The New York Knicks spent Thursday celebrating their first NBA championship in 53 years, showered in confetti along the Canyon of Heroes and cheered by hundreds of thousands of fans.
By afternoon, however, another offseason question had emerged.
The Knicks may not only be in danger of losing key contributors from their title roster — they could also lose one of the architects behind it.
According to Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Knicks associate head coach Chris Jent has recently emerged as a candidate for the Portland Trail Blazers‘ head coaching vacancy.
The development adds another layer of uncertainty to an offseason already clouded by salary-cap concerns and potential free-agent departures.
Chris Jent Emerges as Candidate for Trail Blazers Job
Portland’s coaching search has stretched longer than expected.
Reports earlier this month indicated that Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, former Memphis Grizzlies assistant Tyler Lashbrook and then-Paris Basketball coach Tiago Splitter had emerged as finalists. Splitter has since accepted the Chicago Bulls‘ head coaching job, leaving the Blazers continuing their search.
Now, Jent’s name has entered the conversation.
Highkin reported Thursday that Jent has been connected to Portland’s opening in recent days. Fischer later confirmed he had also heard that Jent had emerged as a candidate.
The timing is notable.
Jent was hired by the Knicks only last August after New York endured a difficult search to fill Mike Brown’s front-of-the-bench staff. The Knicks were turned down by several prominent candidates, including Mike Weinar, Pablo Prigioni, James Borrego and Jay Triano, before landing Jent.
Mike Brown Publicly Championed Jent’s Credentials
Brown made it clear after the Knicks’ championship-clinching Game 5 victory that he believes Jent is overdue for another opportunity.
“There are a lot of jobs open out there. Chris Jent, my associate head coach, I’m surprised has not gotten an interview,” Brown said. “He won the Summer League championship this past summer; he’s our offensive coordinator, associate head coach. He’s been around for a long time. Someone needs to give him an interview because he will help your team win at the highest level.”
Jent’s résumé spans more than two decades.
The 55-year-old has worked as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets and Knicks.
He also served as Orlando’s interim head coach during the 2004-05 season and coached the Bakersfield Jam in the G League.
Knicks Could Lose More Than Their Supporting Cast
The possibility of losing Jent arrives as the Knicks face difficult personnel decisions.
Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet are already attracting significant free-agent interest as owner James Dolan seeks to keep New York below the NBA’s restrictive second apron.
Now, the coaching staff may also be vulnerable.
Jent served as New York’s offensive coordinator and was arguably Brown’s most experienced lieutenant, helping orchestrate an offense built around Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and a deep supporting cast.
His potential departure would represent more than another offseason vacancy.
It would be another piece of a championship operation suddenly under pressure to keep itself together.
The Knicks finally climbed the NBA mountaintop.
Keeping the entire mountain intact may prove considerably harder.
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