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The New York Knicks are leading an aggressive 2025 offseason and free agency with the ultimate goal of returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000. The Knicks were just two wins away from winning last season's Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers. The conference finals appearance alone was also the first in 25 years, but President and General Manager Leon Rose isn't satisfied.
Just three days after falling to the Pacers in game six, Rose and the Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau after five seasons with the franchise.
“Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans,” Rose said in a statement.
“Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward. Tom will always be a part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
Rose led an extensive coaching search, one that left the Knicks without a head coach during the 2025 NBA Draft and the beginning of free agency.
Then, on July 7, Mike Brown was named the replacement – the biggest move of New York's offseason.
Knicks sign Mike Brown
The Knicks elect to hire Mike Brown, a two-time NBA Coach of the Year and four-time NBA Champion, to a four-year contract.
It was a direction many expected New York to go – hiring an experienced head coach who can catapult the Knicks roster into championship contention.
Brown is coming off two-and-a-half seasons as the head coach of the Sacramento Kings, winning the 2023 NBA Coach of the Year and leading the franchise to its first playoff appearance since 2006.
Prior to Sacramento, he was an assistant coach alongside Steve Kerr, winning three championships with the Golden State Warriors in 2017, 2018, and 2022.
Brown brings that championship experience to New York, hoping to win the franchise's first NBA Championship since 1973.
“Our goal – starting with (James) Dolan, to Leon (Rose), to the players, all the way down to the fans – is to build a sustainable, winning culture that produces championships,” Brown said during his introductory press conference.
“That's why I'm here.”
It's a hiring that comes with high expectations. But Brown understands that and embraces the aspirations that come with being the head coach of the Knicks.
Grade: A
Knicks sign Jordan Clarkson
About a week before Brown's hiring, the Knicks made their biggest player acquisition of the summer.
Jordan Clarkson, the 2021 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, not only provides an eccentric scoring option off the bench, but he also brings a playmaking skillset that will allow Jalen Brunson to rest comfortably.
The 11-year NBA vet is coming off a season with the Utah Jazz, averaging 16.2 points per game in 37 appearances. He also shot 36.2% from 3-point range, his best since the 2019-20 season.
Clarkson will likely serve as Brunson's backup, but the guard duo could also find themselves on the floor together quite a bit.
During Brown's two full seasons with the Kings, De'Aaron Fox and Malik Monk played together for roughly 15.5 minutes per game. Brunson, like Fox, and Clarkson, like Monk, are guards who can complement one another for small stints, largely thanks to their three-level scoring abilities.
Adding a guard was a must for the Knicks this offseason. Given the team's cap restraints, landing a former Sixth Man of the Year on a veteran minimum deal is a home run for the franchise.
Grade: A
Knicks sign Guerschon Yabusele
A breakout player from the 2024 Paris Olympics, Guerschon Yabusele made his much-anticipated return to the NBA last season.
As poor of a season as it was for the Philadelphia 76ers, their struggles only opened the door for Yabusele. His career year included 70 games, averaging 11 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest.
However, the shooting number were most impressive for the 6-foot-8 power forward – 50.1% from the field and 38% from 3-point range.
The Knicks signed Yabusele on a two-year, $12 million deal with a player option in the second year. His decision came after the 76ers seemingly let the power forward walk.
“They almost didn't make an offer,” Yabusele said on a SKWEEK podcast episode. “They did, but it was really, really low. I felt like ‘Oh my god, it seems like you don't really want me to stay.'”
His arrival in New York, like Clarkson's, provides much-needed depth for a team that struggled off the bench last season. His ability to play both in the post and on the perimeter makes him a seamless fit in any lineup Brown puts him in.
Grade: B+
