"The Knicks got to be the stupidest damn people in the world" - Charles Barkley sounds off on the New York Knicks
The New York Knicks stunned the basketball world in early June when they fired head coach Tom Thibodeau days after the team was eliminated from the Eastern Conference finals by the Indiana Pacers.
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While Thibs wasn't without flaws, especially with his penchant for playing his starters heavy minutes, there's no denying the role he played in bringing the Knicks back to elite status, compiling a 226-174 record in the five seasons he helmed the team.
Coaches getting let go is by no means a rare occurrence in the NBA, but the lack of a solid succession plan has not gone unnoticed among fans and experts. Hall of Famer Charles Barkley shared his piece on the matter before Game 3 of the 2025 NBA Finals.
Chuck didn't mince words
Barkley, the 1993 MVP, has never been one to keep his words in check, especially if he has strong opinions on a topic. And when it comes to the Knicks' recent coaching change and current search for a suitable replacement, he didn't hold back.
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"The Knicks got to be the stupidest damn people in the world. Like, you don't fire no good coach like that and don't have a plan," he surmised. "I mean, Thibs did a hell of a job. Obviously, something's going on there, but you don't have a plan."
Despite being one of the league's most revered franchises, the Knicks haven't won an NBA title since 1973. Before Thibs came on board as head coach, New York went through seven losing seasons, failing to make the postseason in each one. Now, the coach who managed to get the best out of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns is no longer on the roster, with no replacement in sight.
"You got to have a plan, man, and they don't have a plan now. I mean, I don't know what the hell they're going to do," Barkley stressed.
Related: "Larry Bird said, 'If Robert doesn't want to be here, trade his a—'" - Robert Parish admits he didn't take Bird's side in his fight with Julius Erving
Numerous rejected
The Knicks' front office has been busy securing meetings with several NBA coaches. However, their efforts to meet with the likes of the Atlanta Hawks' Quin Snyder, the Minnesota Timberwolves' Chris Finch, the Dallas Mavericks' Jason Kidd and the Houston Rockets' Ime Udoka were all rebuffed.
Another Hall of Famer, Grant Hill, chimed in, saying New York's attempts at hiring a new head coach have reeked of desperation.
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"It does look bad. It looks almost desperate. You think, okay, you can debate whether the decision to fire Thibs was the right one or not — clearly, you assume they know more than we know — but to go through this now, third person, possibly fourth coach? It's just like, okay, what's going on here?" Hill stated.
The fact that the Knicks were a good bounce or two away from playing in the finals struck Hill as off. Now, they may have to start from scratch, trying to learn a new system under a new head coach.
"You got a team knocking on the door, could have been here right now playing in the Finals. So it's just not a good look right now. We'll see how that all plays out," Grant added.
One former coach that Knicks fans are high on is Mark Jackson. The former Knicks great hasn't had a coaching gig since he helped rejuvenate the Golden State Warriors in 2011. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith has verbalized his support for the former All-Star to nab the Knicks' head coaching position.
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Related: "If this team was in the playoff race, I'd love to be here" - John Starks on why he played only four games for the Chicago Bulls
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
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