The Knicks have shown an affinity for the Timberwolves coaching staff this offseason. First, they asked for permission to speak to Chris Finch for their head coach opening (they were denied permission). Later, they interviewed Wolves head assistant Micah Nori to become their head coach, but they ultimately hired Mike Brown. Now, the Knicks have asked permission to speak with another Timberwolves coach for an assistant coaching role for them, and this time it was granted.
Timberwolves assistant Pablo Prigioni set to speak with the Knicks
As reported by Ian Begley of SNY, the Minnesota assistant that the Knicks will be talking to is Pablo Prigioni.
Knicks asked for and received permission to speak with MIN assistant Pablo Prigioni for openings on Mike Brown’s staff. Prigioni, a key player on 2012-13 Knicks, is heavily involved in MIN’s offense under Chris Finch: https://t.co/b1YmL06wej
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) July 22, 2025
The 48-year-old Prigioni has been more of a coach who works on the offensive side with the Timberwolves. He has been an assistant coach for Minnesota since the 2019-20 season, and he previously had a brief stint as an assistant with the Nets. Prigioni is also the head coach of the Argentinian national men’s basketball team.
In the four seasons that he has worked under Finch, the Timberwolves have finished seventh, 23rd, 17th, and eighth in offensive rating. They have also made the playoffs in each of those years after making them just once in the previous 17. They reached the Western Conference Finals each of the last two years after having only done so once in their prior franchise history. Prigioni predates Finch, as he also worked on Ryan Saunders’ assistant coaching staff.
Prigioni previously played for New York
Prigioni has a previous history with New York as a player. The 6-foot-3 point guard joined them in 2012-13 as a 35-year-old rookie. He became the oldest rookie in modern NBA history. That year, he started 27 contests in the regular season on a Knicks team that earned the second seed in the Eastern Conference, as well as 10 of 11 playoff appearances.
He started another 27 games for the Knicks in 2013-14. Prigioni was traded to the Rockets at the 2015 trade deadline. His final season came in 2015-16 with the Clippers.
It’s not official that he’s leaving, but Minnesota fans should be prepared to hear the news that Prigioni is moving on. With his history with the Knicks, and the Timberwolves allowing him to speak to them, it seems more likely than not that ‘Priggy Smalls’ (what Knicks fans nicknamed him while he was on their playing roster) will not be back. At least fans know Finch and Nori will remain on the Timberwolves bench.