Leon’s lineup
Mavs asst. latest candidate in Rose’s hunt for Knicks coach
The Knicks have not had a permanent head coach in more than six months.
At this rate, it is going to another month before they finally name one.
A ninth candidate — and another assistant coach — is in the mix as the Knicks asked Mark Cuban’s Mavericks for permission to speak to Rick Carlisle assistant, Jamahl Mosley, an NBA source confirmed.
Mosley will be one of five assistant coaches with no NBA head-coaching experience whom rookie president Leon Rose will interview as he expands his search to look at young coaches. Mosley has been on Carlisle’s staff for six seasons and reportedly interviewed for the Cavaliers head job in 2019. According to a Dallas source, Mosley’s strength is in interpreting analytics and is a key voice in Carlisle’s ear regarding in-game decisions.
For the past two seasons, Mosley was in charge of Dallas’ defense and has worked with former Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr., acquired by the Knicks in the Kristaps Porzingis trade. Mosley, who played internationally on three continents, is also the third AfricanAmerican candidate on
Rose’s list, joining Ime Udoka and Mike Woodson.
The past season began with the NBA fielding just eight African-American head coaches — a concern for the league, especially considering the ongoing racial strife in the country.
Six of the candidates are clients of Creative Artists
Agency’s basketball department, which Rose used to run. Rose may interview as many as 10 candidates. The Knicks interviewed 11 candidates in their most recent coaching search, which was run partly by GM Scott Perry.
“It seems obvious this is a great way to get their names in the pipeline and give them some exposure for the next cycle,’’ one NBA coaching source told The Post. “Time is on their side.”
Veteran Tom Thibodeau is considered the lead candidate, but Rose is in no rush with a decision not expected until July. Thibodeau has no other suitors with 22 teams gearing up for the restart, which won’t end for some teams until late August.