Jason Burgos
If the New York Knicks don’t reach the NBA Finals this spring, a surprising rumor opens the door for them to get rid of Mike Brown without having to owe him the $30 million left on his contract.
Despite being on the job for less than a year, Brown is feeling intense pressure in his first postseason as head coach of the Knicks. The former Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings coach was hired to take the team further than Tom Thibodeau could. However, they only won two more games than last year, and they’ve frustrated fans more in 2025-26 than in the past few seasons.
Going into the campaign, most Knicks pundits felt the team had to at least reach the NBA Finals for coaches, executives, and players to keep their jobs. While firing a coach after one season is a hasty move, there have been questions about the team’s chemistry this season, and Brown’s decision not to adjust his system to get the most out of All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns.
Firing Brown would be costly since the team is still on the hook for three years of the four-year, $40 million deal he signed in the summer. Plus, they still owe Thibodeau after giving him a three-year extension two summers ago. However, the team may be rescued from the problem by an unlikely team.
Warriors could rescue NY Knicks from big Mike Brown bill?
Steve Kerr’s future as the coach of the Golden State Warriors is up in the air with his contract set to expire soon. According to San Francisco Standard Warriors reporter Tim Kawakami, Brown would be a top choice as a replacement if Kerr exits.
But why would an elite franchise like Golden State bring in a coach that four teams have given up on? Well, Brown is popular in the organization following six seasons as Kerr’s top assistant and serving as interim coach on two occasions.
Knicks fans saw last offseason how hard it is to get an interview and potentially trade for a coach. However, if the franchise wants to move on from Brown and bring in someone like Billy Donovan, they surely would not ask for very much in a trade with the Warriors.
