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New York Notes: Toppin, Knicks’ Coaching Search, Nets’ Draft, Demin

June 21st, 2025 at 9:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks‘ decision to sell cheaply on Obi Toppin two years ago is looking worse as he plays an important role for the Pacers in the NBA Finals, writes Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News.

After being selected with the eighth pick in the 2020 draft, Toppin had three productive years in New York, but he didn’t appear to have a future while being stuck behind starting power forward Julius Randle. Winfield notes that Randle is now gone, having been traded to Minnesota in October, and Toppin is the type of athletic big man the Knicks need on their bench.

The return from Indiana for Toppin was meager: second-round picks in 2028 and 2029. He has blossomed with the Pacers, averaging 9.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in 22 playoff games with .497/.333/.694 shooting numbers. Winfield points out that he’s doing it in the exact role the Knicks weren’t sure he could handle, backing up a star power forward in Pascal Siakam.

Winfield also states that Knicks management made a habit of giving up on young talent throughout the Tom Thibodeau era, citing RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes as other examples. Pacome Dadiet, Tyler Kolek, Kevin McCullar and Ariel Hukporti were all added in last year’s draft and James Nnaji may be joining the team soon, but Winfield questions whether they’ll get a chance to prove themselves.

There’s more from New York:

The Knicks have interviewed Taylor Jenkins and Mike Brown in their coaching search while keeping an eye on Jason Kidd‘s situation in Dallas, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link). Bondy suggests that Kidd’s relationship with the Mavericks could deteriorate if he doesn’t receive an extension, so New York hasn’t completely given up hope. A source tells Bondy that the Knicks haven’t requested permission to talk with Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant, who no longer appears to be a priority after looking like an early favorite for the job.
Sources tell draft expert Rafael Barlowe of The NBA Big Board (subscriber link) that the Nets are “the favorite destination for a lot of prospects — and a lot of agents” (hat tip to Nets Daily). Barlowe explains that Brooklyn is popular because it’s a large market that offers exposure and endorsement opportunities, and there’s a chance for immediate playing time. There has been speculation that Ace Bailey has a desire to join the Nets, and Barlowe hears that Brooklyn is considering a move up into the top five.
In a separate Nets Daily story, Lucas Kaplan examines the fit of BYU guard Egor Demin, who has been rumored as a possible Nets draft pick.

Coaching Rumors: Dudley, Bryant, Cavs, Sweeney, Ivey, More

June 16th, 2025 at 2:04pm CST by Rory Maher

Memphis and Phoenix have already been linked to Mavericks assistant coach Jared Dudley this offseason. The Cavaliers have also expressed interest in hiring Dudley, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).

As Michael Scotto of HoopsHype observes, Cleveland has multiple coaching openings after assistants Jordan Ott, DeMarre Caroll and Bryan Tibaldi got new jobs. The organization’s G League coach, Chris Darnell, also landed a new position in Sacramento.

In addition to confirming Cleveland’s interest in Dudley, Scotto adds former Cavaliers forward Jawad Williams as another name to monitor. Williams has been an assistant coach and director of player development with the Kings since 2023.

Cleveland’s top assistant, Johnnie Bryant, was a finalist for Phoenix’s head coaching job alongside Ott. Bryant is expected to stay with the Cavs next season, according to Scotto.

Here are a few more coaching rumors from around the NBA:

The Spurs remain in pursuit of Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, league sources tell Stein. Sweeney is Jason Kidd‘s top assistant in Dallas and would have a similar role on Mitch Johnson‘s staff in San Antonio if he’s hired away, Stein reports. Sweeney has interviewed for multiple head coaching jobs in recent years, including Phoenix’s vacancy, which ultimately went to Ott.
According to Stein, “multiple teams” — including the Spurs — have expressed interest in Rockets assistant Royal Ivey this offseason, but the former NBA guard is expected to remain in Houston. Ivey, who interviewed for Phoenix’s top job and coached South Sudan’s national team during the 2024 Olympics, has also drawn interest from the Grizzlies, Scotto reports. In addition to the previously reported names, Heat assistant Wayne Ellington is another candidate to join the Grizzlies’ staff, Scotto adds.
The Pelicans are believed to be looking for an assistant coach who specializes in player development after Dan Geriot left New Orleans to take the head coaching job at Iona, according to Scotto.

Hawks, Bulls Deny Knicks’ Requests To Talk With Coaches

June 11th, 2025 at 7:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

7:50pm: The Bulls also denied a request from the Knicks to talk to head coach Billy Donovan, according to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter video link).

6:01pm: The Knicks are now 0-for-4 in their attempts to interview head coaches currently under contract with other teams, as Shams Charania of ESPN reports that the Hawks “firmly denied” their request to speak with Quin Snyder (Twitter link).

Atlanta’s refusal comes after New York was shot down in its overtures to the Rockets’ Ime Udoka, the Timberwolves’ Chris Finch and the Mavericks’ Jason Kidd. Like the Hawks, those teams all refused to grant permission.

Snyder just completed his second full season in Atlanta, guiding the team to a 40-42 record and a loss in the play-in tournament. He’s 86-99 with the Hawks since taking over late in the 2022/23 season.

Snyder built a reputation as an elite coach during his eight seasons in Utah, compiling a 372-264 regular season mark and leading the team to the playoffs in six straight seasons. He coached in the All-Star Game in 2021.

Snyder received a five-year contract when Atlanta hired him in February of 2023. There’s no indication of how the Hawks’ recent front office shakeup will affect his job security, but former general manager Landry Fields offered a strong endorsement before he was fired in April. The decision to turn down the Knicks’ request suggests the Hawks’ stance hasn’t changed.

League sources tell Ian Begley of SNY that the Knicks’ efforts to speak with already-employed head coaches are simply “due diligence” to determine who might be available as the team casts a “wide net” to identify possible candidates. He states that the front office in no hurry to name a replacement for Tom Thibodeau and plans to target numerous former head coaches and current assistants.

Begley adds that the timing of the decision to fire Thibodeau had nothing to do with Johnnie Bryant — a former Knicks assistant and current Cavaliers assistant — being a finalist for the Suns’ head coaching vacancy. Bryant could still be a candidate in New York after Phoenix opted to hire Jordan Ott.

Latest On Knicks’ Coaching Job

June 4th, 2025 at 10:21am CST by Dana Gauruder

While numerous rival NBA executives believed that the Knicks had a replacement lined up before firing Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday, that’s not the case, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article.

The Knicks have fostered the notion that this decision was made by team president Leon Rose but many of the same executives are skeptical of that story, Stein says, considering Rose’s close ties to Thibodeau and the fact that Rose insisted on hiring him.

Meanwhile, numerous league observers acquainted with the inner workings of the Knicks organization believe owner James Dolan has been a “non-fan” of Thibodeau for a long time. Dolan reportedly sat in on post-season meetings with key players.

Two head coaches who are not currently available but said to interest the Knicks are the Mavericks‘ Jason Kidd and Rockets‘ Ime Udoka. However, Stein hears that Houston would deny any attempts by the Knicks to interview Udoka and the Mavs would likely do the same regarding Kidd, though he could not immediately confirm that.

Kidd, who played for the Knicks and interviewed for their head coaching job in 2020, has two seasons left on a contract extension he received during last season’s playoffs. He has also has close ties to Giannis Antetokounmpo, whom the Knicks are expected to pursue in trade talks if Milwaukee makes him available.

Among available coaches, former Villanova coach Jay Wright and Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant — a finalist for Phoenix’s head coaching job — are presumed to be likely candidates. Wright has repeatedly said in the past he’s not interested in coaching in the NBA, though several of his former players are key players for the Knicks.

Here’s more on the Knicks coaching situation:

Numerous sources told Adam Zagoria (Twitter link) that it’s doubtful Wright would come out of retirement to coach the Knicks. Seth Davis, who has worked closely with Wright at CBS in recent years, is also extremely skeptical about the idea that Wright would want the job (Twitter link).
Their search will include college coaches and won’t be limited to current assistants or former NBA head coaches, Kris Pursiainen of Clutch Points tweets.
The Knicks better find their “Joe Torre,” who won multiple championship with the Yankees, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post opines, arguing that the decision to dump Thibodeau makes no sense otherwise.
Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reiterates that he’s hearing former Nuggets coach Michael Malone is not a candidate.

Latest On Thibodeau Firing, Knicks’ Coaching Search

June 3rd, 2025 at 6:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The obvious question for the Knicks now is ‘Who is Tom Thibodeau‘s replacement?”

In the aftermath of Thibodeau’s shocking firing on Tuesday, speculation is already running rampant about who the Knicks will choose in the hopes of finally getting to the Finals in future seasons.

The Athletic staff compiled a list of names, in alphabetic order, that included Dave Bliss, James Borrego, Johnnie Bryant, Mike Brown, Taylor Jenkins, Darvin Ham, Michael Malone, Micah Nori, Chris Quinn, Sean Sweeney and even former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy.

Brown (Kings), Jenkins (Grizzlies) and Malone (Nuggets) were all dismissed from their head coaching jobs this season. Bryant, a former Knicks assistant to Thibodeau, is reportedly a finalist for the Suns’ head coaching position.

Stefan Bondy of the New York Post tossed in some names from the college ranks, including two-time national champion Dan Hurley, who declined the Lakers offer last summer to stay at UConn. Bondy also mentioned Alabama’s Nate Oats and Arkansas’ John Calipari into the mix.

Former Villanova coach Jay Wright, along with NBA head coaching veterans Mike Budenholzer and Frank Vogel, were among the candidates that ESPN’s Zach Kram offered.

Here’s more on the Thibodeau firing and its implications:

In the statement released by the team after Thibodeau’s dismissal, the stated goal was “our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans.” According to ESPN Tim Bontemps’ sources, that is indeed why the move was made. The Knicks decided a new voice was needed to lift this franchise to the next level. Bontemps pointed out that the team’s high-priced starting five was outscored from Jan. 1 through the end of the regular season and also struggled in the postseason until Mitchell Robinson was inserted into the lineup.
The way the front office handled exit interviews after the season was different, Ian Begley of SNY TV reports (Twitter video link). The team’s top players were called in to meetings that included owner James Dolan, though the team’s president was the one who made the ultimate decision. Leon Rose had previously been a staunch supporter of Thibodeau but his feelings waned through this season. “Leon Rose obviously saw something different over the past year-plus that led him to believe that this is the right move for the franchise with James Dolan backing Leon Rose there,” Begley said.
A source told NJ Advance Media contributor Adam Zagoria that New York would be a “good landing spot” for Malone, who has ties to the area. Malone was born in Queens, N.Y. and played point guard at Seton Hall Prep. His late father, Brendan Malone, was a Knicks assistant under Hubie Brown. However, Bondy tweets that Malone replacing Thibodeau is “not going to happen.”
Thibodeau deserved another season, James Edwards of The Athletic opined, considering he was pivotal in bringing the franchise back to prominence. Edwards noted that the core group had just been pieced together this season. Now, there’s pressure to make sure the next head coach is the perfect hire or else the franchise could suffer major setbacks, Edwards concludes.

Jordan Ott, Johnnie Bryant Finalists For Suns’ Head Coaching Job

June 2nd, 2025 at 11:14am CST by Luke Adams

11:14 am: While Ott is a finalist for the Suns’ head coaching vacancy, Shams Charania of ESPN confirms, it’s Bryant – not Quinn – who joins him in that final group. According to Charania, the two Cavaliers assistants will meet in person with Ishbia, Gregory, and Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein in Michigan.

Bryant, who was hired last offseason as the Cavaliers’ associate head coach, previously worked for the Jazz (2014-20) and Knicks (2020-24) as an assistant.

John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) reports that the Suns are expected to make their decision by the end of the week.

8:50 am: After reporting over the weekend that the Suns are expected to advance two or three finalists to the last round of their head coaching search to meet with team owner Mat Ishbia, NBA insider Marc Stein (Substack link) says Heat assistant Chris Quinn and Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott have been “repeatedly forecasted in league coaching circles” to reach that final stage of the search process.

Quinn, a former NBA player, worked as an assistant for Northwestern in 2013/14 before joining Miami’s coaching staff under Erik Spoelstra in 2014. He has since emerged as Spoelstra’s top lieutenant, having spent more than a decade on the Heat’s bench and served as the club’s acting head coach when Spoelstra has had to miss games.

Ott was part of coaching staffs with the Hawks, Nets, and Lakers before reuniting with Kenny Atkinson in Cleveland a year ago. Ott, who previously worked under Atkinson in Brooklyn and attended Michigan State like Ishbia, was reportedly a finalist last spring for the head coaching job in Charlotte that ultimately went to Charles Lee.

Quinn and Ott are among four candidates confirmed to have interviewed with Suns general manager Brian Gregory, along with Cleveland assistant Johnnie Bryant and Dallas assistant Sean Sweeney.

According to Stein, the expectation was that Gregory would meet with Thunder assistant Dave Bliss in Oklahoma City over the weekend. Stein doesn’t confirm that the meeting took place as planned, but notes that Bliss wasn’t expected to fly out to meet the Suns while his team was preparing for the NBA Finals.

Marc J. Spears of Andscape and NBA insider Chris Haynes (Threads link) have both stated that Suns assistant and former NBA head coach David Fizdale was also still in the mix for Phoenix’s coaching vacancy entering the team’s third round of interviews. The club initially identified between 15 and 20 candidates for the job before advancing nine of those candidates to the second round of the process.

Latest On Suns’ Head Coaching Search

May 31st, 2025 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns have now completed in-person interviews with Sean Sweeney, Jordan Ott, Johnnie Bryant, and Chris Quinn as they evaluate candidates for their head coaching vacancy, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). Marc Stein (Substack link) confirms Gambadoro’s report, noting that those interviews took place this week and were run by new general manager Brian Gregory.

Thunder assistant Dave Bliss remains under consideration for Phoenix’s head coaching job as well, but with Oklahoma City headed to the NBA Finals, the Suns haven’t been able to bring him in for an in-person meeting. An interview with Bliss would probably have to take place in OKC, Stein notes.

Sweeney, Ott, Bryant, Quinn, and Bliss were identified earlier in the week as the remaining contenders for the Suns’ open position. One subsequent report indicated that Suns assistant and former NBA head coach David Fizdale was also still in the mix, but neither Gambadoro nor Stein mentions him, so that report remains unconfirmed.

It’s believed that the Suns will pick a smaller group of finalists – likely just two candidates – who will meet face-to-face with team owner Mat Ishbia next week, Stein reports.

According to Stein, Suns star Devin Booker has “had a level of involvement” in this stage of interviews, which backs up the club’s repeated assertions that its plan is continue building around Booker going forward. While all three Phoenix stars have been the subject of trade speculation in recent months, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal are considered far more likely to actually end up on the trade block this summer.

Speaking of Durant, the fact that the Suns are trending toward hiring a first-time head coach has only increased the league-wide belief that KD is a strong candidate to be dealt this offseason, Stein writes. However, he cautions that Durant may not actually reach the trade market until there’s clarity on whether Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to stay in Milwaukee or seek a change of scenery.

Suns Pare Down List Of Coaching Candidates To Five

May 28th, 2025 at 7:00am CST by Dana Gauruder

May 28: In addition to confirming Quinn, Bryant, Ott, and Sweeney as finalists, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link) reports that Bliss is moving to the next round of interviews as well.

Gambadoro confirms that the Suns are advancing five candidates to the final round of the search process, with Bliss still in the mix (Twitter links).

May 27: The Suns have whittled their list of candidates for their head coaching job.

According to Phoenix radio reporter John Gambadoro (Twitter link), there are four finalists for the position, with Heat assistant Chris Quinn and Cavaliers assistants Johnnie Bryant and Jordan Ott among that group.

The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin, citing multiple league sources, also hears that Quinn and Ott are among the likely finalists along with Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, with Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori also a possibility.

Sweeney is headed to Phoenix for an in-person interview on Wednesday, Gambadoro confirms (via Twitter).

The Suns are looking to replace Mike Budenholzer, who only lasted one disappointing season on the job. Budenholzer was hired after Frank Vogel, another coach with a championship on his resume, was let go after one season.

The Suns are the only team in search of a head coach. Gambadoro reported on Sunday that Phoenix’s brass had already conducted second interviews with nine candidates for the position, mainly via Zoom. Suns assistant David Fizdale, Pelicans assistant James Borrego, Nets assistant Steve Hetzel and Thunder assistant Dave Bliss were the other reported candidates.

Suns Ready To Move On To Next Round In Coaching Search

May 25th, 2025 at 3:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns have wrapped up the second round of interviews in their search for a new head coach, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM in Phoenix (Twitter link).

Gambadoro states that most of the interviews with the nine reported candidates were conducted via Zoom. He expects the finalists for the job to be notified within the next two days that they have advanced to in-person meetings.

It’s been nearly six full weeks since former head coach Mike Budenholzer was fired after one disappointing season on the job. With the 2021 championship on his resume, there was hope that Budenholzer could turn Phoenix into a legitimate title contender, but the team stumbled to a 36-46 record and failed to reach the play-in tournament.

The Suns have the luxury of taking their time in finding Budenholzer’s replacement because no other NBA team currently has a head coaching vacancy.

They went through an exhaustive process as the search began, reportedly holding initial conversations with between 15 and 20 candidates as they try to set a new direction for the team. Owner Mat Ishbia said in a press conference shortly after the season ended that he wants to find a coach who will bring increased toughness to the organization.

As reported last week, current Suns assistant David Fizdale is among the finalists for the job, along with Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, Pelicans assistant James Borrego, Cavaliers assistants Johnnie Bryant and Jordan Ott, Nets assistant Steve Hetzel, Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Thunder assistant Dave Bliss and Heat assistant Chris Quinn.

The Suns haven’t revealed when they hope to hire their next coach, but with the draft one month away and free agency starting a few days after that, there’s likely a sense of urgency to get the position filled in the coming weeks.

Suns Narrow Down Coaching Search To Nine Candidates

May 18th, 2025 at 2:06pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

2:06 pm: Heat assistant Chris Quinn has also moved onto the second stage of Phoenix’s coaching search, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link).

1:17 pm: The Suns appear to be narrowing down their search for their fourth head coach in as many seasons.

According to veteran NBA insider Chris Haynes (YouTube video link), new Phoenix general manager Brian Gregory has selected eight candidates to advance to the second round of the process. Previous reporting indicated that the Suns had initial conversations with between 15 and 20 candidates.

As Haynes details, that eight-man group consists of Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, Suns assistant David Fizdale, Pelicans assistant James Borrego, Cavaliers assistants Johnnie Bryant and Jordan Ott, Nets assistant Steve Hetzel, Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, and Thunder assistant Dave Bliss.

Among these eight finalists, only Fizdale and Borrego have prior head coaching experience on their resumes.

As Haynes notes, Fizdale previously turned down a head coaching offer from former Suns owner, Robert Sarver, instead accepting an ill-fated gig as the head coach of the Knicks, which lasted just over a year. All told, Fizdale has a cumulative 71-134 regular season record during his stints with the Grizzlies and Knicks. He led Memphis to one playoff berth during his debut season as the team’s head coach.

Borrego was the interim head coach in Orlando for the end of the 2014/15 season, and served as the head coach with Charlotte from 2018-22. He boasts a 148-183 overall regular season record and has yet to lead a team to the playoffs.

Reports earlier this spring indicated that Phoenix would likely be targeting a younger head coach following brief stints with Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer at the helm. As Haynes observes, this group of names is consistent with that aim — 51-year-old Nori and 50-year-old Fizdale are the oldest of the eight candidates, most of whom are in their 30s and early 40s.

The Suns brass is hoping their next coach can “build a program from scratch,” according to Haynes, who says the team is emphasizing discipline, accountability, and a philosophical alignment with majority owner Mat Ishbia and the front office. Phoenix is also prioritizing coaching candidates with defensive backgrounds.

A coach who can effectively work with star players is another important consideration, even if the Suns ultimately move on from Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and/or even Devin Booker in the near future. According to Haynes, the head coaching decision may have an impact on how the team moves forward with its stars, since it’s possible Budenholzer’s replacement will have a preexisting relationship with one or more of those players or will hit it off quickly with them.

The expectation is that the Suns will eventually reduce their coaching candidate pool from eight candidates to three finalists, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).