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The New York Knicks clarified whether former head coach Tom Thibodeau will remain with the franchise in any capacity. Leon Rose made the call to fire his head coach after five years of admirable service. Thibodeau dragged the Knicks out of the doldrums of irrelevancy, leading them to four playoff appearances and an Eastern Conference Finals berth during his tenure.
New York, however, is deciding to go in a different direction this offseason as it looks to win its first title in 50+ years. The decision drew some controversy, and a few speculated whether Thibodeau would still be with the organization in another role. However, SNY editorial producer Alex Smith confirmed through Knicks insider Ian Begley that there will be a clean split while also confirming who made the final decision.
“Sources tell Begley that Thibodeau will not have a role in the Knicks' front office and will be owed north of $30 million on his extension. Begley also reports that the Knicks conducted meetings with select players, Thibodeau, and some of his staff this week to assess the season. Knicks owner James Dolan was at the meetings. The ultimate decision on Thibodeau, though, was made by Rose and supported by Dolan.
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Begley previously reported that Thibodeau had been on shaky ground in the past and survived, with team president Leon Rose making the decision to stick with Thibodeau amid past uncertainty.”
While Knicks fans have every right to be disappointed or excited by this news, it's essential to appreciate everything Thibodeau has done for this franchise. It's also clear that the front office didn't believe this roster was as close to title contention as it seemed. The Knicks beat the defending champion Boston Celtics in the second round and were competitive in every game against the Indiana Pacers. However, this move shows that the front office is not just at those two teams but also at the NBA's next potential dynasty.
Time will tell, but the Oklahoma City Thunder are heavily favored to win the NBA Championship this season. With all rotation players under contract for next season and a warchest of draft picks, this franchise isn't going away anytime soon. As of now, with the way the Knicks' offense was functioning, the Thunder are an abysmal matchup for them. OKC thrives on predictability and turnovers and has several players who would make Jalen Brunson's life very difficult. There must be another offensive gear for the Knicks to beat this team and the Indiana Pacers.
Overall, New York has a window over these next few seasons to legitimately contend for a championship. But this current roster either has to be upgraded and/or significantly improve its chemistry to break the drought. And it all starts with who the next head coach will be.
