Shams: Knicks swap multiple seconds with Rockets

Brown has an impressive, championship-laden resume as an assistant to Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr, and he’ll look to help New York take the next step after back-to-back losses in the conference semifinals. Brown most recently coached the Kings for three seasons, where he helped them snap their lengthy playoff drought in his first season in Sacramento. He also six seasons coaching the Cavaliers across two different stints, which included an NBA Finals appearance in 2007.

Brown is the first candidate to have a second interview scheduled with the Knicks as New York’s exhaustive search for a new coach approaches a conclusion. The 55-year-old Brown last coached the Sacramento Kings, but was fired in his third season with the club after a 13-18 start to the season that included a five-game losing streak. He also previously coached the Cavaliers and the Lakers. The Knicks are still the only NBA team without a head coach.

After being denied permission to interview five current head coaches, the Knicks have set up formal interviews with Jenkins and Brown. Both were fired during the 2024-25 season, with Jenkins being dismissed by the Grizzlies and Brown by the Kings. While the endings weren’t good for either, they managed to turn things around for their respective franchises. Additionally, the Knicks are expected to explore speaking with some current assistant coaches regarding the vacancy.

The Knicks have already been denied from speaking with five current head coaches and appear to be shifting their focus to candidates they don’t need permission to interview. Brown, who last coached the Sacramento Kings, and Jenkins, who was with the Memphis Grizzlies, both fit that bill. Amick reports there could be more names joining them on the Knicks’ list, which is still yet to be finalized. The Knicks are the only head coaching vacancy in the NBA at the moment and appear in no rush to hire a new coach after parting ways with Tom Thibodeau last week.

Brown helped the Kings return to the playoffs and end their drought two seasons ago before they lost during the Play-In Tournament last year. Currently, they’re 13-18, which is 12th in the West and are on a five-game losing streak. While Sacramento has been a bit disappointing to start the year, Brown just signed a three-year extension in June, which makes this decision somewhat surprising. Recent rumors have suggested that De’Aaron Fox could be interested in a trade, so we’ll see if this move encourages him to stay or makes him want to move on.

While Sacramento did not reach the playoffs this season, losing to New Orleans in the Play-In tournament, Brown’s two seasons with the franchise have been excellent. However, that did not prevent negotiations from hitting a bump in the road, as the two sides broke off talks of an extension earlier this month. Brown and the Kings resumed talks, with the sides reportedly agreeing on a deal that extends his contract through the 2026-27 season. Brown will make $8.5 million in 2024-25, a raise of $4 million, and he will also make $8.5 million in the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons. The Kings took a step back offensively this season, but they still have two talented weapons in De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.

After being voted Coach of the Year by his peers (National Basketball Coaches Association) earlier this month, Brown won the NBA’s honor on Wednesday. This was the expected outcome, as he led Sacramento to its first playoff berth since 2006. And the voting wasn’t close, with Brown receiving all 100 first-place votes. He’s the first unanimous winner of the award. Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault finished second in the voting, followed by Boston’s Joe Mazzulla.

The keys will remain in Mike Brown’s hands as long as Kerr is sidelined, which is until he gets two negative tests. The Warriors won a close game at home before getting slaughtered in Memphis with Brown at the helm. In order to avoid more 3-1 jokes, Golden State will really need to end this series at home tonight.

Steve Kerr was ruled out for Game 4 shortly before the game began, and Brown coached the team to a 101-98 victory. Brown signed a 4-year coaching deal with the Kings on Sunday, so it’s been an eventful week for him thus far. All signs point towards Brown leading the Warriors into battle again on Wednesday, with a chance to close out the series. Brown is the first Kings’ coach to win a playoff game since 2006, even if it’ll take a bit more work to actually have Sacramento win a playoff game.

Brown is currently a member of Steve Kerr’s coaching staff with the Warriors, so it may be some time before he’s with the Kings full-time (depending on how far GSW goes in the postseason). This will be Brown’s third head coaching gig, as a one-plus year run with the Lakers was sandwiched in between two stints with the Cavaliers. His career coaching record is 347-216 (and 47-36 in the postseason), with Brown leading the Cavs to an Eastern Conference title in 2007.