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Knicks close to adding former Clippers assistant to Mike Brown’s coaching staff

Originally posted on Empire Sports Media
By Dylan Backer | Last updated Jul 31, 2025 3:59 PM ET

The New York Knicks are on the precipice of adding another key coach to their staff for next season. According to Frank Isola, New York is close to a deal with former Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach Brendan O’Connor.

Knicks adding Brendan O’Connor to coaching staff

The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy added that O’Connor will serve as the team’s defensive coordinator and will assume the role of an assistant, not as associate head coach.

O’Connor is a significant hire given his lengthy coaching resume. He worked with the Clippers for 12 seasons, both under head coaches Doc Rivers and Tyronn Lue, and has been in the coaching realm for quite some time.

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He also has coaching experience as an assistant under Larry Brown during his time with the Detroit Pistons, and also served as an assistant during the 2012-13 season with the Brooklyn Nets.

O’Connor should help with the defensive game plan significantly, as he is tabbed to be a defensive specialist. He has not worked with new head coach Mike Brown, but their longevity in the league should show their impact on the sidelines.

O’Connor could be a valuable hire for the Knicks

O’Connor becomes the third known hire to the Knicks’ coaching staff since Brown took over as head coach, though he is the first without prior experience with him. The Knicks previously added former Sacramento Kings assistants Riccardo Fois and Charles Allen to the staff, both of whom worked with Brown in Sacramento.

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The Knicks have bulked up a lot of parts on their roster to set themselves up to compete for a title next season. Along with making Brown the new head coach, they also signed Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele in free agency.

As they continue to fill out the rest of the coaching staff, they are hopeful that the new coaches will improve the play of their players as they pursue a championship next season.

This article first appeared on Empire Sports Media and was syndicated with permission.

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