NEW YORK — A Brunson is coming to the Knicks.
Rick Brunson, a former Knick and father of free agent point guard Jalen, is finalizing a deal to join Tom Thibodeau’s coaching staff, a source confirmed. The hire provides Thibodeau a familiar face and supporter on the bench to replace Kenny Payne, who left the Knicks last season to coach Louisville.
Brunson was also Thibodeau’s assistant in Chicago and Minnesota. The Knicks almost hired Brunson in 2020 and he briefly resigned from coaching Camden High School, but, according to a source, there were concerns over the optics of him being accused of harassment as an assistant in Minnesota.
So Brunson returned to Camden, where he advanced to the Tournament of Champions title last season, and is circling back to the Knicks.
Many will draw the connection to his son’s free agency and the Knicks are certainly interested, but the Mavericks are confident about retaining their breakout point guard. The Knicks are currently over the cap and would either need to create space via trade or acquire Jalen Brunson via sign-and-trade.
“I wouldn’t tie this into where Jalen is going,” a source said.
People around the league viewed the outcome of this assistant hire as a symbol of the power dynamic between Thibodeau and the front office. When he was hired in 2020, Thibodeau was pushed by the front office to take on three assistant coaches with whom he never worked alongside — Payne, Johnnie Bryant and Mike Woodson.
Thibodeau then filled out the bench with his own guys — Andy Greer, Darren Erman, Dice Yoshimoto — and now gets another aligning coach in Brunson.
SNY first reported Brunson was joining the Knicks.
Brunson, who played in the NBA for a decade, was also the first NBA client of Knicks president Leon Rose, a former agent.
Jalen Brunson, meanwhile, is expected to command over $20 million annually in free agency this summer after a standout performance for Dallas in the playoffs. The Mavericks can offer the most years and money, but the draw to New York is an opportunity to be the lead playmaker — something that will never happen playing alongside Luka Doncic.
”We can pay him more than anybody,” Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said recently. “And I think he wants to stay and that’s what is most important.”
