If you’re a New York Knicks fan and thought things were finally on the up after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the Clinton administration, think again—because Stan Van Gundy just dumped a bucket of cold Gatorade on your parade. And not the good blue kind either.

During a recent episode of the Nothing Personal with David Samson podcast, Van Gundy lit into the Knicks’ decision to fire Tom Thibodeau, calling it flat-out nonsensical. “That was a big mistake,” he began, with all the subtlety of a Rasheed Wallace post-up. “Tom Thibodeau, one of the best coaches in this league, did an unbelievable job with that team this year. He maximized virtually everyone—OG Anunoby had the best year of his career, Karl-Anthony Towns probably the best year of his career, and Jalen Brunson went from a 15–16 point scorer in Dallas to a star.”

But he didn’t stop there. Oh no. Van Gundy doubled down like Gregg Popovich chewing out a ref. “Josh Hart went from a backup to a triple-double type of guy in New York. He took them places they hadn’t been in a quarter of a century, and then they make a coaching change. Made absolutely no sense to me.” That’s like benching Patrick Ewing mid-playoff run because you think Herb Williams has “untapped potential.”

Then came the knockout punch: “There’s next levels down also… most of the time what works out is the teams do get to the next level, and that level is down.” Yep, Stan just said the Knicks’ next step might be a nosedive. Not exactly the offseason optimism fans were hoping for.

Enter Mike Brown—fresh off being tossed by the Kings like a cold slice of Little Caesars. To most, Brown seemed like a backup plan’s backup plan, but some heavyweights disagree. “I love this hire,” said Paul Pierce, adding, “There were only a few people who could get the Knicks to the Finals… Mike Brown was actually one of them.” Bold claim from a man who once called game while wheeling off the court.

But the optimism doesn’t stop with Pierce. Even Mitchell Robinson chimed in with a “Great Pick Up!” via his Snapchat series Keeping Up With Mitch. Not exactly Inside the NBA, but we’ll take it.

Let’s be fair—Mike Brown isn’t just a clipboard guy with colored pens. Though, fun fact: he is very serious about those pens. According to Warriors staff, Brown used to color-code plays with obsessive precision. Teammates would mess with the pens just to see him lose it. Think Doc Rivers with a Rubik’s Cube.

Brown’s coaching career has been a rollercoaster even Six Flags would reject. From his marathon shootarounds with the Cavs and Lakers to getting fired five games into a season with Steve Nash and Dwight Howard (seriously, five!), things didn’t look good. But then came Golden State—basketball rehab for the basketball mind. Under Steve Kerr, Brown mellowed out, learned the Zen of Steph-and-Klay spacing, and somehow became… likable?

“He wore out the Cavs… he wore out the Lakers,” Brian Windhorst recalled. “But being with that sort of very mature, multi-championship winning team mellowed him out. That arc in his career probably helped him.” So, in other words, Steve Kerr is the basketball version of CBD oil.

Why the Knicks Are Rolling the Dice on a New Look

Despite the Thibodeau firing raising more eyebrows than Reggie Miller in MSG, the Knicks aren’t completely crazy. They finished 51–31 last season, boasted a top-10 offense, and absolutely bullied the Celtics in the playoffs. Jalen Brunson averaged 26 and won Clutch Player of the Year, Karl-Anthony Towns dropped video-game numbers, and Josh Hart pulled off nine triple-doubles like it was an afterthought.

But then came the Pacers. Faster, deeper, and sneakier than a Prime Rasheed W allace pump fake. The Knicks’ limited bench and slow pace (26th in the league) got exposed harder than a zone defense against Steph Curry. So, with Thibs unable—or unwilling—to change gears, the front office hit reset.

Now, in comes Brown, who famously turned the Kings into an offensive machine, ranking 2nd in passes per game in 2023–24. Meanwhile, the Knicks ranked just 18th in that category last year. Translation: there’s room to grow, and Mike Brown’s clipboard may hold the answers.

Mike Brown has something most Knicks coaches haven’t had in decades: a roster that doesn’t need therapy. Jalen Brunson is a bona fide star, KAT is still young-ish and can drop 40 on any given night, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges provide elite wing defense, and Josh Hart can apparently morph into Oscar Robertson whenever he wants.

The question isn’t talent. It’s pace, ball movement, and whether Brown can blend his Sacramento passing game with New York’s brawny physicality. And also… whether he’s mellow enough now to survive the Madison Square spotlight without turning into vintage 2013 Mike D’Antoni.

Look, no one’s saying the Knicks are title favorites—this isn’t 1973—but they’ve got a core, some continuity, and now a coach who’s failed, learned, and evolved. That’s more than half the teams in the league.

And hey, at least he won’t get fired five games in… right?