Jalen Brunson’s Father Complicates Knicks HC Search Amid Jason Kidd Rumors

The New York Knicks firing Tom Thibodeau just days after making the Eastern Conference Finals feels like deleting your MyPlayer after dropping 50 in the Finals. Sure, the Knicks hadn’t been this deep in the playoffs since the Y2K panic, but apparently, that wasn’t enough for Leon Rose and James Dolan. And now, just when you think the drama might simmer down… enter Rick Brunson. Yes, Jalen Brunson’s dad. Assistant coach. Possible future head coach. Welcome to the Knicks’ version of Succession, where the throne is a clipboard and the dragon is Jason Kidd breathing down MSG’s neck.

Let’s rewind real quick. Thibs led the Knicks to a 51–31 season, a conference finals run, and managed to make Karl-Anthony Towns look like a semi-functioning playoff performer again. But despite all that, the Knicks handed him a pink slip on June 3. Why? Apparently, there were internal whispers for months — whispers louder than a Spike Lee courtside yell. The vibe was that Thibs had maxed out what he could do, especially with an All-NBA backcourt and a stacked roster. So Dolan and Rose pulled the plug and said, “Let’s try someone who doesn’t run players into the ground like it’s a preseason Marine boot camp.”

Rick Brunson has been a Knicks assistant since 2022, but don’t let that title fool you — this man reportedly has a louder voice than the Madison Square Garden PA announcer. Bill Simmons hit the nail right on the head on his podcast, saying: “Jalen Brunson’s dad is one of the coaches of the team and worked with Thibs for a long time… there are always rumors he had an outsized voice with Leon and all those dudes.”

Bill Simmons continued, asking veteran insider Zach Lowe, “If you’re the next coach, do you want your own staff or do you want to inherit this staff that got like, it got a little Game of Thrones down the stretch there.”

Feb 29, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) warms up with assistant coach Rick Brunson (right) before a game against the Golden State Warriors at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Oh, and if you needed more drama, just rewind to that preseason game at Madison Square Garden—when Donte DiVincenzo snapped at Rick Brunson after the offseason trade involving Julius Randle and Karl Anthony-Towns alongside Donte. This wasn’t your average sideline flare-up. “Can’t finish right, Thibs?” DiVincenzo fired off, clearly referencing coach Tom Thibodeau, per ESPN. Rick Brunson, seated right next to Thibs, got visibly animated, though it’s still unclear what he actually said. Donte didn’t hold back, though: “That’s what happens when they let you run the show,” he continued. “Let daddy be in charge.”

And now with Thibs out, people are wondering — is Rick Brunson sliding into the top seat? Not so fast, because as Zach Lowe added: “So every coach wants his own staff, and there’s some coaches for whom that’s been a dealbreaker when they’re told during the hiring process, ‘That you got to keep this guy, you gotta keep this guy…’ It’s been either a dealbreaker or begrudgingly accepted by a coach who wants a particular job.”

Zach continued, “This is obviously a much different situation since he [Rick Brunson] is the father of the franchise player and I think that is a discussion that has to include lots of different parties… if a change is made, I think a lot of different people have to be involved in that.”

Translation? If the Knicks go with an outside hire like Jason Kidd, he might not want to be stuck with someone else’s dad barking at him during timeouts, with notable insiders hinting at that possibility where Rick, is still part of the coaching staff.

Jason Kidd, Michael Malone… or Coach Dad?

Let’s talk Jason Kidd for a second. The Knicks reportedly want to interview the current Mavericks coach, who — yes — did take Dallas to the Finals in 2024. But in 2025? That team crashed harder than Ben Simmons’ jump shot. After trading Luka Doncic to the Lakers (remember that drama?), the Mavs missed the playoffs entirely. Kidd still has two years left on his deal, so the Knicks would need to pull a mini Sean Payton NFL-style trade just to get him.

And yet… Kidd does have a history with Jalen Brunson, having coached him in Dallas early on. Plus, he ended his playing career with the Knicks back in 2013. So there’s a comfort level. But again, will he want Rick Brunson in the building? The coaching search now feels like a bad episode of Chopped: “You must build a Finals team using: one All-NBA guard, one assistant dad, and whatever’s left of Karl-Anthony Towns’ defense.”

It all boils down to one key question: Will the next Knicks HC be someone who brings in their own staff or inherits a coaching room already dripping in drama? If Kidd (or someone else) walks in and is told, “Congrats, but you gotta keep Brunson Sr.,” that could be a dealbreaker.

Mar 31, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd looks on during the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Bill Simmons doesn’t think it’s even up for debate: “I think skepticism is underrating it. I think people think [Rick] will be on the bench.”

So, unless someone can figure out a creative solution — like making Rick Brunson the lead assistant with more defined boundaries — the Knicks may have trouble finding the right voice. And if they do go full Brunson-Ball and hand the reins to dad? Well… let’s just hope the locker room doesn’t start treating practices like Thanksgiving dinner with extended family — all passive-aggressive jabs and cold mashed potatoes.

The Knicks HC saga is officially messier than a post-game Charles Oakley press conference. Between Thibs’ shocking exit, Rick Brunson’s looming presence, Jason Kidd’s contractual situation, and the playoff-sized expectations riding on Jalen Brunson’s back… this coaching search isn’t just about Xs and Os — it’s about egos, family, and front-office politics.

One thing’s for sure: whoever ends up as the next Knicks HC better know how to win games and navigate family reunions at center court.

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