Despite interim Knicks head coach Mike Miller leading New York to a solid 13-19 record during his brief tenure with the team, incoming president of basketball operations Leon Rose will reportedly consider some starrier names for his bench during the 2020 offseason.
Tom Thibodeau and Jeff Van Gundy are among the coaches expected to be on the short list for the Knicks’ head coaching job during the 2020/2021 season, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Van Gundy, currently an analyst for ABC and ESPN, last coached the Rockets during the 2006/2007 season. Both are assistants for USA Basketball. Van Gundy, 58, was a Knicks assistant coach from 1989-1996 before taking the reigns as head coach during the 1995/1996 season.
As the Knicks’ head coach, Van Gundy led the team from 1996-2001, compiling a 257-172 record. His biggest success arrived when he took the Knicks to the 1999 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Spurs. Van Gundy was also a successful head coach with the Tracy McGrady/Yao Ming-era Houston Rockets from 2003-2007.
Thibodeau last coached the Timberwolves for part of the 2018/19 season. He also simultaneously served as team president. Thibodeau, 62, served under Van Gundy in New York starting in 1996, and remained as an assistant coach for the Knicks until 2004.
As a head coach, Thibodeau led the Derrick Rose/Joakim Noah-era Chicago Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2011, and the Timberwolves to their first playoff berth in 13 years circa 2018. He won the NBA’s Coach of the Year award in 2011. As an associate head coach under Doc Rivers, Thibodeau helped the Celtics to the 2008 title. Thibodeau has done some analyst work for ESPN since his 2019 departure from the Timberwolves.
Omg please hire Thibs! That would be the most Knick thing they could do. I guess if they don’t let him make any personal decisions he might do ok
Love the name lol
Twolvesarenynightmare
Thibedou is a defensive minded coach probably the most in the league. Van Gundy is also defensive minded. The Knicks, when they are good, have always been a good defensive teams. They should also keep Mike Miller as an assistant.
Like JVG would ever leave Mark Jackson hanging
Wait
Lol
Hand down, man down…
Can they run the point or play the wing ?
The only thing that could possibly make this Knicks dumpster fire more entertaining is the hiring of Thibs. Please make it happen, dolan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Right? It’s time to get Thibs tough! That will right the ship in NYC!
Always seems like the head coaching pool is extremely shallow in the nba.
On behalf of all viewers at home: PLEASE HIRE VAN GUNDY!!!
Every time after being tortured through having to listen to him complain throughout an entire game, making it about him more than the game, I want to fling him into the sun. He can’t not suck at his job no matter how much he tries.
The one thing I have to give JVG credit for is he is an equal opportunity whiner. Guys moans about refs, players, coaches, the food at the hotel, the price of an lounge chair he bought in 1994, etc
That’s just too mean to wish that sort of thing for NY.
Both would be nice coaches but the Knicks are a young team with Robinson Barrett Knox Ntilikina DSJ and so on. Thibs wasn’t good with young players in Minny and JVG has been away from coaching for years so it’s hard to judge.
John Calipari would be good and has worked a lot with young guys. He also knows how to get get a bunch of good players to play well together which is exactly what they need.
Ewing?
There are so many parallels between Jeff Van Gundy and Jon Gruden. But its really hard to see how he would be a good hire. He has way too much hype.
Even the Knicks aren’t giving him that type on contract.
Knicks could fix their issues in 1 year.
First. You hire Becky Hammond as HC.
Second, you bring in Troy Weaver as GM. Learned under Sam Presti who’s kept things stable in OKC even after losing Durant, Westbrook, etc.
Now,
Free agency, Hassan Whiteside 2 years, bring back Marcus Morris on a 2 year deal mutual option 3 year, I’d shoot for Bogdan Bogdanovic on a 4 year deal or look at a solid player in DeMar DeRozan for 3 years who was with Hammond in San Antonio.
Roll with Elfrid Payton, Barrett, Bogdanovic or DeRozan, Morris, Whiteside starting 5.
I’d ship Randle out for a draft pick. Robinson Knox Trier Portis and DSJ on bench.
Use your pick this year to target Nico Mannion, Cole Anthony, or Tyrese Hailburton as your PG going forward, even if it means trading back. Stay away from LaMelo Ball.
I’d go for Teague or Reggie Jackson a cheap deal maybe something like 30m/3 years and let them share the starting role with whatever Rookie you decide to draft. I’d target Ball, Anthony, Maxey and Halliburton.
This way you get a veteran leader so your not putting to much pressure on the Rookie or on Barrett. Would offer Glenn Robinson a nice deal 4years/52 mil, can’t see him turning that deal down. He can defend well and is shooting great this year, nearly 50% FG, 40% 3P% and 85% FT%.
Then lastly would trade out Julius Randle, would try swap him for Aldridge or Love. Two teams that will be trying to rebuild this gets them younger would also give up Ntilikina and a pick. You’d be picking up a 4 that can be an experienced head.
1. Ball. Teague
2. Barrett. Trier
3. Robinson. Knox
4. Aldridge. Portis
5. Robinson. Gibson
Mannion / Reggie Jax
Syd Barrett / Dotson
Sterling Brown / Fort Knox
Marcus M / Portis
Mitch Rob / Labissiere
Ok 2 stars away from being a very good team…
“Stay away from LaMelo Ball.”
Good advice for any team.
John Calipari will be the next Knicks coach. David Falk said on WFAN
JVG and Marc Jackson co-head coaches.
JVG, JVG, JVG!
Watching him hanging on to Mitchell Robinson’s leg while being dragged around the court would be awesome.
We need San Patrick
And Sam Presti
How many times has JVG been considered for the Knicks job since he lost it?
He didn’t lose it. He quit.
Big part of his coaching allure to NYers. He resigned with a 10-9 record. The Knicks went 20-43 over the rest of the season.
Of all the coaches Dolan went through, he’s the only one who left because he saw the writing on the wall. He wanted no part of the dumpster fire on the horizon.
link to a.espncdn.com
Such a knicks thing. I believe I said when they fired David Fizdale “David Fizdale was trying to build winning players, with winning habits, and a winning culture, in an environment that has no idea what those things look like. That was his job coming in too, and it still didn’t matter. So good luck picking your thousandth coach in the last few years, and keep bringing up the same names that are similar to Fizdale, and think it will do anything”
And there it is. JVG, Tom Thibodeau, Mark Jackson…rofl.
The knicks are such a joke. Can’t ever just do things the right way. That’s fine. You will never establish a culture if you continue to do things the way you do, your young players wont develop the way they should, and you wont have free agents join your circus show, no matter how much you think you’re entitled to it. Clowns….all of them, just like the guy they replaced a couple of years ago, and that includes the fans that eat up every narrative those people push
Knicks will hire Walton when he get fired.
Becky Hammon to the Kings.
Thibs back to Bulls.
Tyrone back at Cavs helm.
Knick FO chiefs tend to define themselves early in their tenure, and usually in negative way. Rose is another rookie (in his current job). The temptation to make a “splash” needs to be resisted. Waves of change are needed, a splash is a distraction.
Which is not say there’s anything wrong with these two guys. But the HC’ing hire can’t occur in isolation, it has to work top-down, starting with the team they envision becoming.
Miller has done a very good job with the current roster of misfit toys. So, depending on what they can do with the roster in one year, there may be value to leaving him in place.
RJ Barrett gonna play 46 minutes a night under Thibs. Lol