Report: Knicks Have Clear Front-Runner to Replace Tom Thibodeau As Head Coach

New York could make it official by the end of the week.

Thibodeau posted a 226-174 record as the Knicks' coach for the last four seasons. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks reportedly have a candidate in mind to become their new head coach.

Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported Tuesday that the Knicks have been telling prospective free agents that they are nearing a deal to officially name a replacement to fired coach Tom Thibodeau. And according to The Stein Line, former Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown is "widely regarded" as the favorite to land the position.

The only thing left for Brown is to get the approval from Knicks owner James Dolan.

Brown, who began his career as an assistant with the Washington Wizards in 1998, made his head-coaching debut with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2005. He was fired in 2010, coached the Los Angeles Lakers from 2011 to '13 before getting fired again, and was re-hired and re-fired for a second time by Cavs owner Dan Gilbert after the 2013-14 season.

After six years with the Golden State Warriors as an assistant, Brown made his return to the head-coaching ranks with the Sacramento Kings in 2022. He changed the culture in Sacramento overnight and helped snap the franchise's 17-year playoff drought by leading the Kings to the postseason in 2023.

Brown went 107-88 in Sacramento before getting fired in December by Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, who tends to have a rather quick trigger when it comes to parting ways with coaches.

Like Thibodeau, Brown is a defensive-minded coach. If hired by the Knicks, he'd be tasked with leading the franchise to another deep playoff run after they fell short in the Eastern Conference finals in May—its first appearance in that postseason round since 2000.

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