Mar 22, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (L) talks with assistant coach Phil Handy (R) prior to the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Knicks Interested in Adding Former Lakers Coach

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jared Koch | Last updated Jul 4, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The New York Knicks are getting busy behind the scenes in filling out some of their new staff to surround newly-named head coach Mike Brown , with one name emerging with some reported interest from the Knicks being a former assistant for the Los Angeles Lakers.

According to a recent report from Marc Stein on The Stein Line, the Knicks have emerged as a suitor to add former Lakers assistant Phil Handy as an assistant to Brown's staff. Per Stein, the Dallas Mavericks are also in the mix with interest in adding Handy.

Update on Phil Handy emerging as a candidate for the Mavericks' coaching staff:

It's believed that the Knicks also have interest in Handy for Mike Brown's new staff in New York after they worked together with the Lakers and Cavaliers.

More NBA: https://t.co/L98SjaHc12
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 3, 2025

Handy is currently the head coach of Mist BC in the Unrivaled League, where he's been since the team's debut earlier this year. Before that, though, he was a longtime assistant in the NBA with over a decade of experience, having two stints with the Lakers, also having time with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors.

Handy and Brown have some familiarity with one another, having spent time together in both Los Angeles and Cleveland during Brown's head coaching stints, as Handy even started his NBA coaching career under him with the Lakers in 2011 as a development coach.

But now, Handy seemingly has some considerable interest from the NBA after a few months out, with the Knicks being in the fold as a potential landing spot.

Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Knicks made their long-awaited decision to name their newest head coach on Wednesday, with Mike Brown being named the guy to lead the charge after New York and Tom Thibodeau parted ways after five years.

Following Brown's hire, though, the focus now turns to how the Knicks' assistant coaching staff could pan out for New York's new lead voice on the sidelines. Initial reports from SNY's Ian Begley linking James Borrego as a potential top target on the list to bring in with a lead role on the staff, and perhaps Handy could be near the top of that list as well.

It remains to be seen how exactly Brown's staff gets sorted out in the days to weeks ahead, but keep an eye on Handy being in that group of names who could join aboard.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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