Knicks Coaching Change Could Influence Veteran Guard

There are a few players that New York Knicks management are likely keeping in mind as they parse through their options at finding the next coach of the team.

What will Jalen Brunson think, having already sacrificed so much on-and off-the-court for the Knicks? What kind of reactions should they expect from his key teammates, from the big-time Tom Thibodeau supporter in Josh Hart to the since-fired coach's occasional in-house critic in Mikal Bridges?

Whether they're thinking of hiring an acclaimed free agent like Taylor Jenkins, stealing away a presently-employed coach like Jason Kidd or some other out-there wild card, the choice will have an impact on everyone else in the locker room.

One player with reason to keep close tabs on the situation is Landry Shamet, a fringe-rotational guard who had some positive moments for the team in their final games. He signed a one-year veteran minimum deal with the Knicks midway through this past regular season, and has plenty of motivation to monitor the coaching search.

He earned his way into Thibodeau's heart deep into the playoffs, and not just through his value as a shooter with a quick-release. "He earned a spot in the rotation during the Eastern Conference Finals, and Thibodeau clearly had a lot of respect for how Shamet had navigated an injury that sidelined him for roughly the first half of the regular season," Atticus O'Brien-Pappalardo wrote for Daily Knicks.