The Knicks have fired head coach Tom Thibodeau after their Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Pacers. Despite recent success, New York’s front office wants a new voice to lead its championship pursuit with Jalen Brunson as the team's centerpiece.
Credit: AP Photo/Frank Franklin II - Scanpix
Credit AP Photo/Frank Franklin II - Scanpix
The New York Knicks have fired head coach Tom Thibodeau, ending a five-year tenure that saw the franchise return to relevance and postseason success but ultimately fall short of its championship aspirations.
The decision, first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN, came just days after the Knicks were eliminated in six games by the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
According to the New York Post, the move was made by president Leon Rose with backing from owner James Dolan, as the organization shifts focus toward winning an NBA title with Jalen Brunson as the franchise cornerstone.
Thibodeau, 67, was the second-longest tenured head coach in the NBA at the time of his dismissal. Since taking over in 2020, he led the Knicks to four playoff appearances in five seasons, including back-to-back 50-win campaigns — the franchise's first such stretch since the mid-90s.
Under his leadership, the Knicks reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years, defeating both the Pistons and the defending-champion Celtics before bowing out to Indiana.
Still, sources told Charania that internal dissatisfaction with the team’s exit and desire for a “new voice” prompted the coaching change.
“The Knicks are singularly focused on their pursuit of a championship and believe a new voice will serve as the focus for the organization's next step,” one league source said.
Big moves, bigger expectations
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The 2024 offseason saw New York make aggressive moves, acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges to bolster a core that already featured Jalen Brunson and O.G. Anunoby. That group delivered the East’s No. 3 seed with a 51–31 record and pushed the franchise closer to title contention than it had been in decades.
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