Former Lakers Coaches Among Knicks HC Candidates

The New York Knicks could hire a former Los Angeles Lakers head coach to replace Tom Thibodeau.

Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown reacts after a basket in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks will look in every nook and cranny to find their next head coach to replace Tom Thibodeau, who was fired earlier this week.

The Knicks are the only team in the NBA with a head coach vacancy, so they can take their time when it comes to finding the right guy.

According to New York Post reporter Stefan Bondy, former Los Angeles Lakers head coaches Luke Walton and Mike Brown are being considered for the role. Both of them have unique qualifications for the job.

"Walton is currently an assistant with the Pistons, and previously had coaching stints with the Lakers and Kings. Brown has an extensive coaching resume, most recently with the Kings, where he led Sacramento to the playoffs for the first time since 2006. He also spent time as the coach of the Cavaliers during LeBron James' first stint with the team and the Lakers," CBS Sports contributor Jasmyn Wimbish wrote.

"Both Walton and Brown check one of the boxes the Knicks are trying to fill, which is finding a coach with experience, according to Bondy. Beyond that, though, neither of them seems like a significant upgrade to what Tom Thibodeau provided. And if we're going by what Leon Rose said in his statement following Thibodeau's dismissal, that "our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans," then it's safe to assume that New York isn't looking to settle for a coach who can just get the team to the playoffs."

Brown was fired by the Sacramento Kings back in December, so he is looking for a new home. Out of the two, he is the likelier person to be considered for the job since he was a head coach more recently and doesn't have a job at the moment.

If he gets a chance with the Knicks, he'll look to reverse some of the mistakes he made in his previous stops in the NBA.

Make sure you bookmark Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns as and so much more!