Who will be interim head coach if Knicks fire Tom Thibodeau?
Although the New York Knicks managed to beat Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, the Tom Thibodeau chatter hasn’t quieted down. The Cavaliers shot an abysmal 34.9% from the field and 22.9% from three, so New York benefitted from Cleveland having an off night.
On Saturday, the Knicks collapsed against the struggling Mavericks and were outscored 41-15 in the third quarter. Per usual, New York’s defense was nonexistent even though Thibodeau is heralded as a defensive-minded coach. The Knicks’ 112.9 defensive rating sits toward the bottom of the league at No. 23.
New York is No. 10 in the East with an 11-13 record. Sunday’s win snapped a five-game losing streak at home, which put the team at 5-7 in games played at MSG this season. Since returning from their road trip against Western Conference opponents, the Knicks have won only two of their last six games.
After New York lost to Milwaukee last Wednesday, SNY’s Ian Begley reported that there is “heightened scrutiny” from those within the organization and that it isn’t all focused on Thibodeau. That makes sense because all of the Knicks’ issues aren’t a result of Thibodeau’s coaching, but he’s been around for long enough for fans to know that the team isn’t going to get better under his direction.
Who will take over for Tom Thibodeau if Knicks fire him during the season?
If New York decides to fire Tom Thibodeau midseason (and it seems as if that will end up being the case), then Johnnie Bryant would likely take over as the interim head coach. The 37-year-old was a candidate to replace Quin Snyder in Utah during the offseason.
Bryant was hired by the Knicks as an associate head coach in 2020 after he had been an assistant coach with the Jazz since 2015. New York’s pursuit of Donovan Mitchell during the offseason was made more interesting because he has a close relationship with Bryant.
Thibodeau’s potential departure would pave the way for Bryant to get an opportunity to show that he’s capable of leading the Knicks. If he proves to be a fit then the front office should officially make him the head coach, similar to what the Nets did with Jacque Vaughn.
There’s no reason for New York to keep Thibodeau for the entirety of the 2022-23 season and if for some reason that’s what ends up happening, Bryant could end up pursuing another opportunity over the summer. It doesn’t seem like things are going to come to that though as Thibs’ time with the Knicks appears to be coming to an end.
Is it almost time for the Johnnie Bryant era in NYC?
