Some thoughts about the Knicks ease Tom Thibodeau His responsibilities The next step in the franchise...
It's hard to remember now, but things are not going well Jalen BrunsonThe first few weeks as Nick. In early December 2022 Luka Doncic The Mavericks, who were embarrassed at home, surpassed New York with 26 points in the easy-to-win third quarter. The Knicks lost six at eight and booed in the garden. They presided over Donovan Mitchell The next night the Knight. Thibodeau's work must have been there. If Thibodeau drops, team president Leon Ross According to people familiar with the matter, they are with him.
The Knicks beat the Cavaliers that night and eight straight wins changed the season and changed the direct fate of Ross and Thibodore.
You know how things work from there. Behind Brunson, New York went on to win that spring 10-year playoff series, beating the Cavaliers in the first round.
They won the first-round series next season and won two series this spring, making their first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years.
So why, three days after the Knicks' most successful season in decades, Rose Fire Thibodeau? Why is he willing to fall down with Thibodeau in 2022, but willing to separate himself from his coach in less than three seasons?
The news for the Knicks on Tuesday was that the team needed a new voice. They thank Tibodo for everything they did, but they didn't see him as the right coach to get them to their ultimate goal: the NBA champion.
One person familiar with the decision said: “Now everything is seen in this way; it’s about winning (the championship).
Ultimately, it was Ross' decision. Yes, owner James Dolan Support the decision to fire Tibodo. I understand why Knicks fans think Dolan is heavily mastered here based on past history. He has a long history of being overly involved in basketball decisions. For its value, I don't think he's forced his executives to make decisions anymore Phil JacksoN serves as the team president. Doran obviously cared about all the moves and kept his team high. But he did not force Rose to make a decision that the team president was unhappy with. If Ross doesn't want to fire Tibodo, he will resign with the head coach on Tuesday.
He didn't do that, which tells you that he wasn't forced to do anything against his will here.
The Knicks are obviously betting here. The bet is that the next coach they hire will take them to the next level. The bet is that this decision is worth more than $3 million. That's the amount of security left by Thibodeau on his contract, which was extended last summer.
At least $30 million. This gives you an idea of how strong Rose feels about decision making and how much Dolan supports it.
As Sny notes, the Knicks commented on players and coaches during the autopsy this season. These meetings are set up differently from traditional exit meetings. As far as I know, these exit meetings are traditionally conducted by leading supervisors. Each player will meet with the top supervisor. Sometimes other front desk members are present. I've heard of at least two situations where the head coach is present.
But this assessment is different. It doesn't involve all players. Only a few people were interviewed. I believe Thibodeau and his coaching staff members were interviewed. Dolan was also present.
So, this is not an exit meeting, but an assessment of what went wrong and what needs to be solved. Obviously, the end result is Thibodeau letting go.
So what happens next?
Former Knicks Assistant Head Coach Johnnie Bryant Phoenix Suns' job is reportedly the final. The Sun will report to make a decision by this weekend. If you connect the points, it's easy to wonder if the Knicks will time the Tibodo shooting in a way that allows them to hire Kobe. I don’t think the two events were tied together when it came to people who were in touch with the team on Tuesday. I would be surprised if the Knicks made a decision about the next head coach by this weekend.
Does this mean Kobe is not a priority for their search? Can. The people who have been in touch with the team recently have also faded Mike Malone Become a Grand Slam hire here.
what to do Jay Wright? I can't see it. None of the people who have spent a lot of time around him lately.
My early reading and Heli Not on the initial list in New York. Who is that? Marc Stein later Tuesday Optimistic and Jason Kidd There are two coaches who are said to have attracted the Knicks. Udoka is the name I heard too. To hire Udoka, the Knicks will have to obtain Houston's permission and give the Rockets compensation to get Udoka out of the deal.
I can't see the idea of Dallas even letting go in entertainment.
Knicks executive Gersson Roses employment Chris Finch in Minnesota. But the Timberwolves just entered the Western Conference Finals in a row under Finch. Why did they allow him to leave?
The Knicks must make plans that do not involve the current head coach leaving the team. Mike Brown, Frank Vogel, Mike Budenholzer, Monty Williams and Taylor Jenkins He is one of the experienced coaches. Jeff Van Gundy Back to coaching, but I bet Van Gundy wouldn't go to the job even if he got it. Why did he evacuate the work that his close friends had made?
Many media members followed up on Tuesday about the future of Jalen's father and Thibodeau's chief assistant Rick Brunson. I can't see the Knicks force any coach to keep Brunson. But I also think they don't have to force this problem. If you are the new head coach and want to connect with the surface of the franchise, do you want to annoy him by firing his dad? This won't make me a logical move.
This is not clear yet. Even before Thibodore was fired, the Knicks' most likely path was to add one or two rotation players through free agents. The pie in the sky is the Knicks deal in Milwaukee Giannis Antetokounmpo. But that's what happened before Thibodeau opened fire. In fact, the chance of communication before New York logs in is not good. In order to reach a deal, Antetokounmpo had to ask for a deal and asked Milwaukee to send him specifically to New York. Milwaukee will have to work with Antetokounmpo to send him to New York while avoiding stronger offers from other teams. So there are some huge obstacles to Antetokounmpo's journey to New York. Like other NBA teams, the Knicks will monitor Antetokounmpo. But to get them to land on him, so many must be behind the scenes.
what to do Kevin Durant? I believe the Knicks are unlikely to trigger trade for him in the end.
Whether you're Thibodeau, hate him or get stuck somewhere in between, you have to admit that he has a strong record in New York. The Knicks reached the 25-year final for the first time this season. They have won more than 50 games for the first time in a row since 1993-94 and 1994-95. They made the playoffs in four of their five seasons at Thibodeau. They also won at least one playoff series for three consecutive seasons. From 2000-01 to 2019-20, the Knicks won only one playoff series in total. So even Thibodeau's biggest critic will admit that he helped build a culture of victory here.
If the Knicks and their next head coach win the championship, Thibodore should be a group of players/coaches/executives who never have to have another meal in New York again.