ESPN's Shams Charania has reported that the New York Knicks are expected to hire two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown as the franchise's next head coach. This initially came as a sign of relief for Pelicans fans, as it meant they would be retaining their top assistant, James Borrego, who had been a leading candidate for the Knicks’ vacancy. However, the Knicks aren't done with their pursuit of Borrego just yet.
According to Marc Stein, the Knicks still have their eyes on Borrego, but instead as Brown's lead assistant in New York. This is an interesting development as Borrego is extremely valuable to the Pelicans coaching staff and will be important heading into the 2025-26 season. As the Pelicans have leaned heavily into building an offensive culture this offseason, so losing their best offensive mind could be a real blow to the heart.
During his four-year stint (2018 to 2022) as the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, Borrego was ahead of his time. His teams relied heavily on three-point shooting and prioritized creating offense from the perimeter, a style that wasn’t as widely adopted at the time. They had the 12th highest offensive rating in the NBA in his first season as head coach. Considering the talent he had to work with, the fact that he was able to get their offense inside the top 15 is impressive.
The chances of him leaving are unlikely
Although reports of Borrego fleeing for New York are concerning, unless he leaves for a promotion, the Pelicans can prevent a move. Marc Stein reported that New Orleans wants to retain Borrego as Willie Green’s lead assistant and would likely deny a lateral move to the Knicks. This isn't necessarily a shocker as Borrego's offensive mind, paired with Green's defensive mind, has been a balanced combination.
If the Pelicans were to block the Knicks from hiring Borrego, it wouldn't be the first time another team blocked them after firing Tom Thibodeau. The Mavericks, Hawks, Timberwolves, Bulls, and Rockets all denied the Knicks' request to speak with their head coaches.
Keeping Borrego around would only make the Pelicans' offense better, but it would also give the team a built-in contingency plan. Assuming New Orleans gets off to a tough start in the 2025-26 season, the first person to have a figure pointed at them would likely be Willie Green. And with Borrego's coaching style aligning with the current makeup of the Pelicans' roster, he could be an ideal in-house replacement.
If the Knicks officially hire Mike Brown and attempt to pry Borrego away from the Pelicans, Joe Dumars and the front office must block all requests to bring him to New York.