Report: Some Knicks Players Weren’t Thrilled Playing For Tom Thibodeau

According to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, some New York Knicks players weren’t thrilled playing for Tom Thibodeau. 

Thibodeau was fired by the Knicks despite leading the franchise to the conference finals this year for the first time since 2000. 

“A couple of players felt like Thibodeau played the starters too many minutes and felt he had an inability to adjust, sources said, and another player said he didn’t feel like he could play for Thibodeau if the coach returned next season,” Goodwill wrote. 

Thibodeau, who has coached the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves, was hired by the Knicks in 2020. He went 226-174 in the regular season and 24-23 in the postseason and won the 2021 Coach of the Year Award. 

New York lost to the Indiana Pacers in this year’s conference finals in six games. Thibodeau is owed $30 million from the Knicks. 

One NBA exec told Hoops Wire that he wouldn’t be surprised if Karl-Anthony Towns played a big role in the Knicks’ firing of Thibodeau. 

“Who was on the Timberwolves when Thibs got fired in 2019? Who is KAT’s former agent (Leon Rose, who is now the president of the Knicks)? I wouldn’t be surprised at all if KAT told Leon and (James) Dolan during his exit interview that he didn’t want to play for Thibs anymore,” the NBA exec told Hoops Wire.

“Leon always listens to his players. That’s why he was beloved as an agent by all of his clients. Look, I don’t know this for sure, but if I were a betting man, I would bet a lot of money that KAT told Leon and Dolan that he didn’t want to play for Thibs anymore.

“They don’t have a good relationship. Thibs likes guys who defend at a high level and take accountability on that end. KAT has never done that. He doesn’t want to. He wants to save his energy for offense.”