Latest news with #Thibodeau
NBC Sports
15 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Knicks coaching search update: Kidd not leaving Dallas, James Borrego to interview in New York
The Knicks' coaching search continues to crawl along with another former head coach, James Borrego, set to be interviewed. And if any Knicks fans (or people in their front office) were hoping the Jason Kidd situation in Dallas might change, Nico Harrison squashed that like a cockroach this week. This weekend, the Knicks will interview former Hornets and current Pelicans assistant coach James Borrego, a story broken by James Edwards III of The Athletic and confirmed by multiple other Knicks reporters. Borrego has the reputation of a creative, analytics-driven offensive coach, which would be a change in style from the coach he is interviewing to replace, Tom Thibodeau. While Borrego compiled a 138-163 record in four seasons with Charlotte, that undersells the job he did with a rebuilding roster. It felt like he had the team maybe turning a corner, the Hornets appeared to get better each year and won 43 games his final season (which did not make the playoffs in the East that year). Borrego is also a CAA client, the firm where Knicks president Leon Rose had worked. The Knicks have previously interviewed former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins, former Cavaliers/Lakers/Kings coach Mike Brown, and Timberwolves lead assistant Mikah Nori for the job. One guy the Knicks will not interview is Jason Kidd. New York reached out to Dallas with a request to interview Kidd several weeks ago and was shot down, but that was not enough to kill the rumors. The theory went that Kidd really, secretly, wanted the Knicks job — despite the Mavericks just landing Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick — and he would pressure Dallas to change its mind. Those rumors were presented to Mavericks GM Nico Harrison hours after they selected Flagg, and he seemed surprised that anyone thought that, and then he officially and unequivocally crushed them, as quoted by Christian Clark at The Athletic. 'Are there rumors still out there about J-Kidd?' Harrison said. 'I thought I shut them down. Yes, he will be the coach next year.' Can we move on now? Borrego is now the betting favorite to replace Thibodeau, but there is no clear frontrunner yet. Whoever gets the job will have tough shoes to fill because in his five years at the helm of the Knicks Thibodeau led the team to the playoffs for times — the same number of playoff appearances the team had in the 20 years prior to him becoming coach — and the team's first Western Conference Finals in 25 years. There was a segment of Knicks nation, and apparently a large segment of the Knicks front office, who thought Thibodeau's message and style had worn out in the locker room and he had taken them as far as he could. The idea was that if the Knicks wanted to win a title, they needed a new coach. However, Thibodeau was fired without an upgrade in the wings, or even really a succession plan. So the process continues as we are three days away from the start of free agency.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Writer suggests Lakers add longtime NBA coach to JJ Redick's staff
By all accounts, JJ Redick's first season as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers was fairly successful. Although he had one or two miscues along the way, he kept them together through up and downs and multiple changes and guided them to the third seed in the Western Conference. He was hired a year ago despite having no real experience as a coach at either the pro or college levels. But the former NBA sharpshooter showed plenty of aptitude as LeBron James' co-host for the "Mind the Game" podcast, and it is presumed by many that his role there led to him getting the Lakers' coaching job. But Redick can continue to get better, something he admitted during his final press conference following his team's exit from the NBA playoffs. Part of that improvement could come in the form of making a prime addition to his staff. Svyatoslav Rovenchuk of Lake Show Life suggested that Redick and the Lakers should make a bold move by hiring Tom Thibodeau to be an assistant coach. Via Lake Show Life: "Tom Thibodeau was let go from his head coaching position for the New York Knicks after the team lost in the Eastern Conference Finals," Rovenchuk wrote. "There are plenty of flaws to Thibodeau as a head coach. However, as an assistant, Redick would get some much-needed support from the veteran mind." Thibodeau's coaching career began when he served as an assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 1989-90 season. In the mid-2000s, he helped the Houston Rockets become one of the league's top defensive teams as an assistant under Jeff Van Gundy, and in 2007, he became the Boston Celtics' associate head coach. The Celtics instantly became one of the greatest defensive teams in NBA history with Thibodeau essentially serving as their defensive coordinator. They won the world championship in 2008 and were minutes away from winning another one in 2010 until they choked away a 13-point second-half lead in Game 7 of the NBA Finals versus the Lakers. Thibodeau was recently fired by the New York Knicks after being their head coach for five seasons. He helped them reach the playoffs in four of his five seasons there and has been credited with building a winning culture and helping them become contenders after two decades of ineptitude. At age 67, he may or may not have any real interest in continuing to be a coach.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Knicks Guard Makes Big Personal Announcement During Offseason
Knicks Guard Makes Big Personal Announcement During Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Knicks are going to be under a microscope all offseason long after firing Tom Thibodeau, who was the head coach of the team for five seasons. Advertisement Most recently, Thibodeau led the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years. With Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns leading the way on the hardwood, Thibodeau had New York just two wins away from the NBA Finals. Still, the Knicks believe they need another head coach to help them achieve their first NBA title since 1973. While the club goes through an extensive head coaching search, the rest of the team will wait to see how the squad shakes out. May 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) controls the ball against Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) in the third quarter during game one of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden.© Brad Penner-Imagn Images Trades and roster moves could be on the way. One player whose role seems safe, though, is Miles McBride. The backup guard provided valuable playoff minutes for the Knicks this season. While there was plenty to be impressed with as it pertains to his on-court play, he recently made a major off-court announcement. Advertisement McBride and Ana Zortea shared on Instagram late on Sunday night that they welcomed their baby girl into the world. "God is great," McBride shared on Instagram. "I love you babygirl" This past season, McBride emerged as a real rotational piece for the Knicks, averaging 9.5 points, 2.9 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game while playing 24.9 minutes per contest. Not only was the West Virginia product a strong contributor as a shooter this past season, but he was also the Knicks' strongest point of attack defender. With a new head coach set to come in and lead the franchise, the bench is about to get much more valuable -- as Thibodeau didn't use his bench too, too much. A new head coach will value rotations much more, especially during the regular season. Advertisement McBride and his girlfriend Ana will navigate next season and the next chapter of their life with a newborn baby, too. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Post
14-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff rips Knicks for firing Tom Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau's Knicks sent J.B. Bickerstaff into offseason mode earlier than he wanted, yet the Pistons' coach is still sticking up for his former colleague. Bickerstaff joined the growing list of those criticizing the Knicks for moving on from Thibodeau after five seasons following their ouster in the Eastern Conference finals. While Bickerstaff did not specifically mention the franchise, his remarks came after being asked how the Knicks firing Thibodeau and seeking permission to talk to employed coaches is resonating across 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 on ESPN Radio's 'Joe & Q' on Friday. 'Some of the decisions made down the stretch with firing coaches, it just shows that there are some places that don't value what coaching is and what it can bring. When you are a coach, you feel like there is a job that you have been told to do. 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.' 3 J.B. Bickerstaff coaching against the Knicks in the playoffs. JASON SZENES/ NY POST The Knicks' parting ways with Thibodeau has been a hotly debated topic, although there have been some notable names recently saying the Knicks made a mistake. Charles Barkley said the Knicks are the 'stupidest damn people,' Dick Vitale called the situation 'embarrassing' and suggested they actually re-hire Thibodeau and ESPN analyst and former NBA coach P.J. Carlesimo said the Knicks are their own worst enemy and believe they're smarter than everyone else. 3 Tom Thibodeau is out as Knicks coach. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post The timing of this firing has confused some since the Knicks axed the veteran coach after the franchise's first conference finals run in 25 years and following a fourth playoff berth in five years. Bickerstaff, whose Pistons fell to the Knicks in six games in the first round, said coaches don't like seeing their brethren dismissed following a successful campaign. 'That's the difficult part from a coach's standing,' Bickerstaff said. 'We understand it and we know the job we signed up for is a dangerous job. But, from a coach's standpoint, it is our responsibility to be honest and tell the truth. Our job is extremely difficult. To win in the NBA is extremely difficult. To build teams in the NBA is extremely difficult. To lead guys, who have the superstar power in the NBA, is extremely difficult. So when a guy does a great job at it, from the outside looking in, we want to see that guy get rewarded. And it seems to be cases now where guys that do a great job aren't even being rewarded with a next year.' The Knicks felt they needed to make a change to improve their chances of winning a title, The Post previously reported, and some players did not love Thibodeau's approach. The team's search is off to a bumpy start with five teams — the Rockets (Ime Udoka), Timberwolves (Chris Finch), Hawks (Quin Snyder), Mavericks (Jason Kidd) and Bulls (Billy Donovan) — denying permission to talk to their respective coaches. 3 J.B. Bickerstaff congratulates Jalen Brunson after his shot eliminated the Pistons in Game 6. Getty Images The Knicks instead have now set up interviews with a pair of coaches who were dismissed during the season in Taylor Jenkins, formerly of the Grizzlies, and Mike Brown, who led the Kings.
Time of India
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
New York Knicks' coach hunt gets new update from NBA insider after Tom Thibodeau's unexpected dismissal
Tom Thibodeau. Image via: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Did the New York Knicks land a new coach to replace Tom Thibodeau? Well, not quite, but the hunt for a new coach finally gets a positive update from renowned NBA insider Shams Charania. In a latest report, Charania shared that after being rejected for meetings with several coaches, the Knicks have finally locked their interest in ex-Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins and former Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown. The New York Knicks are set to have a meeting with two former NBA coaches after Tom Thibodeau's exit It was a surprising move that blindsided much of the NBA community. The New York Knicks parted ways with head coach Tom Thibodeau shortly after their deepest playoff run in 25 years. As fans continue to grapple with the surprise exit, fresh reports indicate that the Knicks are already moving forward with potential replacements. According to NBA insider Shams Charania, formal interviews with experienced candidates are set to begin next week, as New York eyes a new era on the sidelines. Knicks line up key interviews as post-Thibodeau era begins. Charania broke the news on X, revealing, 'The New York Knicks are planning to meet with ex-Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins and former Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown next week for their head coaching job, sources tell ESPN. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Concentrated Siberian Ginseng Extract 2oz Superior Ginseng Undo First formal interviews for the Knicks vacancy, and more could come.' The update signals a serious shift in direction from the franchise, just over a week after Thibodeau's unexpected dismissal. Thibodeau's firing raised eyebrows across the league, especially considering his success with the Knicks. After taking the job in the 2020–21 season, he transformed the team from postseason outsiders into Eastern Conference contenders. Under his leadership, the Knicks made the playoffs in four of his five seasons and secured back-to-back 50-win campaigns, surely, it was something the franchise hadn't seen since the 1990s. Despite falling short in the conference finals against the Indiana Pacers, Thibodeau's exit came as a shock. But in a move that exemplified grace and gratitude, he responded not with criticism but with a heartfelt full-page ad in The New York Times. The message read in part, 'To the best city in the world with the best fans in the world: Thank you… 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. ' Thibodeau ended the message by thanking the players, staff, and fans, signing off: 'With gratitude and respect, Tom Thibodeau.' Also Read: Indiana Pacers lucky charm Caitlin Clark arrives at Game 4 alongside her teammate Aliyah Boston As the Knicks front office now looks ahead, hunting for the one perfect coach that could define the trajectory of a franchise eager to return to NBA championship relevance.
