Mark Bryant is joining the Knicks coaching staff, SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley reported on Wednesday.

Begley noted that Bryant, 59, is widely viewed as one of the top big man coaches in the NBA. He joins a Tom Thibodeau coaching staff that has seen a great run of recent success in getting a great deal of output out of less-than-heralded big men, like Isaiah Hartenstein’s emergence last season.

When his 15-year playing career came to an end in 2003, Bryant soon found himself back on an NBA sideline starting under Don Nelson in Dallas in 2004, before joining the Orlando Magic in 2005, working on Brian Hill's staff with big man Dwight Howard.

He has spent the last 19 seasons as an assistant coach, working for five different organizations. Bryant spent last season on Monty Williams' staff in Detroit after previously working under Williams in Phoenix, where he played a big role in Deandre Ayton's development.

“He's taught me a lot of tricks, a lot of things that I need,” Ayton told the Suns' team site in 2020. “He basically polished up my game, like the cherry on top. Everything I have, he enhanced it and added more to it. It's a major impact to where he evolved my game into an enforcer.

“Everybody knew I could be that, but he basically showed the moves and the tools that I need to become that and to be consistent with that.”

Bryant's time with the Oklahoma City Thunder – when he worked with Steven Adams – overlapped with new Knicks assistant Maurice Cheeks.

“MB, he's amazing with bigs,” Williams said in 2020. “Steven was not that before he came to Oklahoma City and now look at him. It took him a while. I was in OKC four years ago and Steven wasn't that, but MB is one of those guys who's a plotter. He's in the gym step-by-step, day-by-day, getting guys to a level where they can play that position and be effective.”

Bryant, 59, is a native of Glen Ridge, New Jersey and attended Columbia High School in Maplewood before playing collegiately at Seton Hall. He was then the 21st overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft.

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I'd also love to steal D Avdjia.

Two trades I'll throw out there.

3-team below - Clippers send a 1st to Knicks and some 2nds to Portland

Randle to Clippers
Powell/Mann to Portland
Ayton to NY.

2nd trade

Mitch to Portland
Avdjia to Knicks

Post trades Knicks re-sign Precious to back-up Ayton.

LivingLegend wrote:I've been on Ayton train for some time now -- highly skilled, likely available and gettable.

I'd also love to steal D Avdjia.

Two trades I'll throw out there.

3-team below - Clippers send a 1st to Knicks and some 2nds to Portland

Randle to Clippers
Powell/Mann to Portland
Ayton to NY.

2nd trade

Mitch to Portland
Avdjia to Knicks

Post trades Knicks re-sign Precious to back-up Ayton.

The team that drafted him moved on.
Feel if you are going to make a huge trade you want to improve. Losing Mitch and Randle for a guy that clogs the middle and does not stretch the floor does not seem to do that.

Avdja has been inconsistent and is best as a volume shooter. Does he play defense? Where are you playing him? Over who?

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https://www.twitter.com/KnicksMuse/status/1815883006051021083

martin wrote:Yeah but what about this

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https://www.twitter.com/pistons__talk/status/1811815154885038121

Also a solid relationship to watch.

We do have a habit of hiring guys and others follow? Or at least we try.
We moving to bring in Ayton? Duren?

HofstraBBall wrote:

LivingLegend wrote:I've been on Ayton train for some time now -- highly skilled, likely available and gettable.

I'd also love to steal D Avdjia.

Two trades I'll throw out there.

3-team below - Clippers send a 1st to Knicks and some 2nds to Portland

Randle to Clippers
Powell/Mann to Portland
Ayton to NY.

2nd trade

Mitch to Portland
Avdjia to Knicks

Post trades Knicks re-sign Precious to back-up Ayton.

The team that drafted him moved on.
Feel if you are going to make a huge trade you want to improve. Losing Mitch and Randle for a guy that clogs the middle and does not stretch the floor does not seem to do that.

Avdja has been inconsistent and is best as a volume shooter. Does he play defense? Where are you playing him? Over who?

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/KnicksMuse/status/1815883006051021083

Did Katz have any idea Mikal trade was going down?

Good questions on my proposed deals.

I think highly of Ayton’s skill level and just like Brunson made Randle’s job easier I could see him elevating a still very young D Ayton. Also - Julius has had many of the same so called attitude issues in NY with sulking/quitting on plays and arguing with staff.

Avdjia does play D, he’s big - can guard 3 and 4, can put ball on floor and is unselfish —- if we had another solid center I’d trade Mitch for Avdjia in a flash.

Again these are my opinions and many may disagree but I think we do get better here and don’t forget we get #1 pick from Clips in my proposal as an add on to Randle deal.