The Minnesota Timberwolves are in danger of losing Chris Finch’s top assistant Micah Nori.
ESPN’s senior NBA insider Shams Charania reports that Nori is interviewing for the New York Knicks‘ coaching vacancy.
Nori is the third candidate that the Knicks will interview after former head coaches Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins. He also interviewed for the Phoenix Suns coaching vacancy, which ultimately went to former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Jordan Ott, who is a Michigan alum like team owner Mat Ishbia.
Nori’s coaching candidacy in New York has the backing of All-NBA center Karl-Anthony Towns, who has a strong relationship with the longtime assistant coach during their time in Minnesota.
The 51-year-old veteran assistant coach joined the Timberwolves in 2021 after stops in Toronto, Sacramento, Denver and Detroit. During the last two seasons with Nori as Chris Finch’s top assistant, the Timberwolves reached the Western Conference Finals.
Previously, the Knicks formal request to interview Chris Finch was rejected. With Finch out of the picture, the Knicks are looking at prying away Nori.
The Timberwolves had their most successful seasons — back-to-back trip the Western Conference Finals with Towns playing a pivotal role in that first run before he was traded to the Knicks last offseason.
Chris Finch’s Right-Hand Man
Getty Assistant coach Micah Nori of the Minnesota Timberwolves and head coach Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves look on against the Denver Nuggets.
Nori likens his role next to Finch “to a bench coach in baseball, the right-hand man with a broad array of input and oversight” in a 2024 feature at MinnPost. He acts as Finch’s sounding board, advisor and reminder of in-game details during games especially during crunch time.
Before the games, he also creates game plans and summarize scouting reports for Finch like the other members of Finch’s coaching staff. Nori is responsible for defensive scout game plans for three of the Timberwolves’ conference rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets, according to MinnPost.
Nori also previously worked for the Nuggets and forged a strong friendship with Nuggets star Nikola Jokic before his rise to become a three-time NBA MVP and a champion.
Timberwolves Offseason Dilemma
GettyJulius Randle, Anthony Edwards, and Rudy Gobert during Game 4 of the West Semifinals between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors on May 12, 2025.
The Timberwolves are at an inflection point after losing in the Western Conference Finals for the second straight season.
They to crunch the numbers to bring back three of their core players — Julius Randle (player option) Naz Reid (player option) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (unrestricted free agent) — who are drawing interest from rivals teams.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said he’d be surprised if the Timberwolves bring them all back.
“Well, I don’t think they can keep this team together,” Windhorst said on “Pardon My Take” on May 27. “The core, they can, but… so Julius Randle’s a free agent. Nickeil Alexander Walker is a free agent and Naz Reid is a free agent. He has an opt out which I’m sure he’s going to take. Ant’s contract is very large.
“I would be surprised if they were able to re-sign all three guys. I suppose they could trade another player off to keep them, maybe they can, I mean, I don’t know, but I would be kind of surprised if they could afford all three.”
Walker-Alexander is expected to get a substantial raise from his $4.3 million salary this past season. Randle has $30.9 million player option and could be looking for a long-term deal still within that price range while Reid views himself as a starter.
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