Mike Brown took over the Sacramento Kings in 2022, inheriting a team that had won just 30 games the previous season with an offense ranked 24th in the league. Upon arriving at training camp, the new coach outlined five core offensive principles: pace, floor spacing, quick decisions, attacking the paint, and ball reversals.
Brown`s vision involved the Kings attacking early in the shot clock. If a high-percentage shot wasn`t immediately available, he stressed moving the ball from one side to the other. He believed the initial offensive action might not create an advantage, but flowing seamlessly into another would force the defense to react and open opportunities. Driving, cutting, and rolling hard to the rim was essential, not necessarily to score, but to challenge the defense. Brown discouraged excessive dribbling and aimed to prevent opponents from easily loading up on Sacramento`s primary scorers.
This new approach paid dividends: the Kings won 48 games and finished the regular season with the best offense in the entire league. Brown was deservingly named Coach of the Year. Now, months after his controversial firing by Sacramento, reports suggest he is set to take over the New York Knicks, replacing Tom Thibodeau, who was also controversially dismissed after leading the team to the conference finals. Given Brown`s success in breathing life into a franchise that hadn`t seen the playoffs since before the iPhone was invented, the potential impact on the Knicks seems immense.
That, of course, is the optimistic outlook. For fans who were upset by the decision to fire Thibodeau, Brown may not be immediately welcomed. To win them over, he and the Knicks will need to create excitement around a fundamentally new approach.
For a period, the 2024-25 Knicks` offense was surprisingly effective. They weren`t particularly fast, didn`t rely heavily on three-pointers, and their playmaking was largely centered around one player. Yet, they still managed to put up elite numbers. However, from January 1st onwards, their offensive efficiency dropped to 16th. This wasn`t solely due to All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson missing time with an ankle injury; their starting unit, which played more minutes together than any other lineup in the league last season, was only average offensively in the 2025 calendar year.
Without significant changes to the roster, it`s difficult to predict whether Brown will implement the same high-speed offense seen with the 2022-23 Kings. Last season`s Knicks, however, often saw their halfcourt offense become stagnant, particularly when opponents successfully defended Karl-Anthony Towns with smaller players. While Brunson is an exceptional one-on-one scorer, it`s likely Brown will work to make the team less reliant on him, emphasizing more player and ball movement and getting the ball across halfcourt faster. This could potentially create easier scoring opportunities for Brunson, whose assist rate on three-pointers last season (46%) was a career low.
The difference in playing styles was striking when New York faced the Indiana Pacers in the conference finals. The Pacers` commitment to pace, quick ball distribution from their star player, and their dynamic halfcourt system made the Knicks` approach appear somewhat outdated by comparison. Brown shouldn`t expect Brunson to become a duplicate of Tyrese Haliburton, but he and his coaching staff can certainly guide the Knicks toward adopting some elements of Indiana`s offensive philosophy. The potential addition of James Borrego as Brown`s lead assistant is notable; his previous Charlotte Hornets teams were known for their excellent spacing, speed, and creative offensive sets, utilizing actions like running off makes and `ghost` screens to confuse defenses – elements the Knicks offense could certainly use.
When Tom Thibodeau arrived in 2020, his most significant contribution to the Knicks was bringing stability. At this point, Mike Brown`s primary task is to introduce flexibility. This involves not only diversifying the offensive schemes but also actively experimenting with different lineups and game plans throughout the season. Such experimentation ensures that when the playoffs arrive, the team isn`t put in unfamiliar situations, such as asking a player like Towns to defend pick-and-rolls in a way he hasn`t practiced all season.
It seemed peculiar that the Knicks didn`t make a greater effort to play Mitchell Robinson alongside Towns after Robinson returned from injury late in the regular season. Similarly, it felt strange that they weren`t more willing to explore the potential of five-out lineups featuring Miles McBride. Brown can add significant value simply by being willing to try new things. Why not experiment with players like Guerschon Yabusele or even OG Anunoby at the center position occasionally? Why not incorporate zone defense from time to time?
Every successful team needs fundamental principles that remain constant regardless of personnel. However, the 82-game regular season provides extensive time for a coaching staff to explore strategic trade-offs and discover what works best in different scenarios. Brown undoubtedly has specific ideas about which lineups can optimize the Knicks` spacing, rebounding, ability to force turnovers, and other crucial aspects. Ideally, he will use the regular season to test these theories and gain a deep understanding of the tools available to him. Even New York fans who were heartbroken by Thibodeau`s departure would likely acknowledge that the team valued consistency over adaptability during his tenure. If that remains the status quo under Brown, one must question the true purpose of making a coaching change.
Jasper Hawthorne