Knicks Interviewing Timberwolves Lead Assistant Tied to All-NBA Stars

The New York Knicks are interviewing Minnesota Timberwolves lead assistant Micah Nori for their coaching vacancy, ESPN’s senior NBA insider Shams Charania reports.

Nori is the third candidate that the Knicks will interview after former head coaches Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins.

The longtime NBA assistant coach 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 has forged a strong bond with the Knicks’ All-NBA center Karl-Anthony Towns during their time in Minnesota. The 51-year-old assistant coach joined the Timberwolves in 2021.

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.

Micah Nori is Ripe for Head Coaching Job

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.

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 relationship with Nikola Jokic before his rise to become a three-time NBA MVP and a champion.

Knicks Considering James Borrego?

According to an earlier report from James Edwards III of The Athletic, New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego is also under consideration for the Knicks coaching vacancy.

“Jenkins and Brown appear to be the front-runners as of now. However, New York has tossed around the idea of speaking with James Borrego for its vacancy, per league sources. Borrego, a CAA client, is known around the league for his offensive creativity and analytics-forward approach,” Edwards wrote.

Borrego previously interviewed for the Phoenix Suns coaching vacancy but did not make the final list. The Suns ultimately hired a first-time coach in former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott, a Michigan alum like the team’s owner Mat Ishbia.

Last year, he also interviewed for the Cavaliers coaching vacancy which went to Kenny Atkinson.

Borrego had a previous head coaching experience like Brown and Jenkins. The 47-year-old Borrego coached the Charlotte Hornets for four seasons. But he was fired after consecutive play-in losses in 2021 and 2022.

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Jason Kidd Still in Play

Jason Kidd, who was reported to be the Knicks’ top target, has yet to agree to an extension with the Dallas Mavericks, who also shut down the Knicks’ request to talk to him. He will continue to be linked to the Knicks coaching vacancy until he signs an extension to stay in Dallas.

Two active NBA head coaches have already benefited from the Knicks’ coaching search.

Billy Donovan is in the process of getting his contract extended with the Chicago Bulls while the Houston Rockets made Ime Udoka one of the highest-paid coaches in the league.

The developments came after the Knicks formally requested to speak with them but were firmly denied by the Bulls and the Rockets, respectively.