The New York Knicks have wrapped up their showing at the NBA’s Summer League, and now, they’re back to trying to put together not only a roster of players but also a new coaching staff under head coach Mike Brown.
Since the team waited a while to sign Brown, unfortunately, they don’t have as many options left for good supporting coaches ahead of the 2025-26 season,
But, the perfect coaching candidate may have just fallen into their lap. This person is actually very familiar with the New York Knicks franchise, and in a good way.
The Knicks were just given permission to speak to Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Pablo Prigioni about a role Brown’s staff, according to a tweet of X from SNY’s Ian Begley. Prigioni was a New York Knicks player for two and a half seasons, from 2012-13 and during part of the 2014-15 season, and he’s well liked by the crowd.
“Prigioni, a former Knick, is highly regarded in coaching circles,” Begley noted on his post. It would be great to get some true Knicks blood in the mix.
The Knicks Need ‘Yeses’ From Assistant Coach Candidates
It’s a relief to get some good news on assistant coach searches after the Knicks have been turned down by so many coaches, mainly due to their teams not letting them interview. So, it’s a huge step in a positive direction that the Timberwolves are even letting Prigioni interview. Perhaps they know that he would fit with the organization, since he’s a former Knicks player.
In a feature published on Tuesday, July 22, in The Daily Knicks, Atticus O’Brien-Pappalardo noted, “For the Knicks and their fans, the news is also a breath of fresh air. During the Knicks’ high-profile search for their next head coach, they were denied left and right as they requested numerous organizations to speak to members of their staff.”
It feels great to get a “yes” on even just the interview, as O’Brien-Pappalardo adds, “Brown’s top choice for an assistant was reportedly James Borrego from the New Orleans Pelicans. However, the Pelicans also denied the Knicks from speaking with their up-and-coming coach.”
Assistant Coach Candidate for the Knicks
Prigioni joined the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2019-20 season and has been their offensive coordinator for around two seasons, according to basketball-reference.com.
In a 2024 feature from the Minn Post, Britt Robson stated, “On offense, the coordinator is Pablo Prigioni, who is also in charge of the execution of the sets and play calls. He is abetted by Jeff Newton, who, like Lefevre, is tasked with organizing film clips to pinpoint specific strengths and weaknesses. Newton is also involved in offensive ‘scouts,’ and handles ‘action plays,’ which break down five-player sets and schemes into two- and three-player interactions to drill down on improving the details.”
Of course, the Knicks may be able to round out their coaching staff by keeping some of Tom Thibodeau’s previous staff. So, it will be a mix of the old and new, and let’s hope that makes for a stellar combination heading into the new season.
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