The New York Knicks rocked the sports world on Tuesday when they fired head coach Tom Thibodeau.
Yes, Thibodeau just led the Knicks all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, but that wasn’t enough for the team’s front office.
Now, they’re on the hunt for someone to replace him, but what sort of head coach are they looking for?
Speaking to Pat McAfee, Shams Charania shed light on the situation and the ideal coach for New York.
“A guy that might trust his bench more. A guy that might be a little bit more lenient based on his principles and what he wants to enact. Clearly, the Knicks, the direction they’re gonna go in now is figuring out a guy that they know can build out an entire roster, the bench can work with the front office,” Charania said, via NBA on ESPN.
.@ShamsCharania told @PatMcAfeeShow about what type of coach the Knicks might be looking for ✍️
“A guy that might trust his bench more. A guy that might be a little bit more lenient based on his principles.” pic.twitter.com/olMGggOxEG
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 3, 2025
Charania’s mention of New York’s bench is a big deal because it’s something that many fans have been upset about.
The Knicks had a powerful starting lineup, but Thibodeau used them often and relentlessly.
Many fans suggested that he should rely on his bench players more often, and they criticized him for being stubborn and inflexible in his approach.
Even when his starting five was having problems during their series against the Indiana Pacers, Thibodeau took a long time to tweak the lineup.
Some people feel this insistence may have cost the Knicks the series.
The team’s front office is surely hard at work, listing the candidates and making phone calls.
Certain names have already been floated around, but nothing is official.
Will they be able to find their perfect team leader, someone who can guide the starting five but also get the most out of the bench, too?
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