The New York Knicks have relieved head coach Tom Thibodeau of his duties.
“Our group is singularly centered on profitable a championship for our followers. This pursuit led us to the tough choice to tell Tom Thibodeau that we’ve determined to maneuver in one other course,” mentioned Knicks President Leon Rose. “We will’t thank Tom sufficient for pouring his coronary heart and soul into each day of being the New York Knicks head coach. He led us not solely with class and professionalism for the previous 5 seasons, but additionally to great success on the courtroom with 4 playoff berths and 4 playoff sequence victories. Finally, we made the choice we really feel is finest for our group transferring ahead. Tom will all the time be part of our Knicks household and we actually want him nothing however the most effective sooner or later.”
Through the NY Publish:
Thibodeau, in any case, set a excessive bar in his 5 seasons. He took over a franchise within the dumps in 2020 and guided it to 4 postseasons with 4 sequence victories, together with the high-water mark simply final month by besting the Celtics.
However because it occurred beforehand in Minnesota and Chicago for Thibs — who was fired from these spots regardless of stable basketball outcomes — relationship and communication points surfaced.
A part of what makes Thibodeau a terrific coach additionally turns him right into a grating boss — it’s his unyielding dedication to the job, and with out a lot compassion for feelings exterior of it, plus an unwavering perception that he’s right.
There’s additionally much less give-and-take with Thibodeau, who isn’t referred to as a collaborative coach.
That may flip off the new-age participant and, based on sources, a number of Knicks had been pissed off with the coach.
Through the NY Every day Information:
Below Thibodeau, the Knicks reestablished a profitable tradition, snapped a seven-year playoff drought, and made back-to-back second-round appearances earlier than breaking by to the convention finals for the primary time since 2000.
However the entrance workplace gave Thibodeau weapons he failed to maximise — property that price 5 first-round picks (Mikal Bridges) and two core rotation gamers (Karl-Anthony Cities) — just for a more healthy, upgraded model of final yr’s crew to as soon as once more fall to the identical Pacers.
Now, the Knicks are trying to find a head coach who can higher elevate the expertise at hand — although roster modifications are all however inevitable in what’s already shaping as much as be one of the crucial lively NBA offseasons in latest reminiscence.
Whoever takes over subsequent will want a sharper imaginative and prescient for a way this Knicks offense ought to perform.
