7:50pm: The Bulls also denied a request from the Knicks to talk to head coach Billy Donovan, according to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter video link).
6:01pm: The Knicks are now 0-for-4 in their attempts to interview head coaches currently under contract with other teams, as Shams Charania of ESPN reports that the Hawks “firmly denied” their request to speak with Quin Snyder (Twitter link).
Atlanta’s refusal comes after New York was shot down in its overtures to the Rockets’ Ime Udoka, the Timberwolves’ Chris Finch and the Mavericks’ Jason Kidd. Like the Hawks, those teams all refused to grant permission.
Snyder just completed his second full season in Atlanta, guiding the team to a 40-42 record and a loss in the play-in tournament. He’s 86-99 with the Hawks since taking over late in the 2022/23 season.
Snyder built a reputation as an elite coach during his eight seasons in Utah, compiling a 372-264 regular season mark and leading the team to the playoffs in six straight seasons. He coached in the All-Star Game in 2021.
Snyder received a five-year contract when Atlanta hired him in February of 2023. There’s no indication of how the Hawks’ recent front office shakeup will affect his job security, but former general manager Landry Fields offered a strong endorsement before he was fired in April. The decision to turn down the Knicks’ request suggests the Hawks’ stance hasn’t changed.
League sources tell Ian Begley of SNY that the Knicks’ efforts to speak with already-employed head coaches are simply “due diligence” to determine who might be available as the team casts a “wide net” to identify possible candidates. He states that the front office in no hurry to name a replacement for Tom Thibodeau and plans to target numerous former head coaches and current assistants.
Begley adds that the timing of the decision to fire Thibodeau had nothing to do with Johnnie Bryant — a former Knicks assistant and current Cavaliers assistant — being a finalist for the Suns’ head coaching vacancy. Bryant could still be a candidate in New York after Phoenix opted to hire Jordan Ott.
This is quickly becoming a joke.
Knicks have also sought out Hubie Brown, Larry Brown, and Popd …….
Biggest joke is why would they want anyone from Bulls or Hawks.
I’ll take Quin Snyder in NY in a millisecond.
Snyder is pretty damn good. So is Donovan. Not their fault a GM can’t construct a team and overpay players who do not deserve the contracts they received.
If I was running the Bulls I would have paid you to take Donovan.
I don’t get Billy Donovan. What’s the appeal? He always has a job. His teams seemingly underachieve. Does Professionalism count that much?
If you got Billy Donovan I’d be worried for your sanity and suggest you receive professional help.
To me this confirms that Trae is coming back next season. Keeping the chemistry building bw Trae/Jalen/the guys & Quin would be the only reason I can think of for them denying this request. Obv Quin hasn’t brought us any success. He’s been clearly inferior to Nate McMillan as far as team success. Nate never missed playoffs. We’ve missed it twice in a row now. Injuries obv a factor but Nate’s teams dealt with numerous crucial injuries (Dre Hunter multiple times) but he still had us winning big games, play-in games & game 7s. We’re 0-3 in play-in games with Quin. Me personally I would have loved to let NYK interview & hopefully hire him, esp if it brought us a draft asset.
Nate didn’t have a crappy team. Trae belongs in AAU, not the NBA.
Knicks Re-Hire Tom
Wonder when the Knicks will see permission to interview Thibodeau?
Don Nelson (85) and Billy Cunningham (82) are still available.
Charles Oakley
Shouldn’t have gotten rid of Tom.
Sounds like Knicks are just throwing up names on a dart board and hoping one sticks. Doesn’t sound like they thought this out very well getting anew coach but only want everyone’s else coach.
The Bucks gave the Knicks permission to interview Doc Rivers but New York declined
HAHA!!
Knicks can kick as many tires as they want. Don’t think it was reported anywhere they were intent on poaching Snyder. Why do people get so worked up over head coach interviews? We got minute by minute updates from the Suns and it was a big bowl of who cares. They’ll find someone eventually and maybe they’ll be good and maybe they won’t. No head coach is a magic bullet.
What…??? Are knick so dumb? Thib way better than billy donovan. Lollollol…maybe fizdale will be knicks hc…
Obviously not as dumb as you……
Knickerbockeralfonso : so,you want billy donovan be the knicks hc? Lol
You must be new here. Biily shouldn’t be an NBA coach. Been saying it since OKC ….
I want Thibs. So now I want a Queens NY native. My homey Michael Malone.
Then why you angry when i said knicks so dumb? I said it bcoz the article wrote about knicks request to talk to billy donovan.
I haven’t been angry since I was a teen lol.
I doubt there is a team in the NBA that would sign Donovan to be their coach. And you think a rebuilding Knicks team. Cause of an article you read. Is going after him. Even though he is under contract. Which means Knicks would have to give up assets to get him. Assets we don’t have. Then you want to call them dumb ……. Yeah ok !!
Fired thibs is a dumb move,he moved knicks from nothing to an ecf team. Then they requested to talk to billy donovan, its a dumber move. Yes, knicks are dumb.i never said about rebuilding. Never. You need to re read. I talked about fizdale didnt meant i talk about rebuilding. Its called SARCASM.
I do.
Point of Order:
Are there no Head Coaches around that don’t have a job? Or worthy College Types? Or International Coaches worth throwing a bone to? Or maybe a smart janitor at the Garden? Anybody?
The fact that the Knicks brass believe casting a wide net had to involve Quin Snyder is appalling. Imagine if there was a coach under contract with 3 more years on his deal that was fully available…
All these so called coaches are under contract. That means even if the teams allow this nonsense. Knicks don’t have the assets to sign them. These aren’t even rumors. They are click bait. Something the Knicks get more than any sports franchise in the world …..
Just why Chicago?
To save Billy. That’s why.
Big mistake letting Thibs go. They will hire Mike Brown and have an early exit. Have to move Kat owed 60 million and can’t play D.
Sneaky move. Knicks coax Brad Stevens back to coaching.
Ishbia should have waited to fire Bud. He could have saved $30M and just let the Knicks take him!