The New York Knicks overhaul is far from over with personnel changes abound. That would include the head coaching gig currently held by Mike Miller. Though he is calling the shots as of this writing, there is a chance that a new and veteran coach could take over. Right now, the name of Tom Thibodeau is making quite a lot of noise.
A reason behind this is that Thibodeau reportedly has close ties with incoming president Leon Rose. Two former coaches are swirling, the other being Jeff Van Gundy. Between Van Gundy and Thibodeau, there is no question the former holds more weight. A reason for this is that Van Gundy had more success with the Knicks when he was calling the shots with Thibodeau as one of his deputies.
For now, there is no definitive answer on who between Van Gundy and Thibodeau has the inside track. Initially, it appeared that Van Gundy was the plausible choice. But per Sports Illustrated, the tide has shifted to Thibodeau.
"One person with knowledge of their thinking put the odds at 90 percent that Thibs will get the job, with Miller staying on in some capacity," Jonathan Macri of SI reported.
Thibodeau made his mark when he coached the Chicago Bulls. That did not end well, and Thibs would bring his act to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Armed with broader coverage, the 62-year-old just failed to live up to expectations. He got the necessary manpower, mostly his former players from Chicago. With no results, the T-Wolves ended up severing ties with Thibs.
Thibodeau has been out of the coaching mix ever since. But with his close ties to Rose, a possible return to coaching now looms. In fact, a former player has come out to bat for him - Taj Gibson.
In a report from the New York Post, Gibson feels that Thibodeau would be great for the Knicks. He points out how Thibodeau knows how to make guys play better, pushing them to be at their best. With the Knicks filled with young players right now, Gibsons' take could make sense.
Manpower changes in Gotham are likely reserved for the summer. Some players will come and go, the same with the management team. A lot would depend on Rose, who is likely to insert people he trusts. Thibodeau is one of them, a reason why some feel he is 90 percent sure of being the next Knicks head coach.
