There’s a lot of excitement surrounding the New York Knicks. In this new era, led by Jalen Brunson, they came just 2 games short of making the NBA Finals. In order to rectify themselves, the front office went to work. Their offseason includes valuable additions, but most importantly, a change in the top hierarchy. Former Coach of the Year Mike Brown is excited to take the helm.

At his introductory press conference, he spoke about ways he can improve the team. But there’s a big obstacle that Brown will have to tackle. Wosny Lambre sees the Knicks to be a team of big personalities, which it is. Brunson has become a bona fide star. Additionally, with such heavy weightage on starters by Tom Thibodeau, they are used to playing thin lineups.

Brown doesn’t follow those philosophies. His emphasis is on meshing together since he became the head coach of the Sacramento Kings. Lambre has doubts that the personnel within the Knicks will accept his style.

“I just don’t know if Mike Brown has the gravitas that these guys are going to actually allow him to coach…  I wonder if Mike Brown has the respect in order for him to go out and explain to these guys that they need to do it completely different than they did before Like I heard Mike Brown and I was like, I think if Mike Brown is allowed to actually implement a new offense, I think he would implement something that you and I would recognize as like really cool and fun,” he explained on the Kevin O’Connor Show.

Where Lambre sees it goes wrong is the Knicks players ‘respecting’ Mike Brown. He’s a passionate coach who doesn’t mind making brave decisions. On the other hand, there is a set of players with big character. It has all the elements to clash? But what matters is the opening statement. Brown gave a compelling one.

“Nobody has any bigger expectations than I do. My expectations are high,” he said in his press conference. More than that, the Knicks captain is eager to learn under Brown.

Jalen Brunson can’t wait to be coached by Mike Brown

Being the coach of the Knicks, one of the biggest markets, comes with its own pressure. But Mike Brown’s personality is big too. He’s a two-time Coach of the Year and is firm in the way he operates. De’Aaron Fox loved his style, and with what Brunson has seen from his time in Sacramento, he feels the same way.

“I think it just shows a different side of him—how animated he is and how much he wants the best for his team. He wants to push us in any way he can, so I’m excited. I’m excited for this, excited to see where he can take us. It should be fun,” said the Knicks captain while reacting to one of Brown’s clips. Even Kalr-Anthony Towns has expressed glee as he met with coach Brown recently.

Mike Brown’s made it clear. The Knicks’ identity is going to change. It’s not going to be about dominating with the starters. In each of his two full seasons with the Kings, their bench scoring ranked in the top 15. He’s impressed with how the Knicks are prepared for it. The entry of Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele bodes well in strengthening the Knicks’ depth.

But different schemes aren’t going to be the biggest change. Brown is big on accountability. And he’s made it clear that his personality isn’t going to change with the Knicks.

“At the end of the day, it’s about relationships. It’s about trust. Once you grow those relationships, then you can talk openly about anything that you need to go in the direction you need to go. I’m going to be open and honest with them, and I’m sure they’re going to be open and honest with me,” said Brown.

Having coached LeBron James and then worked under great coaches such as Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich, Mike Brown knows how to manage personality. So if history can be a lesson, Brunson and the Knicks being open-minded is the likely scenario.