According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the New York Knicks have made the decision to fire long-time head coach Tom Thibodeau.
Less than a week later after losing in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, New York’s first appearance in the ECF in 25 years, Thibodeau has been removed as their coach. This comes as a major shocker due to the postseason they had, the best regular season record they’ve had in over a decade, and following up from last season.
“Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans. This pursuit led us to the difficult decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we’ve decided to move in another direction,” said Knicks President Leon Rose. “We can’t thank Tom enough for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach. He led us not only with class and professionalism for the past five seasons, but also to tremendous success on the court with four playoff berths and four playoff series victories. Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward. Tom will always be a part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
According to SNY’s Ian Begley, New York still owes Thibs at least $30 million. He recently signed an extension back in 2024.
In five seasons with the franchise, the 67-year-old had a 226-174 record. Only three coaches in the franchise’s history have won more games.