Tom Thibodeau

Knicks Notes: Thibodeau, Bickerstaff, Kidd, Coach Search

June 15th, 2025 at 1:47pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff seemingly came to the defense of now-former Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, without explicitly naming the team or coach, writes Matt Ehalt of The New York Post.

During a conversation on ESPN Radio’s “Joe & Q” on Friday, Bickerstaff was asked about the league-wide reaction to the coaching situation in New York. The Knicks fired Thibodeau after he led to a 51-win regular season and its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years and have since been denied permission to speak to several currently employed head coaches around the NBA.

“I don’t want to call it the cherry on top, but it’s the final straw, I think, of what has happened this season and the level of respect that we feel coaches deserve versus what they are getting,” Bickerstaff said.

“When you are a coach, you feel like there is a job that you have been told to do,” Bickerstaff added. “And when you go out and do that job well, you should carry it over to the next year. If you have had past successes, that should envision future successes. You can’t guess what the future is going to look like with somebody new.”

There’s more out of New York:

The Knicks received serious push-back when they attempted to talk with current Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd about their new head coaching vacancy, observes Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post. Among the other teams New York reached out to, the team got similarly emphatic rejections, as ESPN’s Shams Charania recently detailed on The Rich Eisen Show (YouTube video link).“Out of the five rejections, some of the scenarios that I heard [were], you know, teams would just hang up,” Charania said. “They would say no—and hang up. Teams would have maybe some profanity, maybe there is some ‘F— no.'” In addition to Kidd, the Knicks reportedly also reached out to the Timberwolves, Rockets, Hawks and Bulls about poaching their current head coaches.
Following a stellar five-year stint under Thibodeau that turned them back into perennial threats in the East, the Knicks must nail this next head coaching hire, opines Steve Popper of Newsday (subscriber link). Popper notes that, though New York was ridiculed after being rejected in all five of its initial bids for rival coaches, sources told him that Kidd and Chicago coach Billy Donovan were still potentially in the running. Popper takes stock of some free agent candidates for the gig, including Taylor Jenkins, Mike Brown, Michael Malone, Mike Budenholzer and Frank Vogel.
In case you missed it, the Knicks are now seen as a long shot to acquire 15-time All-Star Suns forward Kevin Durant in a trade.

Knicks Notes: Kidd, Coaching Search, Offseason, Thibodeau

June 13th, 2025 at 7:02pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Knicks‘ interest in reuniting with Jason Kidd, who played one season for them, this time as a head coach, has been well documented. But with Kidd under contract with the Mavericks, the likeliest pathway for New York to do so would be via trade, writes Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus.

How exactly would such a trade work? Pincus suggests a deal that would see the Knicks sending out the 2026 Wizards’ protected first-round pick as well as top-four protected swap rights to their own 2026 first-rounder. Pincus compares the proposal to the Clippers trading a 2015 first-round pick to the Celtics in order to bring Doc Rivers into the fold, as well as the Bucks trading two second-round picks to the Nets to bring Kidd to Milwaukee.

The question for New York would ultimately be, with so few tradable assets available to them, would it make sense to use two valuable resources on a coach already under contract? Of course, if Dallas stands firm on its stance that Kidd isn’t available, the discussion may be moot.

We have more notes on the Knicks:

While the Knicks’ 2025 offseason revolved around reshaping and finalizing their core moving forward, the 2026 offseason will see them focused on adding crucial bench depth once they address the coaching vacancy, Yossi Gozlan writes for Third Apron (Substack link). In his offseason preview, Gozlan predicts the Knicks will operate above the first tax apron but below the second in order to maximize their limited flexibility. Given their limited ability to add a higher-salary player if they don’t move a key rotation piece, Gozlan suggests targeting young wings who might face roster crunches, such as the Rockets’ Cam Whitmore or Magic’s Jett Howard.
The Knicks will have formal interviews next week with Taylor Jenkins and Mike Brown, two of their top head coaching candidates, reports James L. Edwards III for The Athletic. Edwards also writes that the Knicks may circle back on Kidd and Bulls’ head coach Billy Donovan, despite having their interview requests denied, confirming an ESPN report. The Knicks will also begin checking in on assistant coaches as they cast as wide a net as possible.
Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart reiterated their appreciation for Tom Thibodeau on the latest episode of The Roommates Show podcast, Jared Schwartz writes for The New York Post. This was the first time Brunson, who has known Thibodeau his whole life, has experienced his NBA coach being fired. “To have Thibs to do what he did for my career, I’m just so grateful and thankful for. Not enough things can be said about what he’s meant to myself, my career,” Brunson said. Hart, who has experienced six coaches in eight seasons, also expressed gratitude: “He helped make me into the player that I am. I had a lot of instability in the early part of my career, and he kind of gave me that stability and that opportunity to flourish as a player in the league, as a starter in the league. I’m always gonna be forever grateful for him.” The two teammates and friends added that Thibodeau deserves a lot of credit for the strong Knicks foundation that has been built over the last few years.
Former Knick Austin Rivers was less positive about his time under Thibodeau. “I’m not really a Thibs guy. I played for him, it wasn’t the best experience personally, didn’t treat me well at all,” Rivers said on a recent episode of his podcast Off Guard With Austin Rivers, via Alex Kirschenbaum of Athlon Sports. Rivers describes his first interaction with Thibodeau upon joining the team, saying, “Thibodeau comes up to me and says, ‘Hey man, excited for you to be here. I wanted Derrick [Rose], but you’ll do great…’ And he walked away.” Rivers’ grievances don’t end with the coach, though. He expressed frustration with how his trade was handled, saying, “They don’t do business the right way sometimes.”

Taylor Jenkins, Mike Brown Reportedly Among Knicks’ Coaching Candidates

June 12th, 2025 at 9:34am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks have reportedly been denied permission to speak to five head coaches currently employed by NBA teams, but their search for Tom Thibodeau‘s replacement isn’t entirely focused on candidates who already have head coaching jobs. Former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins and former Kings coach Mike Brown are also said to be on New York’s radar.

Sam Amick of The Athletic cited league sources who say there’s an “increased Knicks focus” on Jenkins and Brown, while Stefan Bondy of The New York Post‘s list of potential candidates (subscription required), based on intel he has gathered, includes a “top contenders” tier that consists solely of Jenkins and Brown.

Jenkins, who was the head coach in Memphis from 2019-25, compiled a 250-214 (.539) record during that time and led the club to three playoff appearances — ’24/25 would have been a fourth, but he was fired with nine games left in the regular season.

Although Jenkins’ career postseason record of 9-14 is underwhelming and the Grizzlies were disappointed by his results this season, it’s worth noting that his ouster didn’t exactly jump-start this year’s team. The Grizzlies finished the regular season by going 4-5 under Tuomas Iisalo, then were swept out of the first round by Oklahoma City.

Brown, meanwhile, was dismissed by the Kings midway through the 2024/25 season after guiding the team to a 107-88 (.549) mark across two-and-a-half seasons, with one playoff appearance and one play-in exit. Brown, who also previously coached the Cavaliers and Lakers, earned Coach of the Year honors in 2009 and 2023.

As Amick observes, Brown interviewed for the Knicks’ head coaching position in 2020 before Thibodeau was hired, and league sources tell The Athletic he left a “very strong impression” on the club.

Here’s more on the Knicks and their head coaching vacancy:

After originally reporting that Michael Malone isn’t a candidate for the Knicks’ job, Bondy says it’s now not out of the question that the former Nuggets coach could get an interview. However, Malone remains a “long-shot” option, according to Bondy.
Although the Mavericks declined the Knicks’ request to speak to Jason Kidd, Bondy agrees with Newsday’s Steve Popper, who said on Wednesday that Dallas’ denial doesn’t necessarily spell the end of New York’s pursuit of Kidd. As Bondy explains, Kidd is believed to be seeking a contract extension from the Mavs — if he doesn’t get that new deal and New York is willing to offer him a long-term contract, Kidd could make things uncomfortable for his current team. Still, Bondy acknowledges there’s probably only a “small” chance of the situation playing out that way. One league source he spoke to was adamant that the Mavs won’t let Kidd go.
In a separate column for the Post, Bondy suggests Thibodeau’s dismissal was more about relationships than results and questions the statement put out by Leon Rose in which the Knicks’ president of basketball operations said the change was necessary because the team is “singularly focused on winning a championship.” No one in the organization, Bondy argues, was more “singularly focused on winning” than Thibodeau.

Knicks Denied Permission To Speak To Udoka, Finch, Kidd

June 11th, 2025 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

8:30 am: The Knicks asked for the Mavericks’ permission to speak to Kidd and, as expected, were turned down by Dallas as well, according to Stein (Twitter link).

For what it’s worth, Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link) has heard that some people in the Knicks’ organization believe the “first no” from the Mavs doesn’t necessarily spell the end of New York’s pursuit of Kidd.

7:56 am: The Knicks formally requested permission to speak to Rockets head coach Ime Udoka and Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, but were denied on both counts, according to reports.

Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) first reported that the Knicks’ request to Houston had been turned down, while longtime New York radio and podcast host Mike Francesa (Twitter link) was first to say that the Timberwolves declined the Knicks’ request to speak to Finch. Shams Charania of ESPN subsequently confirmed both reports.

Marc Stein wrote last week that the Knicks had interest in Udoka but would almost certainly be rebuffed by the Rockets if they sought permission to talk to him. New York’s interest in Finch was initially reported last week by Begley.

Udoka, who was hired by the Rockets following three straight seasons of 22 or fewer wins, has helped turn things around in Houston, leading the team to a 41-41 record last season and a 52-30 mark – along with the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference – this past year. Finch, meanwhile, has guided the Timberwolves to back-to-back appearances in the Western Conference Finals.

Neither team was likely to be enthusiastic about letting the Knicks poach a successful head coach who remains under contract.

It sounds like that will likely be the case for the Mavericks as well, as multiple reports have suggested that Dallas is expected to spurn the Knicks’ advances if New York seeks permission to speak to Jason Kidd. Charania confirms as much, citing sources who say the Mavs would decline the Knicks’ request if it comes (it hadn’t as of Tuesday night).

Based on what we know, it has been an unusual coaching search so far for the Knicks, who have only really been linked to candidates who already have head coaching jobs. It remains possible the club will request permission to speak to other head coaches currently employed by NBA teams, Charania notes.

Among coaches who aren’t presently employed, Taylor Jenkins is one name that people around the league think the Knicks will consider, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Jenkins was let go by the Grizzlies prior to the end of the regular season.

The Knicks are seeking a replacement for Tom Thibodeau, who took out a full-page ad in the New York Times on Wednesday thanking the fans, his players, and his coaching staff for his experience in New York, as Steve Popper of Newsday relays (via Twitter).

“To the best city in the world with the best fans in the world: Thank you,” Thibodeau wrote. “When I was hired in 2020, I said this was my dream job. I am grateful that dreams became a reality. Thank you to our players and coaching staff who gave everything they had, and to everyone who makes this franchise special. I am proud of everything we accomplished together, including four playoff appearances and this year’s run to the Eastern Conference finals — our first in 25 years.

“And to the fans, thank you for believing in me and embracing me from day one. Watching you support our team, and seeing the Garden ignite with that incomparable Knicks energy, is something I will never forget.”

Knicks Notes: Culture, Malone, Brunson, Towns

June 8th, 2025 at 8:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

There’s a lot that can be learned about Knicks‘ relationship with former head coach Tom Thibodeau and his recent firing, through the lens of what makes certain business cultures particularly effective, organizational behavior professor Spencer Harrison writes for The Athletic.

Harrison points to a specific moment in the Knicks’ season as indicative of the larger institutional issues at play: a March statement from Mikal Bridges in which Bridges referenced having had discussions with Thibodeau about the starters’ minutes load, and Thibodeau’s subsequent denial of such a conversation taking place.

“As someone who studies the cultures of businesses and organizations, I found Thibodeau’s response telling. To me, it suggested a stubbornness and unwillingness to consider other options, as if the conversation wasn’t even worth having,” Spencer writes.

Spencer also refers to a study of creative teams employing generalists versus specialists and which tends to yield the maximum creative output. The conclusion of the study, according to Spencer, was that people who had been introduced to a variety of approaches tended to be more adaptable and creative in their problem-solving. That stands in stark contrast to the notoriously stubborn Thibodeau, whose methods have yielded a great deal of success, but have at times caused his teams to struggle to adapt on the fly.

However, Spencer warns that simply firing Thibodeau does not guarantee positive results for the Knicks. As he notes, there are plenty of examples in the business world of leadership changes not working because a newcomer wants to implement an entirely new philosophy and culture, rather than building on what the previous regime did right.

We have more Knicks notes:

The Knicks should hire former Nuggets coach Michael Malone, opines Troy Renck of the Denver Post. While Malone’s tenure in Denver came to an abrupt end, Renck believes that his competitiveness, willingness to challenge his players, and media savvy would make him a great fit for the Knicks, who generally require their coach to serve as the main point of contact for the media. However, Renck does note that many of the frustrations with Thibodeau, including his over-reliance on starters and lack of trust in non-established bench players, are present with Malone as well, which could make for a complicated dynamic for a team looking to adjust its approach.
Jalen Brunson offered his first take on the Thibodeau firing, albeit in a “pictures are worth a thousand words” manner, writes the New York Post’s Bryan Fonseca. The star point guard posted a photo of himself and the recently fired coach on Instagram with two emojis: a white heart and a hand with its fingers crossed. It was a characteristically understated response from Brunson, who had previously gone to bat for Thibodeau. Following the end of the team’s playoff run, Brunson was quoted as saying, “Is that a real question right now? You just asked me if I believe he’s the right guy. Yes. Come on,” when asked if Thibodeau was the right coach for the job. This was his first public comment following the firing.
Last summer’s trade between the Knicks and Timberwolves represented one of the rarest things in the NBA: a true win-win deal, according to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski and James Edwards III. The Knicks needed a center after free agent Isaiah Hartenstein left for Oklahoma City and Mitchell Robinson‘s injury rehabilitation took longer than expected. Meanwhile, the Wolves were dealing with a complicated salary cap situation for a roster they weren’t sure could sustain itself as a title contender. While the two stars headlining the deal, Karl-Anthony Towns for the Wolves and Julius Randle for the Knicks, were both shocked by the news, especially so close to training camp, both players ended up adjusting to their new surroundings — and both ended up in their respective Conference Finals. “I think if you had asked either front office last year, ‘Hey, worst-case scenario, you’ll lose in the conference finals?’ I think we’d have probably taken it even though we both have higher aspirations,” Wolves president Tim Connelly said.

Goodwill: Dolan Spearheaded Thibodeau’s Dismissal

June 8th, 2025 at 9:27am CST by Arthur Hill

Contrary to previous reports that Knicks president Leon Rose made the decision to fire Tom Thibodeau, sources tell Vince Goodwill of Yahoo Sports that owner James Dolan spearheaded the move.

Dolan and Rose both held exit meetings with the team’s top players and members of the coaching staff after New York was eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals. Goodwill hears that Dolan handled the questioning in those meetings, while Rose was in more of a support role. Sources also tell Goodwill that Dolan has never been a strong supporter of Thibodeau during his five seasons with the team.

According to Goodwill’s sources, at least two players complained that Thibodeau gave too many minutes to his starters and wasn’t willing to adjust that philosophy to changing circumstances. That has been a frequent criticism of Thibodeau throughout his career, dating back to his days as a head coach in Chicago and Minnesota.

Another player reportedly told Dolan and Rose that he didn’t feel like he could play another season under Thibodeau.

Thibodeau’s failure to develop a reliable bench was evident in the playoffs, particularly against a fast-paced Indiana team that has now eliminated the Knicks two straight years. Thibodeau’s insertion of Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup in Game 2 of the conference finals and his decision to give expanded minutes to Landry Shamet and Delon Wright could be viewed as desperation moves.

Thibodeau still had three years and $30MM left on his contract, and Goodwill emphasizes that he was fired because Dolan wanted to make a change, not because he failed to reach the NBA Finals.

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Towns, Thibodeau, Hart

June 7th, 2025 at 9:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are the most valuable trade assets the Knicks possess as they try to finish the job of building a championship roster, according to Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News. Winfield ranks the potential value of everything New York has to work with this summer, starting with Brunson and going down to Boston’s top-45 protected second-round pick in 2028. Team president Leon Rose has limited draft capital remaining after last year’s trades for Towns and Mikal Bridges, so most of the coveted assets would be players.

It seems unthinkable that the Knicks would part with Brunson, their captain, especially after he accepted a team-friendly extension that could keep him under contract through the 2028/29 season. They may be more willing to move on from Towns, whose contract becomes more burdensome until he reaches a $61MM player option in 2027/28. Towns’ defensive shortcomings can make it challenging to have him and Brunson on the floor together, which Indiana exploited in the conference finals.

Bridges, New York’s 2032 first-round pick and OG Anunoby round out Winfield’s top five. The Knicks face a looming decision on Bridges, who is entering the final year of his contract and will be eligible for an offseason extension potentially worth $156MM over four years. Anunoby, the second-highest-paid player on the team, is signed for three more seasons and holds a $48.4MM player option for 2028/29.

There’s more on the Knicks:

The team’s next head coach will be walking into an extremely high-pressure situation, as reaching the conference finals wasn’t enough to save Tom Thibodeau‘s job, notes Steve Popper of Newsday. He points out that the Knicks have been mentioned as serious suitors for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant, so the new coach will have to adjust his preferred style if one of those stars is in New York. Popper cautions that the team may have to aim smaller and states that avoiding the second apron figures to be an offseason priority. The Knicks are currently $8MM under that threshold, but can expand that by $3.5MM by declining their team option on P.J. Tucker. They could save another $2MM by also declining their option on Ariel Hukporti, but he may be too valuable at that price to let go.
Thibodeau deserved another season as head coach to hone the Brunson-Towns combination and figure out ways to improve the defense, contends Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Washburn argues that Thibodeau took the fall for management’s mistakes, including giving up five first-round picks for Bridges and parting with two valuable pieces from last year’s team to bring in Towns.
Josh Hart, who played for Jay Wright at Villanova, fully supports Wright’s decision to not pursue the Knicks’ coaching vacancy. “Man Thank You. Stay retired!” Hart tweeted.

Stein’s Latest: Kidd, Flagg, Beal, Booker, More

June 7th, 2025 at 4:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Mavericks will likely deny permission for the Knicks to talk to Jason Kidd about their head coaching vacancy if a formal request is made, Marc Stein states in his latest Substack column (subscription required). Stein cites “well-placed observers” who believe Dallas would turn down the request to interview Kidd, just as the Rockets have communicated that they would do if New York asks to speak with Ime Udoka.

Stein points out that Kidd received an extension after the first round of the playoffs in May of 2024 when rumors began circulating that the Lakers were targeting him in their search for a head coach. Kidd took the Mavs to the NBA Finals after that extension was finalized and led them to the play-in tournament this year while dealing with the fallout from the Luka Doncic trade and a late-season roster shortage.

Stein writes that many people in the league are confounded that the top targets who have emerged since Tom Thibodeau was fired are coaches who are already employed — Kidd, Udoka and Minnesota’s Chris Finch. He notes that several prominent coaches are currently free agents, citing Michael Malone, Taylor Jenkins, Mike Brown, Mike Budenholzer and Frank Vogel as examples.

Stein provides a list of coaches who have been involved in trades, noting that it has happened five times since 1982.

Stein offers more information from around the NBA:

Cooper Flagg will visit Dallas prior to the June 25 draft, Stein has learned. There’s no drama regarding who the Mavericks will take with the No. 1 pick, but the visit will give Flagg a chance to become familiar with the coaching staff and team executives before it becomes official.
A buyout may not be a realistic option for the Suns if they can’t work out a trade involving Bradley Beal. According to Stein, Phoenix is limited to a buyout offer of about $80MM, which is far short of the nearly $111MM Beal has left on his contract. The fact that the interview process for coaches included questions about how they plan to incorporate Beal is a sign that the Suns understand that he’ll be hard to move, Stein observes.
Stein expects Devin Booker to receive a two-year, $150MM extension once he becomes eligible on July 6, noting that he played a prominent role in the search for a new head coach.
Stein hears that Bucks guard Pat Connaughton is likely to pick up his $9.4MM player option for next season. A decision is expected soon, although the deadline isn’t until June 24.
Former Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin has interviewed with the Grizzlies for a spot on Tuomas Iisalo‘s coaching staff, sources tell Stein.

Knicks Notes: Kidd, Finch, Thibodeau, Brunson

June 6th, 2025 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

After Marc Stein reported earlier today that the Knicks are expected to seek the Mavericks‘ permission to talk to head coach Jason Kidd about their head coaching job, Ian Begley of SNY.tv and ESPN’s Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon have confirmed as much. New York is “conducting active due diligence” on Kidd, according to Charania and MacMahon.

The question remains whether or not the Mavericks will grant that permission. Sources tell ESPN’s duo that Mavs general manager Nico Harrison and team owner Patrick Dumont haven’t yet discussed whether to allow Kidd and the Knicks to speak to one another. It’s also unclear whether Kidd would have interest in leaving Dallas for New York — he did interview for the Knicks’ job in 2020 before Tom Thibodeau was hired, as Charania and MacMahon note.

Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch is also part of a small group of head coaches already under contract whom the Knicks have interest in, according to Begley. It’s unclear if the Knicks plan to ask the Wolves about talking to Finch, but I can’t imagine Minnesota being very enthusiastic about the possibility.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Following up on ESPN’s reporting about the Knicks dismissing Thibodeau after getting input from players, Begley notes that while that player input was a factor in the team’s decision, Knicks players were respectful of Thibodeau during their end-of-season exit meetings and have a “great deal of admiration” for him. They did point out during those meetings, however, that there were things Thibodeau did during his tenure that could be improved, Begley adds.
There will be plenty of Jalen Brunson-related subplots to monitor during the Knicks’ head coaching search, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post (subscription required). As Braziller observes, Brunson has blossomed into a star under Thibodeau and spoke highly of the veteran coach. It remains to be seen how much input the point guard might have in the team’s hiring decision and what the coaching change will mean for his father, assistant coach Rick Brunson.
The Knicks aren’t expected to make an immediate head coaching hire, a league source tells Steve Popper of Newsday, who details the pressure and expectations that Thibodeau’s replacement will face.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, who is the president of the National Basketball Coaches Association, admitted this week that he was shocked by the Knicks’ decision to fire Thibodeau. “Thibs went in there and changed so much,” Carlisle said (Twitter link via Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star). “You look at all that and what happened yesterday. When I first saw it I thought it was one of those fake AI things, like, no way. No way possible.”

Latest On Thibodeau’s Firing, Knicks’ Coaching Search

June 5th, 2025 at 5:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks president Leon Rose and owner James Dolan met with several players and members of the coaching staff before making the decision to fire head coach Tom Thibodeau, sources tell Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. They were asked to provide input on the current state of the franchise following the loss to Indiana in the Eastern Conference Finals and offer advice on what moves should be made next.

Shelburne hears that Thibodeau’s dismissal had been brewing for several months, sparked by a feeling that the team wasn’t reaching its full potential despite having Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns as All-NBA players. Shelburne’s sources said Rose became convinced that a new leader was needed after talking to the players and coaches, as he no longer had confidence that Thibodeau could guide the team to the NBA Finals.

“He got outcoached,” one league source told Shelburne. “The Game 1 collapse (in the Eastern Conference Finals) was insane. If they don’t have that collapse, who knows what happens.”

The Knicks led most of the way in the series opener and held a 14-point advantage with 2:50 remaining before Indiana staged a dramatic comeback behind a barrage of three-pointers. The Pacers also won Game 2 in New York, and the Knicks were never able to gain control of the series.

Shelburne points out that Thibodeau was second-guessed on several decisions he made against Indiana. Towns remained on the sidelines late in Game 2 as the team’s offense bogged down, and the decision to insert Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup didn’t come until Game 3 when the Knicks were already in a desperate situation.

There’s more from New York:

Thibodeau’s insistence on giving a heavy workload to his starters was another factor in Rose’s decision, Shelburne adds. She notes that Brunson posted the highest usage rate of his career, with one source pointing out that he missed games this season due to ankle and calf injuries and raising concerns that he might eventually break down like Derrick Rose did while playing for Thibodeau in Chicago.
The Knicks will prioritize experience in hiring their next coach and won’t panic if a replacement isn’t found by the start of Summer League on July 10, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Bondy examines the credentials of several candidates, stating that recently fired Kings coach Mike Brown and former Lakers and Kings coach Luke Walton were among the names he has heard recently. Bondy also mentions current Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, who has been cited before as a potential target, but cautions that it’s not clear if Dallas would consider letting him go.
Kidd shouldn’t be dismissed as a candidate just because he’s under contract, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on the latest Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to Jared Schwartz of The New York Post). Kidd, who signed an extension with the Mavs last year, played for the Knicks during his final NBA season and has experience coaching Brunson. “I think it would be way too far to hint, suggest or any of that that J-Kidd is looking to get out of Dallas,” MacMahon said. “I think that would be not an accurate or fair thing to say. But if this opportunity were to present itself, I bet you his ears would perk up.”

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