One of the biggest storylines that will follow the New York Knicks after their playoff exit is the job status of head coach Tom Thibodeau. Despite reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years, there is a feeling that Thibodeau’s rigid coaching style held the team back from winning it all.
Knicks plan to evaluate Tom Thibodeau before deciding future
Thibodeau has been the Knicks’ head coach for five seasons and has made the postseason in four of those seasons. However, many around the team are unsure whether or not he is the guy who can lead them to a championship.
SNY’s Ian Begley spoke on The Zach Lowe Show and reported that it is not a foregone conclusion that Thibodeau will return, and that the team will spend the next week evaluating him.
Josh Hart, Tom Thibodeau, Knicks
Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
“I think he’ll be back. You think he’ll be back, and, logically, he’ll be back,” Begley said. “If I had to guess, I think it will play out differently than an announcement. I think there’s a real evaluation period for him, his staff, and the players that will shape this offseason for them.”
Thibodeau has led the Knicks back to relevancy since joining the team back in 2020, but his coaching has also faced heavy criticism over the years. After going all-in this summer by acquiring Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, New York made just a one-win improvement in the regular season and was also 0-10 against the top three teams in the league.
Thibodeau’s coaching has generated mixed feelings from fans
Furthermore, fans have scrutinized the fact that Thibodeau resorts away from using his bench players less often and giving the starters a hefty amount of minutes. The most notable occurrence of such scrutiny was when Bridges publicly questioned that strategy to the media and suggested that the bench needed to play more.
It took Thibodeau until they were down 0-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals to finally make a rotation change. He inserted Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup and moved Josh Hart to the bench, and he also expanded the rotation by including Landry Shamet and Delon Wright.
Nov 20, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau with center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
If the Knicks were to move on from Thibodeau, it is still unclear who they could have their eyes on. It is presumed that they will express interest in available coaches such as former Denver Nuggets coach and 2023 NBA Champion Michael Malone, though there could be other lesser-known targets they are considering.
Nevertheless, more will be known about Thibodeau’s job security in the coming weeks. The decision the front office makes could ultimately have a huge impact on their path to a championship.