The list of head coaches the New York Knicks tried to poach before hiring Mike Brown just got even longer. And it reportedly included Boston Celtics head honcho Joe Mazzulla…because of course it did.
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, it was “whispered that the Knicks likely did some backchannel exploration to determine if there was any pathway to pursue Boston's Joe Mazzulla.” They were, of course, rebuffed. The Celtics then proceeded to give Mazzulla an extension this past August.
Interpreting this tidbit months after New York gave the reins to Brown is complicated.