The New York Knicks had expressed interest in Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch. But to nobody's surprise, the Wolves denied the Knicks permission to interview Finch. Notably, the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks also denied the Knicks' permission to interview Ime Udoka and Jason Kidd. For the Wolves, keeping Finch was a no-brainer decision given his immense success.
The New York Knicks requested permission Wednesday morning to speak to Mavericks coach Jason Kidd – and Dallas gave a firm rejection, sources tell ESPN. Knicks have been denied now on Kidd, Minnesota's Chris Finch and Houston's Ime Udoka.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 11, 2025
The Wolves denying the Knicks' request for Finch was expected
Finch was originally hired by the current Knicks vice president of basketball operations, Gersson Rosas, and he coached Karl-Anthony Towns, giving him some connection to the franchise. Nevertheless, there was no reason for the Wolves to let him walk, even if it would have given them some draft capital in return.
Furthermore, Finch wouldn't even want to leave the team he helped build up. Since becoming the Wolves' head coach in the middle of the 2020-21 season, Finch has guided Minnesota to the playoffs in all four of his seasons, including back-to-back Conference Finals appearances. Finch's 56.6 win percentage is the best in Timberwolves history. He has also finished top three in Coach of the Year voting twice. By all accounts, Finch is the most successful coach in franchise history.
During the last full season without Finch, the Wolves only won 19 games. However, Finch helped transform the culture and turned the Wolves into one of the league's best teams. Finch's ability to build culture and creative schemes on both ends of the floor makes him an elite coach. Notably, the Wolves have been a top-10 defense in three out of Finch's four full years. Additionally, Finch has clearly earned the respect of his players. Finch's ability to hold players accountable and build strong relationships is central to his effectiveness as a coach.
Alongside top assistant coach Micah Nori, the Wolves have one of the league's best head coaching staffs. Ironically, the Wolves could look to sign former Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, who has ties to Minnesota. If they bring in Thibodeau, the Wolves would undoubtedly have the league's most talented coaching staff.
The Wolves do have some level of uncertainty this offseason with free agents Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. It seems likely that they'll be able to retain Randle and Reid. Nevertheless, with Chris Finch and Anthony Edwards, Wolves fans should remain optimistic. Regarding Finch, he'll be able to get the most out of players who need to step up if the Wolves lose someone like Alexander-Walker. Ultimately, the Timberwolves are clear title contenders, and Finch is a key part of their success.