Yet it has also been whispered that the Knicks likely did some backchannel exploration to determine if there was any pathway to pursue Boston's Joe Mazzulla. There obviously was not … and then the Celtics extended Mazzulla's contract in August.

marcstein.substack.com

More on Joe Mazzulla

Joe Mazzulla tells Immanuel Quickley to "shut the f**k up" after taunting Celtics bench ? YouTube | Oct. 16, 2025

Mazzulla has been known to have tense exchanges with the reporters who cover his team. During his media availability, he referenced his recent criticism of a question from Hardwood Houdini writer Jack Simone. “We all got to see (Boston Sports Journal writer John) Karalis shove Jack Simone (in the game),” Mazzulla said. “It’s no different than me getting pissed at Jack Simone’s question, right? It’s a competitive reaction to a thing that’s going on, so, if anything, we have to do it more because it humanizes the competition. And I realize how much you guys really like the game and care about it. So, I hope that (the pickup game) doesn’t drag on as something that’s funny. It’s something that was serious. So, I meant that. It was important that we did that yesterday, and we’ll do it again. So, thanks.” New York Times | Oct. 16, 2025

While addressing the reporters who played in the game, Mazzulla was not sitting on his usual news conference podium. He had asked for it to be removed. “One of the reasons there’s no stage up here today is because I felt like after yesterday we all had our guard down, and we were all in the competitive arena together,” Mazzulla said. “And that meant a lot to lower everyone’s guard and bust balls and do all that stuff. So, it was cool to see everybody in a natural environment. And, sometimes, we’re coming from a competitive arena, and you’re not in a competitive arena — you’re just doing your job. And that’s where things get misinterpreted. But for all of us to be in the same arena, I think that says a lot.” New York Times | Oct. 16, 2025

One day after he and the Celtics’ coaches thrashed local media in a pickup basketball game, head coach Joe Mazzulla explained some of his motivation for setting up the competition and thanked the reporters who participated in it. “Yesterday was very, very important,” Mazzulla said Wednesday before hosting the Toronto Raptors in a preseason game. “It will be laughed at and joked about, but it means a lot more to humanize (the two sides of the team’s media coverage) — we have too many interactions where it’s coach and you. Like, everyone’s doing their job.” New York Times | Oct. 16, 2025

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said All-Star forward Jaylen Brown told him he expects to be OK after exiting Wednesday night’s 110-108 preseason win against the Toronto Raptors with left hamstring tightness. “I think he’ll be OK,” Mazzulla said. “Talked to him after (the game). He said he would be fine, but I didn’t get a full update.” New York Times | Oct. 16, 2025

It’s no coincidence Mazzulla has been hardest on Anfernee Simons’ defense. His credentials on offense speak for themselves. Twice eclipsing 20 points per game in a season, he has averaged more than three made 3-pointers per game for four consecutive seasons. Considering his high volume of attempts, his career 3-point percentage (38.1 percent) sparkles — and it might actually undersell what the Celtics should expect from him. He has hit 41.4 percent of catch-and-shoot 3-point opportunities since entering the league; if he takes more of those because of the better talent around him in Boston, his accuracy could spike up. He believes the attention opponents put on some of his new teammates, including Jaylen Brown, should free him for some easier looks. New York Times | Oct. 16, 2025

On an expiring contract, Anfernee Simons has urgency to show he can defend at a higher level. He seems to have bought into that vision. After joining the Celtics, he acknowledged he left himself open to criticism because the Blazers didn’t win many games with him as their top option. In Boston, he said, he wants to contribute to winning “no matter what that looks like.” He believes his new situation will help. “I knew that I was going to get pushed in ways I’ve never been pushed and maybe play a different way that I’ve never played in my career, where I was always the guy making every single play, and it was always dependent on me, especially the last couple years,” Simons said. “And, so, now we got a whole bunch of veteran players that know how to play and know how to move the ball and know how to just play basketball a little bit more. And, so, that’s what I was excited about — being a part of that.” New York Times | Oct. 16, 2025

Joe Mazzulla clearly wanted to stomp on us. Maybe he wanted a chance to punish us after needing to answer all of our questions over the years. Maybe he wanted to see how we reacted when getting blitzed by actual basketball players (not well). Maybe he wanted to put as much of a spotlight as possible on the Jr. Celtics Academy, which was the reason the team staged a media pickup game in the first place. Or maybe Mazzulla just saw the event as one more chance to compete and couldn’t dial down his legendary tenacity. After a Pressey 3-pointer extended the coaches’ lead to 47 points with 1:32 left, Mazzulla clapped like his team had just moved within one game of the NBA Finals. And when Shammgod Jr. drained a buzzer-beating shot from nearly half court, Mazzulla pumped his fist like he had beaten the Los Angeles Lakers. The shot gave the coaches a 53-point win. New York Times | Oct. 15, 2025

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Knicks were interested in Joe Mazzulla?

Reporting by HoopsHype / Hoops Hype

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect