What Drew Maurice Cheeks to Knicks?

It would appear that Don Tom Thibodeau and the New York Knicks made Maurice Cheeks an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Cheeks is reportedly the latest addition to the Knicks’ bench, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that he accepted an assistant coach’s role with the team on Thursday night. Further information about Cheeks’ move has emerged in another report, this one from Bulls insider K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

“Cheeks planned to stay with the Bulls, but the compelling opportunity to coach in New York prevailed on a personal and professional level, sources confirmed to Johnson,” NBC Sports Chicago’s Ryan Taylor wrote. “Cheeks has family in the New York area and the Knicks made him a strong offer … Cheeks and Thibodeau have never teamed up before with the latter as a head coach. But they were both assistants in Philadelphia with the 76ers between 1994-96.”

According to Johnson, Cheeks, who just wrapped up his fourth season as a Chicago assistant under head coach Billy Donovan, sought a move away from the Bulls’ bench but intended to stay in the Windy City in an advisory/front office role. He changed his mind, however, once the Knicks came calling and will extend his coaching career to a third decade.

Returning to New York presents a more conventional kind of homecoming for Cheeks, who played 107 games of a Hall of Fame career with the Knicks between 1990 and 1991. Cheeks joins a staff that also features fellow former Knicks Rick Brunson and Othella Harrington. In addition to his assistant tenures, Cheeks also boasts head coaching experience with the Portland Trail Blazers (2001-05), Philadelphia 76ers (2005-08), and Detroit Pistons (2013-14).

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