Knicks Reportedly Didn't Request Permission to Speak to Five 'High-Profile' Coaches

The New York Knicks need a new head coach after firing Tom Thibodeau, who went 226-174 in the regular season and 24-23 in the postseason and won the 2021 Coach of the Year Award.

Thibodeau guided the Knicks to the conference finals this year for the first time since 2000, but he was still fired. 

According to reports, New York has been denied permission to speak with Atlanta Hawks coach Quin Snyder, Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka, Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch and Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan.

According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Knicks are focused on Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins in their coaching search. Brown most recently coached the Sacramento Kings, while Jenkins most recently coached the Memphis Grizzlies.

Brown and Jenkins were fired by the Kings and Grizzlies, respectively, this season. Interestingly, Brown interviewed for the Knicks position in 2020 before Thibodeau was hired. 

"As was the case with Kidd and Udoka, Brown interviewed for the Knicks position in 2020 before it went to Thibodeau," Amick wrote. "Yet while he didn’t get the job back then, with some believing that Thibodeau had already been deemed the unofficial choice by the time Brown’s interview took place, league sources say he left a very strong impression."