In a shocking turn of events on Tuesday the New York Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau. Thibodeau helped turn around the organization after coming aboard in 2020. He coached the Knicks to four winning records in the last five years, and his work culminated in an Eastern Conference finals this past season; New York lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games, with the final loss coming last Saturday night.
Apparently that wasn't good enough for the organization. They now look to find a new head coach in lieu of Thibodeau, one who is capable of leading a talented but flawed roster featuring Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns to championship heights.
Coaching in New York isn't for everyone but this is a very appealing job. The Knicks are on the rise with a strong roster surrounding an MVP candidate in Brunson and the coach who leads them back to the promised land of an NBA title will be forever immortalized in the Big Apple. The scrutiny, of course, will be there— but so are the tools for success.
Here are four potential names the Knicks could look at to replace Thibodeau on the sidelines.
Michael Malone
Malone is not only one of the strongest candidates on the NBA head coaching market this offseason, he's a New York City native whose demeanor seems perfect for the job of Knicks head coach. The 53-year-old grew up in Queens and coached the Denver Nuggets to a championship only two seasons ago. He was suddenly fired by the Nuggets in April with three games left in the regular season, reportedly due to a power struggle with the GM that ownership found untenable. So there is some baggage there.
But Malone is undeniably a quality basketball coach. He posted an overall record of 471-327 in 10 years with the Nuggets and won 44 playoff games, earning a ring during the 2023 playoffs. Between his roots and championship track record, the Knicks should definitely be taking a strong look at Malone to lead the team.
Mike Budenholzer
The other former championship-winning head coach who enters the offseason looking for a new gig, Budenholzer is coming off a tough campaign with the Phoenix Suns. He was hired this time last year to maximize the Kevin Durant-Devin Booker-Bradley Beal core in Arizona and failed, with the Suns going 36-46 this season. Budenholzer was fired almost immediately after the end of the regular season.
Putting that aside, Budenholzer's candidacy is strong. He's earned a reputation for installing a successful offensive and defensive system at a variety of stops that consistently leads to regular-season success. Budenholzer has accumulated a 520-363 record in 11 seasons as head coach. His playoff runs haven't always been smooth— but he did reach the mountaintop, winning the NBA Finals with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021. The disaster in Phoenix this past season is certainly cause for concern but the Knicks will likely consider him anyway given his very strong track record of winning games, and he's shown he can win a title in the right circumstances.
Taylor Jenkins
Like Malone, Jenkins was suddenly and shockingly fired by his team in the midst of the 2024-25 regular season, getting his pink slip from the Memphis Grizzlies in late March. Part of the reason it was so surprising was Jenkins's reputation as an up-and-coming head coach prior to his dismissal. He helped lead a young Grizzlies core to three playoff appearances in six years at the helm and went 250-214 after he was hired in 2019.
The end of his time in Memphis will be worth looking into, but if the Knicks wanted to skew young the 40-year-old Jenkins is a quality option.
Sam Cassell
Given the Knicks' status as a legitimate contender with a veteran-laden roster, it seems more likely than not they'll turn to a veteran coach to replace Thibodeau. They don't have time to let a first-time head coach get his feet under him, and the New York market has little patience for such things. But team president Leon Rose has shown the capacity to make bold and unexpected decisions in his time running the Knicks. He could very well decide that the potential of a rookie head coach is a better bet than the established options on the free agent coaching market, such as the ones above.
If the Knicks did go in that direction, there would be no better choice than Sam Cassell. Cassell, made famous for his playing career, has spent the last 16 seasons on the sidelines in varying capacities. He first joined the Washington Wizards as an assistant coach and spent five years there before working with Doc Rivers on the Los Angeles Clippers and then the Philadelphia 76ers. He's been on Joe Mazzulla's staff the last two seasons, helping lead the Boston Celtics to a championship last season after doing so as a player in 2007-08.
Cassell has been interviewed for vacant head coaching positions numerous times over the last five years; there is clearly some general sentiment around the league that he's ready (or very close to it) for the big job. There is a ton of risk associated with hiring a rookie head coach and the Knicks may be cautious after the Derek Fisher disaster. But Cassell is a four-time NBA champion, garners respect as a former player, and has over a decade's worth of NBA sideline experience. Don't rule him out.