Jalen Brunson's Father Rick Reportedly Will Have 'Lesser' Knicks Role Under Mike Brown

Mike Brown, the new head coach of the New York Knicks, is reportedly expected to hire a new associate head coach and demote Rick Brunson from that position and into a "lesser" role, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.

Per that report, "It's viewed as a gesture by the organization to give Brown more control while simultaneously addressing the distractions or perceptions of conflicts of interest that arose last season by having the star player's father as the top assistant."

Rick Brunson—who is said to be accepting of his change in role—is the father of star point guard Jalen Brunson.

"This is what's best for the organization and the players," a source told Bondy.

Brunson, 53, was hired by the Knicks to be a part of Tom Thibodeau's staff in June 2022, replacing Kenny Payne, who at the time had taken the head-coaching job at Louisville. One month later, the team signed Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $104 million contract (he has since signed a four-year, $156.5 million extension that will keep him under contract through at least the 2027-28 season, with a player option for the 2028-29 campaign).

Brunson had previously served on Thibodeau's staff in both Chicago and Minnesota, so the move was more than just a mere ploy to attract his son in free agency, though that connection was obviously noted. He was also a client of Knicks' president Leon Rose during his playing days, another connection to the organization.

Thibodeau was fired after the 2024-25 season, however, calling into question who Brown would retain from his predecessor's staff. It appears Brunson will be remaining on the staff, albeit in a lesser role.

Expectations remain sky high in New York behind the star core of Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby. Thibodeau was fired despite leading the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals this past season—for Brown and his coaching staff, it's championship or bust.