The New York Knicks are coming off their most successful season in 25 years. Their 51 regular-season wins are their most since the 2012-13 season, and they made it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. Despite this, the organization elected to go another direction and fire Tom Thibodeau from his head coaching role following the season. After a few weeks and plenty of rumors, Mike Brown is set to be the next head coach of the Knicks, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Who is Mike Brown?
Mike Brown is an experienced coach who has spent time captaining the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings and the Nigerian National Team. He is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year with a 454-304 overall record, six playoff appearances and four NBA Championships to his name- each of which came as an assistant coach.
Brown got his first NBA head coaching opportunity in 2005 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He led the team to 60+ wins twice across his four seasons as head coach with at least 45 wins each season, and he won the Eastern Conference in 2007 before losing to the Spurs in the Finals. Brown succeeded Phil Jackson as the Lakers’ head coach in 2011. He led the team to a 41-25 record during the shortened season in 2011-12, but he was fired the following year just five games into the season. He walked into an impossible situation, filling Jackson’s legendary shoes, and mercifully had his time ended early.
Brown then returned to the Cavaliers in 2013 but was fired after one season in which the team went 33-49 and missed the playoffs. The 55-year-old then joined the Golden State Warriors as an associate head coach in 2016 and played a role in their dynastic run. He left Golden State in 2022 to become the head coach of the Kings and led the organization to its first playoff appearance in 17 years. This snapped the longest playoff drought in NBA history. He was fired just 31 games into this season after getting off to a 13-18 start.
While Brown has plenty to speak for in his X’s and O’s ability, perhaps the most notable difference in contrast to Thibodeau will be the personality change. Brown is a vibrant talker with entertaining press conferences and is not shy to show his personality. After five seasons in which Thibodeau never shied from coach speak or let his guard down, this type of change will be welcomed into the Knicks organization. The franchise decided a change in voice was necessary, and Brown will carry a much different tune with him.
Can Mike Brown Lead the Knicks to a Championship?
The Eastern Conference is wide open, and no franchise is more aware of this than the Knicks. Starved of their first championship since the 1972-73 season, New York seemingly assessed that it did not believe the results were sustainable under Thibodeau and elected to make the change. The veteran head coach is known for playing his starters high levels of minutes regularly, and there are fair critiques about the lack of creativity within the offense.
New York made the all-in swing on its roster last offseason, trading for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges while handing OG Anunoby a significant extension. With Jalen Brunson already taken care of, this is the win-now core that the Knicks invested in. Despite this, the Knicks’ starting lineup finished the Conference Finals with a -20 +/- and were -41 for the overall playoffs. Just looking at the minutes that Brunson and Towns were on the floor, the duo posted a -20 in their minutes during the Conference Finals and were -9 in 412 total postseason minutes. The Knicks posted a +9.17 net rating per 100 possessions when Brunson was on the floor and Towns off it, as well as a +9.14 net rating with Towns on and Brunson off the floor, but they struggled when the two played together.
Finding a way to maximize his best players together will be the priority for Mike Brown. If he can get the team to play a more connected brand of basketball, it has a legitimate case for being the favorites in the Eastern Conference. But this is easier said than done with the defensive shortcomings of Brunson and Towns in mind.
Looking at the current odds on DraftKings Sportsbook, the Knicks hold +850 odds of winning the NBA Finals, which is tied for third among NBA teams. They hold +285 odds of winning the Eastern Conference, trailing only the Cleveland Cavaliers.
With Achilles injuries to Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee being as uncertain as ever, and Cleveland having shown some questions for its playoff outlook in back-to-back seasons, the Knicks should be viewing the Eastern Conference as theirs for the taking. There is still some work to be done on the roster, but the additions of Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson are noteworthy. If Mike Brown can get this team on the same page and maximize its stars on the floor together, the Knicks should be viewed as legitimate title threats this upcoming season. It will take a sample size of this proving to be the case on the floor before I am ready to be throwing futures tickets on the Knicks, but this is a really solid hiring by New York given the circumstances.
