The New York Knicks probably thought they were slick with their new hire.
Veteran NBA writer Marc Stein reported on Thursday that the Knicks are bringing in DeSagana Diop to serve as the next head coach of their G League team. Diop will lead the Westchester Knicks, who were previously coached by Derrick Alston.
The 40-year-old Diop is a notable enough figure as an ex-NBA center, best known for his stint with the Dallas Mavericks in the mid-2000s. But he was also an assistant coach for the Utah Jazz from 2016 to 2020.
It is no secret that the Knicks are after Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, who was drafted in 2017. The Knicks were very out-in-the-open with their scouting of Mitchell during Utah’s first-round playoff series, even irking some members of the Jazz organization by doing so. Mitchell is also a native of Westchester County in New York.
One hurdle to overcome is that Mitchell is still under contract with Utah for three more years, so the Knicks will have to trade for him if they really want him. But the Knicks already have one ex-Jazz assistant in Johnnie Bryant on their coaching staff, and the addition of another one in Diop has to make for a very competitive recruiting pitch to Mitchell.
