision, Leon n Thibs not speaking all season, Leon would step down if he’s forced to do something he doesn’t want, Rick turning on Thibs, Wes n Brock not liking Thibs, etc etc etc… Dolan isn’t the bad guy, Thibs isn’t the saint you guys are making him out to be.

When Mike Brown, Mikal, and KAT lead us to the first title in our lifetimes… you need to replace Melo, Tatum, and that bum Giddey lol with their faces in your sig

Dolan is the worst owner in the nba by far. How tf you defending him lol

When has Katz ever reported something that wasn’t true? I’ve been following him since his OKC days. He’s valid.

My sig is for BAF mf get back in here so I can beat you

[3toheadmelo]

thibs is a better coach. Unfortunately he lost the locker room. But this is definitley a downgrade and i dont see how he unlocks the offense or improves the defense..

Can you explain why you think this? Brown's offensive coaching is actually a strength.

Mike brown’s offense went down hill after his assistant left for the Nets.

[HopelessKnick]

thibs is a better coach. Unfortunately he lost the locker room. But this is definitley a downgrade and i dont see how he unlocks the offense or improves the defense..

Can you explain why you think this? Brown's offensive coaching is actually a strength.

im just not impressed with his trackrecord or offense at all tbh.

im only looking at his HC stints tbf.

he coached lebron and the cavs that were extremely carried by a young and very hungry lebron. i didnt go back to watch the tape. but im pretty sure lebron mainly just played how he wanted to play. so its hard for me to give credit to brown for that offense. Didnt get the lakers to work, didnt get the cavs (2nd stint) to work. I dont know what to think of his stint in GSW, he wasnt the HC and joined when they already won a ring.

The only thing that is somewhat impressive is what he did with the kings. It was only one season tho. I havent watched enough kings to say, it was player driven success (i think sabonis is like a mini jokic and did tremendous work) or coach driven success. but if its only 1 year of succes and getting fired after a slow start i have to think it is the former. and lets be real, 48 wins in the west is good but its also nothing super crazy.

i dont wanna be a debby downer or come across as salty because thibs was fired. as i said, once a coach loses the locker room theres no point and the coach has to go, no question about it and i am fine with it. i just had a different approach in mind lets say.

i wouldnt mind being educated about his offense and how it is a strenght. what does he do well? i dont mind changing my opinion or admitting being wrong. I just dont see it

Fair assessment. I do however think the 48wins were indeed a pretty big success. And he won coach of the year easily. Then he followed that up by a 46win season with the Kings in 2023/2024. I think those were the Kings' best seasons in 20 years. So he had two very successful seasons in Sacramento and really a 13-18 start was dissapointing but not catastrophic. The Kings didn't really fare a whole lot better without him. Given his experience and track record he is likely the most logical choice given that the top tier is unavailable.