Kentucky associate head coach Kenny Payne is being considered by the New York Knicks for one of his assistant coach vacancies under new head coach Tom Thibodeau.
Sources tell KSR that while the Knicks have not yet officially contacted Payne, the franchise has long considered the Kentucky aide as an option to join Thibodeau’s staff.
In addition to his success in developing great elite men, sources tell KSR that the Knicks are intrigued by Payne’s ability to recruit former Kentucky stars like Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker for New York when they become in free agents in the future.
On Friday Stephen Bondy of the New York Daily News He first reported Payne as an option for the Knicks, but only if the franchise hired 10-time NBA All-Star Jason Kidd as its head coach. The same report also mentioned former UK assistant Rod Strickland and former Knicks coach Mike Woodson as other options for joining Kidd’s staff in New York.
Instead, the franchise is finalizing a five-year contract with Thibodeau, who previously coached the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves.
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