New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown has been labelled "the most obvious option" to replace Steve Kerr at the Golden State Warriors should the 60-year-old officially depart the franchise in the coming weeks.
The problem is Brown is under contract with the Knicks for a further three seasons, though the team's poor start in the playoffs means he might becoming a more legitimate option for the Warriors by the game.
Knicks meltdown could make Mike Brown available to the Warriors
Kerr's future is a great source of speculation surrounding Golden State right now, with Tim Kawakami of The San Fransisco Standard mentioning Brown as an obvious replacement candidate earlier this week, albeit acknowledging it would be unlikely considering his current tenure at the Knicks.
"The most obvious option would be much-loved Warriors former top assistant and interim coach Mike Brown, but he'd have to get fired by the Knicks for that to happen. Not an impossibility under owner James Dolan, but also not too likely," Kawakami wrote.
While Kawakami's right in that it seems highly unlikely right now, a further Knicks meltdown in their current first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks could change the equation entirely and put Brown's future in some doubt.
After amassing an impressive 53-29 record during the regular season, the Knicks entered this first-round series as strong favorites over the young Hawks. However, back-to-back one-point losses has put New York in a hole, having lost home-court advantage and staring down the barrel of a 3-1 deficit if they can't turn things around in Saturday's Game 4.
The Knicks have had no less than eight different head coaches in the last 12 years, proving there's been no shortage of turnover and that they're not afraid to move on quickly if the team fails to meet expectations.
Warriors have significant history with Mike Brown
In between his coaching stints at the Cleveland Cavaliers (twice), Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings and now the Knicks, Brown spent six years with the Warriors as Kerr's top assistant during a memorable run.
Perhaps most notably, Brown led Golden State to a 12-0 record during the 2017 playoffs when Kerr was absent due to a back injury. During his six years with the franchise, the team won three NBA championships and made a further appearance in the 2019 Finals.
While Brown's credentials could come under question if he's fired by the Knicks less than 18 months after being axed by the Kings, he does have a strong relationship with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green which could prove important if the Warriors have to search for a Kerr replacement.
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