Amid speculation that Tom Thibodeau’s job may be in jeopardy as the result of a disappointing Knicks season, the coach told reporters Wednesday that his relationship with the front office is fine, writes Greg Joyce of The New York Post.
A report last week stated that executive vice president William Wesley has been blaming Thibodeau’s coaching decisions for recent losses, particularly the defeat against the Nets in the final game before the All-Star break when New York squandered a 28-point lead. But Thibodeau said he’s not feeling any heat from management and he doesn’t play attention to media rumors.
“I talk to Wes all the time,” he said. “I don’t respond to rumors or any of that stuff. I know the drill here. I’ve been here before, so I don’t worry about any of that stuff.”
After grabbing the fourth seed last season, the Knicks stumbled into this year’s All-Star break at 25-34, 12th in the Eastern Conference and three and a half games out of the final spot in the play-in tournament. Since his hiring, management has talked about a close working relationship with Thibodeau, but there have been signs this year that it may be fracturing. The latest involves Cam Reddish, who Thibodeau has kept out of the rotation after the team sent a first-round draft pick to Atlanta to acquire him last month.
Thibodeau, who has three more years remaining on his five-year contract, emphasized that his relationship with the front office has remained solid despite the losing.
“I talk to (team president Leon Rose) every day, talk to Wes every day,” Thibodeau said. “So that doesn’t change.”
Joyce also noted that Thibodeau talked last week about making lineup changes to try to spark a team that is 3-13 over its last 16 games. However, he didn’t mention any potential changes on Wednesday, other acknowledging the decision to shut down Kemba Walker for the rest of the season.
Well, if he gets canned, he can come down to Philly and work with Doc Rivers on the defense
It would be a nice combination
Always liked Thibs
Minnesota and New York had exactly the same
Level of optimism. Good luck if you get your wish.
Chicago Bulls end Miami Heat’s 27-game winning streak – March 2013 – LeBron James
It’s why I believe in Thibs, I loved this game
Thibs truly believes what he says. His actions show it. Poor in-game time management and horrendous 4th quarters would get most coaches fired but Rose is trying to give Thibs benefit of doubt. Not playing Reddish after the team gave a first for him will most definitely be the catalyst to his imminent firing.
not only a 1st but also knox who was picked with the 9th the year before reddish, who’s in turn is a pretty mediocre player
that’s how you edn up in perpetual rebuilds
Knox isn’t even a level below mediocre.
Knox is probably one of the worst players in the league.
I can’t comment on knox’s ability but he cost them a 1st so in practice the traded 2 firsts for reddish (another mediocre player in his own right)
Reminds me GarPax trading away nurkic and harris
Why would he care about job security he gets paid millions either way…
Obviously he enjoys coaching basketball. I doubt at a young age he got into it for the salary because most basketball coaches make modest salaries unless they are power conference college coaches or NBA level.
Dumb question…no coach should worry about job security because there is none.
Exactly. See above comment as well. You coach, get paid. Sit home watching games on TV? Get paid.
Maybe it’s not ALL about getting paid to him. There are people in this world who can’t wait to get up at the crack of dawn and get started on their work. Unbelievable but true.
Also no reason to worry when you know you will get another gig somewhere else. It’s happened to him before, probably happen wherever he goes after this.
Same “Magic Man” he was with the Timberpuppies.
I think he’s severely overrated as a head coach in this league. He has made it to the ECF once in his career and that was in his rookie year. He refuses to adapt or change. In 2012 he emphasized on “we have enough” and “depth” but he chose to play Rose in a game 1 of the opening round series against a lesser talented 76ers squad up by 14 with 65 secs left. He changed the fortunes of the Bulls forever and should’ve taken Rose out. Either you kept preaching BS about the depth and we have enough or you didn’t trust your bench mob to get the job with 65 left and up 13.
Now fast forward to this year. Same thing happens but with RJ Barrett. He has NO clue how or when to wave the white flag during a game. Every game is like a matter of life or death with him. I do understand that the Knicks are a glorified dumpster fire and I LOVE to see it, but that roster was not worthy of a Thibs led team. Getting Fournier and Kemba, two arguably of the worst perimeter defenders in the league when you could have gotten anyone else is asinine to me. Calling out Randle and telling him his play flat out sucks this year is inexcusable to me. Yes they’re rebuilding but part of that “rebuilding” is also EVALUATING the players. Why isn’t Cam Reddish playing more? If he’s not worried about job security then he should start to evaluate the players they have. Reddish is being wasted and I get it. He’s new and needs time. This is the NBA though, either step up and help or your ass belongs on the bench.
As a NBA fan, I love MSG and the aura behind it and I know how important it is for the NBA to have the Knicks competing, but as a Bulls fan I am laughing at this all the way to the bank. 50 years and still no title. They should be thanking their lucky stars that they play in MSG, otherwise team is good as dead like Bucks pre Giannis days.
The Knicks problem isn’t necessarily Thibs but a general overall lack of vision at the top. Their practice of throwing stuff at the wall and seeing if it sticks(Kemba Walker) is a management/owner problem with no foreseeable future end. They need a force with a vision as a President, Who hires a GM etc. Now Reddish,Randle and other moves that seem to be thrown together in some kind of stew and then let’s see if it tastes good. If you’re going to hire Thibs, you get him good defensive players who are durable, not Walker, Rose etc. Thibs basically says it all when he says Walker was always a risk with his bum knee. Anyway, just an opinion from an until recently suffering Bulls fan.
Thibs is the number one problem, will they fire him?
they will never have a normal team with him we know that. Also if they want to keep Randle it would be better if thibs is gone, Randle does not have to correct his mistakes with thibs and that is the main reason he is a problem.
Not hiring actual front office executives and former player agents isn’t exactly the best way to rebuild a franchise. Leon Rose has no vision to rebuild, just accelerate the timeline and keep this team competitive is what he’s hoping for at this rate.
Job Security he has. 3 years left and all guaranteed. Laughing all the way to bank!
This is either a bold face lie or the Knicks FO is worse than we thought. Both options are sad
NY Post is a RAG of a newspaper. I wouldn’t use it in my toilet. They are always the first big to create something out of nothing. Thibs ain’t going anywhere. Randle should I hope.
This is on FO and the coach and the players. So just play the young guys. Get that lottery pick. And get ready for next yr. It’s all about the Rebuild……
Still hoping Mark Jackson eventually ends up back in New York where he belongs unless he’s getting comfortable in the booth like JVG.
Why do people in NY care so much that a new yorker MUST run their teams? Even the owners seem to want this. I can understand a college like St. John’s hiring Mullin years ago because being from Bushwick and having gone to SJ would help him recruit the local talent but who cares where a coach is from in the NBA. It doesn’t affect whether players sign there or not. Shouldn’t there be more qualifications to coach the Knicks than if the candidate is from New York?
I can’t imagine other billion dollar companies searching for new CEOs or other upper level management positions and limiting their candidate pool to the area the company is located. It’s asinine.
Thibodeau has more important things to worry about…like whether or not all the king’s horses and all the king’s men can put him together again if he falls, say, off of a wall or something.