Knicks to hire Rick Brunson, father of free-agent target Jalen Brunson, as assistant coach

The Knicks are finalizing a contract with Rick Brunson, the father of Jalen Brunson, to become an assistant coach on Tom Thibodeau’s staff, SNY has learned. Brunson, a nine-year NBA veteran, has been an assistant coach under Thibodeau in Chicago and Minnesota. The deal is expected to be finalized in the coming days, per people familiar with the matter. The 49-year-old fills a spot on the Knicks bench created when former assistant Kenny Payne left to become head coach at the University of Louisville.