Mike Brown’s deal to take over as New York Knicks head coach will be worth $40 million over four years, as first reported by SNY’s Ian Begley.
Reports emerged on Wednesday that the 55-year-old would be coming on to replace Tom Thibodeau, who was fired just days after New York was eliminated from its first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years.
The decision ended a lengthy and trying process to find a new head coach. The Knicks were denied the chance to interview current coaches around the league, including Dallas Mavericks boss Jason Kidd, Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets, Billy Donovan of the Chicago Bulls, and Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Brown has been a head coach for nine full seasons, leading some of the game’s most iconic franchises and names in the process. He won an Eastern Conference title with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, won two NBA Coach of the Year Awards, worked with Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, and led the Sacramento Kings to their first playoff appearance in 16 years in 2023.
In New York, he will try to lead the Knicks over the hump of reaching their first NBA Finals in 26 years and winning their first championship in 52 years.
A defensive-minded coach who is known for utilizing his depth, Brown’s style is just what Leon Rose’s team needs. Each of the Knicks’ starting five last season averaged more than 35 minutes per game — the sizable workload ultimately wearing them down the deeper they got to the playoffs.
In Brown’s final full season with the Kings in 2023-24, only De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis averaged more than 35 minutes per game, while 11 players who played in at least 40 games averaged more than 12 minutes per game.
The Knicks have yet to make an official announcement on Brown’s hiring.
