The New York Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday after five seasons.
ESPN’s Shams Charania announced the news on Tuesday afternoon:
“BREAKING: The New York Knicks are relieving Tom Thibodeau of his duties as head coach, sources tell ESPN. Thibodeau led the Knicks to their first East Finals in 25 years, made playoffs in 4 of 5 years and led Knicks to consecutive 50+ win seasons for first time since the 1990s.”
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Despite leading the Knicks to obvious success, Thibodeau’s tenure ended amid concerns over offensive stagnation and controversial minutes management.
With the Knicks very much still operating in a championship window, former Denver Nuggets and 2023 NBA Finals-winning head coach Michael Malone will likely emerge as the leading candidate to replace Thibs.
Denver’s firing of Malone just days before the 2025 playoffs, stunned the league. Malone, who led the Nuggets to their 2023 title and amassed a franchise-record 471 wins, was let go alongside general manager Calvin Booth. The timing, with only three games left in the regular season, confused most fans and led to reports citing internal discord in Denver.
Now, Thibodeau’s departure and Malone’s unexpected availability positions Malone as the premier choice for the 2025-26 Knicks.
Born in Queens, Malone served as a Knicks assistant from 2001 to 2005, and his father, Brendan, held similar roles across three stints. Malone’s proven ability to maximize stars like Nikola Jokić could translate to elevating Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Despite similarities to Thibodeau in favoring veterans, Malone’s championship pedigree and New York roots make him the obvious choice.
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