Tom Thibodeau is particular.
The Knicks head coach gravitates toward a few required qualities in what he looks for in his players — tough, hard-nosed, smart and willing on defense.
Raptors wing Bruce Brown would seem to fit the bill.
“I am a dog,” Brown told The Post on Saturday night prior to the Raptors’ 126-100 loss to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. “I play extremely hard on both ends of the floor. I can do just about whatever [Thibodeau] needs me to do.”
Brown, who scored eight points in Saturday’s loss, was recently traded from the Pacers to the Raptors as part of the Pascal Siakam blockbuster, just a few weeks after the Raptors acquired RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley from the Knicks in the OG Anunoby deal.
Brown had just signed a two-year, $45 million deal with the Pacers this past offseason after winning last year’s NBA championship with the Nuggets.
But Brown, with the Raptors seemingly intent on rebuilding, could soon be on the move yet again.
The Knicks, now with a hole on their bench unit without Quickley, are among the top teams interested in the 27-year-old, according to ESPN.
Brown said he had conversations with the Knicks prior to signing with the Pacers.
Though the Knicks ultimately could not come close to matching Indiana’s offer, Brown did learn that Thibodeau has long been an admirer of his.
“I play extremely hard,” Brown said. “I would think [I’m] the type of player that he likes.”
And Brown has long been an admirer of Thibodeau.
“Every time we play Thibs I go up to him and shake his hand, just because of what he’s done,” Brown said. “Nothing but respect for Thibs.”
Brown revealed he thought Thibodeau, coaching and serving as president of the Timberwolves at the time, was going to draft him in 2018.
The Timberwolves instead drafted Josh Okogie, and Brown slid to the second round before being picked by the Pistons.
The Knicks didn’t have much of a chance against the Pacers in negotiations this past offseason, only able to offer the mid-level exception at about $12.4 million annually.
But now general manager Leon Rose can provide Thibodeau with another workhorse the coach craves.
The Knicks and Raptors are notably engulfed in an ongoing lawsuit, but it didn’t prevent the Anunoby trade.
Brown is averaging 12.1 points per game this year on 48 percent shooting from the field and 33 percent from 3-point range.
“Try not to pay attention to it and just hoop, control what I can control,” Brown said. “I can’t control if I get moved again or not, it’s out of my mind.”
Brown played two seasons with the Nets, so he certainly knows the New York environment if he were to be traded to the Knicks.
And it doesn’t phase him at all.
“I love New York,” Brown said. “I hated New York before I lived here, but as soon as I moved here I loved it. Anytime you want to do something you can go do it. Great restaurants, great city, I love being back.”