The New York Knicks’ first trip to the Eastern Conference finals since 2000 ended the exact same way their last one did 25 years ago: a six-game loss to the Indiana Pacers. Now, the team faces a gut-check offseason. Do they stick with this group or look to shake things up?
Firing coach Tom Thibodeau would be the easiest change because it doesn’t require salary cap gymnastics or finding a trade partner. Our Sam Quinn argued that the Knicks should take that route, but will they? Early reports suggest no, but nothing is out of the question with James Dolan in charge.
Shortly after the Knicks were eliminated on Saturday with a 125-108 loss to the Pacers in Game 6, The Athletic reported that Thibodeau has the support of key figures in the organization:
“The coach has the backing of team president Leon Rose, league sources said, as well as full buy-in from Brunson, who signed with the Knicks in 2022 in part because he wanted to play for Thibodeau. But ultimately, owner James Dolan is the final decision-maker.”
Brunson was asked directly during his postgame press conference if Thibodeau was the coach to take the Knicks to the next level, and gave the answer you would expect: “Is that a real question right now? You just asked me if I believe he’s the right guy. Yes. Come on.”
Tom Thibodeau resurrected the Knicks, but firing him might be the only way to get to the next level
Sam Quinn
Tom Thibodeau resurrected the Knicks, but firing him might be the only way to get to the next level
Thibodeau was hired in 2020 and immediately ended the Knicks’ seven-season playoff drought, winning Coach of the Year in 2021. During his five seasons in charge, he’s taken the Knicks to the postseason four times, won at least one playoff series in three consecutive seasons and helped them earn their first Eastern Conference finals appearance since 2000.
But while Thibodeau has re-established the Knicks as a serious player in the East, he hasn’t escaped criticism — or the ECF.
His insistence on playing his starters heavy minutes has long drawn the ire of fans and players, and was once again a main topic this season. In March, Mikal Bridges, who led the Knicks in minutes at 37 per game, which ranked fourth in the league, voiced his complaints about playing so much.
“Sometimes it’s not fun on the body,” Bridges said. “You’ll want that as a coach but also talked to him a little bit knowing that we’ve got a good enough team where our bench guys can come in and we don’t need to play 48 [minutes], 47.”
There were also questions about Thibodeau’s reluctance to make rotational changes, particularly during the playoffs. Even though the team’s regular starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns finished the postseason with a minus-6.2 net rating in 335 minutes together, it took until Game 3 of the East finals for Thibodeau to make a chance. By then, the Knicks were down 2-0, and it was too late.
Thibodeau, who signed a three-year extension in 2024 that keeps him under contract until 2028, is a terrific coach, and deserves a lot of credit for the work he’s done in New York. But whether he’s capable of taking them to the next level is a fair question to ask this summer, whether Brunson thinks so or not.