Jalen Brunson’s father is getting demoted by the New York Knicks under new head coach Mike Brown.
Rick Brunson will retain a lesser role on the Knicks’ bench next season as Brown hires his own associate head coach, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. Brunson is on board with the move.
“This is what’s best for the organization and the players,” a source told Bondy.
The move is at least partly meant to counter the perception that Brunson has outsized influence over a team on which his son is the star player. Some unflattering reports emerged after the season ended suggesting Brunson’s presence was viewed unfavorably by other players, and that he was viewed as the most powerful member of the organization. A demotion might not fully counter those claims, but it will presumably give Brown the chance to assert his own authority after being hired as coach.
There have certainly been times where Brunson’s presence has been a distraction. Whatever his role on the staff is, it is pretty easy to make accusations about impropriety or conflicts of interest.
Rick Brunson was hired as an assistant head coach in 2022, just before Jalen joined the team as a free agent. That signing has been a coup for the Knicks, but three years later, it might be time for his father to take on a lesser role around the team.
