Despite the Knicks reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years — and then team star Jalen Brunson sticking up for him — Tom Thibodeau has been fired as head coach of the New York Knicks.
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) June 3, 2025
The news comes just days after the Knicks finished their best playoff result in a quarter century. However, Knicks management believes that a title window is wide open now — especially with injuries to the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum and the Bucks’ Damian Lillard sidelining those stars for most, if not all of next season. New York wants to take advantage of that window and feels that, under Thibs a ceiling had been reached, necessitating a new voice to lead the locker room, according to reports. The decision was made by team president Leon Rose, a close confidant of Thibodeau’s, with the support of owner James Dolan, reports Ian Begley of SNY.TV.
The firing appeared to catch the Knicks players off guard.
Forever Grateful 🧡💙 Thank You! https://t.co/a81D5SST1d
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) June 3, 2025
“Is that a real question right now? You just asked me if I believe he’s the right guy,” Brunson said after the Knicks were eliminated. “Yes. Come on.”
Thibodeau signed an extension last summer and is owed about $30 million on the deal, according to Begley of SNY.TV.
Thibodeau brought much needed stability and built a winning foundation in New York (the coaches prior to his arrival included Mike Woodson, Derek Fisher, Jeff Hornacek and David Fizdale, not the most inspiring group). From 2001 through 2020, the Knicks made the playoffs four times and won one series series. Under Thibodeau the Knicks made the playoffs four of five seasons and won four playoff series.
Heading into these playoffs, there was a buzz in league circles that if New York got bounced in the first two rounds of the playoffs, Thibodeau’s job would be in serious jeopardy. However, after the team made the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years, and considering Thibodeau’s close ties to Rose and Brunson (all part of the CAA family), it was thought by many around the league that Thibs had earned another chance. That said, some close to the Knicks still had doubts about his job security.
The limitations exposed by the Pacers in the East finals were a combination of Rose and the front office not giving the Knicks enough of a bench and Thibodeau’s reluctance to trust players he did have, like Landry Shamet, who stepped up when called upon. The problem of constructing a roster that could not defend — a team that had to play the gutty but undersized Brunson and center Karl-Anthony Towns, whose defensive deficiencies were on full display in Game 6 against Indiana — should not be placed on Thibodeau. He did as well as could be expected with 40% of his starting five a negative defensively.
Among the early names to watch as a replacement are Michael Malone (who was just let go by Denver near the end of the season) and whispers of college coaches such as Jay Wright.
