The New York Knicks have made some questionable moves in the past few years, and firing Tom Thibodeau is just the latest development.
After their loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks made a surprise move by firing Thibodeau after he led the team to their most successful five-year stretch in decades. While the move was shocking to some, it was simply another example of how they operate to others.
In a recent podcast, Austin Rivers dished on his brief stint in New York during the 2020-21 season. Although he admitted that he and Thibodeau didn’t exactly get along in his time there, Rivers noted the general absurdity of his firing and said he wasn’t sure why anyone would want the job after that.
He also said the Knicks don’t do business the right way sometimes, referencing some of his bad experiences when his time on the team was coming to an end. After the team signed Derrick Rose in that season, Rivers said he had to call Thibodeau and plead with him to continue to travel with the team after the Knicks front office had planned to simply send him home as they worked out a trade.
Rivers went on to criticize the Knicks’ strategy of finding a new coach, where they have reportedly struck out on interviewing sitting head coaches from around the league.
“They have no plan,” Rivers said. “They fired a top-tier coach, as much as I hate f—ing saying it. They fired Thibs and are walking around with their hands in their pockets just like, ‘Hey you, you happy over there?’”
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It’s safe to say that Rivers isn’t exactly a fan of the Knicks’ front office, but it’s hard to argue with his takeaways, given the team’s situation.