Mike Brown and ex-Lakers coach emerge as early contenders to replace Tom Thibodeau in New York: Report

The New York Knicks shockingly fired coach Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday after leading the franchise to their first Eastern Conference finals appearance since 2000. A recent report suggests that the Knicks could be looking at Mike Brown and former LA Lakers coach Luke Walton as possible replacements.

According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post, the Knicks want Jason Kidd as their next head coach, but he’s still signed to the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs are expected to reject any request from the Knicks, who were also linked to Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka.

Brown and Walton were next on the list of potential candidates to replace Thibodeau on the Knicks’ sidelines. Brown is currently out of a job after getting fired by the Sacramento Kings in late December. Walton, on the other hand, is the lead assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons.

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Tom Thibodeau turned the New York Knicks into playoff contenders in his five years at the helm. Thibodeau had his flaws, but he did a fantastic job in New York until he got outcoached by Rick Carlisle in the Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers.

Mike Brown is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009 and the Sacramento Kings in 2023. Brown has an overall record of 454-304 and is generally a well-liked and well-respected coach in the league.

On the other hand, Luke Walton has had two stints as a coach with the LA Lakers and in Sacramento. Walton has a losing record of 166-241, but has been a top assistant for teams like the Golden State Warriors.

Former Tom Thibodeau assistant could be next Knicks coach

Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Johnnie Bryant was one of the finalists for the Phoenix Suns head coaching vacancy. Bryant lost out to fellow Cavs assistant Jordan Ott, who will be the fourth Suns coach in four years.

As for Bryant, he's been linked to the New York Knicks. He was with the Knicks from 2020 to 2024 under coach Tom Thibodeau. He's familiar with the team and some of their players, including Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart.

Before becoming an assistant in New York, Bryant was an assistant for the Utah Jazz from 2014 to 2020. At the age of 39, he'll be one of the youngest coaches in the NBA if he gets hired by the Knicks or a different team.

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About the author

Juan Paolo David

Juan Paolo is a journalist for Sportskeeda who covers the NBA and WNBA. He's been writing about basketball since 2015 and has been with Sportskeeda since 2021.

Juan's allegiance lies with the Golden State Warriors and his journey with the Warriors began with their memorable victory over the Lakers in 2000, and he experienced the successes of the 'We Believe' era and the rise of Steph Curry. 

What Juan loves most about basketball is its ability to evoke a range of emotions, from adrenaline-fueled excitement to the highs of victory and the lows of defeat. To ensure complete accuracy in articles, he conducts thorough research before writing his articles.

The Warriors' victories in the 2022 and 2017 championships hold a special place in Juan's memories, as well as iconic moments like Baron Davis' dunk over Andrei Kirilenko and Goran Dragic's performance in the 2010 Western Conference semifinals.

Off the court, Juan enjoys watching football, TV and movies, caring for his numerous cats, and cooking whenever time permits.

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