Despite leading the New York Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals, Tom Thibodeau was released by the franchise earlier this summer. He has been replaced by two-time Coach of the Year, Mike Brown.
During a recent news conference, former MVP Derrick Rose provided an update on Thibodeau.
“I talked to Tibbs after that (his firing).” Rose said. “He’s good, he’s good, I think. You can’t be mad when you’re walking away with $30 million. You can’t be too sorry for him, but he’s in good spirits. Yeah, that’s my guy. We locked in until the end, but he’s good. Jalen’s still in New York. He’s going to be balling. Everybody wins, I feel like.”
Thibodeau spent five seasons as the Knicks’ head coach. He turned the franchise around and got them back near the top of the Eastern Conference. Thibodeau ended his tenure with the Knicks having led them to 226 regular-season wins and 174 losses. The only losing season he had was in 2022-23. He also amassed a 24-23 record in the playoffs during his time with the franchise.
Rose also spent some time with Thibodeau in New York. The veteran guard was part of the roster between 2021 and 2023, as the veteran head coach leaned on players he knew he could trust.
Knicks Recently Acquired Guerschon Yabusele
During a recent interview with “SK Week,” Guerschon Yabusele revealed what led him to sign with the Knicks, despite no head coach being in place at the time.
“I think the Knicks was a great decision,” Yabusele said. “Because I feel like their team really matches my DNA to fight hard…What I like about the team, is what they did this season…This could be a good chance and opportunity to play there.”
Thibodeau turned New York into a legitimate powerhouse in the East. Brown will now be tasked with taking the franchise forward and potentially challenging for a championship. Yabusele will solve some of the Knicks’ issues with the second unit. New York ranked dead last for bench minutes per game last season.
Knicks Searching For a Backup Guard
As New York continues to prepare for the 2025-26 season, it would appear it has pinpointed the guard position as an area of need. According to SNY’s Ian Begley, the franchise has “been in touch” with multiple ball-handlers.
“The Knicks have been in touch with multiple backup guards on the market,” Begley reported. “Dante Exum considered the Knicks as a possible destination before he agreed to a deal with Dallas on Wednesday. As noted earlier, the Knicks touched base with free agent Ben Simmons this week. So it seems like the Knicks are at least keeping an eye on the market for a backup guard.”
Brown will bring his own philosophy to New York. We should expect to see some differences in how the team plays compared to recent years. Therefore, a new backup guard could be what Brown needs to ensure his system hits the ground running.
Whether the Knicks can land another ball-handler before next season remains to be seen. Still, the fanbase will undoubtedly be pleased to see the front office is still actively looking to improve the squad.
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