The New York Knicks shockingly fired head coach Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday afternoon just days after Jalen Brunson backed him as the best man for the job. JB has known coach Thibs since his youth and Brunson’s father is a longtime assistant under Thibodeau. This move may not go over so well with the Knicks' star player.
Brunson signed a four-year $156.9 million extension that was well below the max available to help the Knicks build their roster. It allowed them to trade for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, but Brunson clearly wanted the head coach to stay in place. New York again refused continuity in favor of chasing an upgrade, and that could backfire.
The Knicks are rumored to be searching for a blockbuster trade and questioning the fit between KAT and Brunson. More moves are likely coming, but will that be enough to keep Brunson happy in New York?
Thibs firing could be the first domino in a Jalen Brunson nightmare
Brunson has blossomed into an unquestioned superstar in the Big Apple. He led the Knicks to their first playoff series win since 2013 and helped them reach the conference finals for the first time in 25 years. Brunson averaged 29.9 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.8 rebounds over 42 playoff games in the last three years. The Knicks have won four playoff series over that stretch and believe they can compete for a championship because of Brunson's star power.
Brunson’s godfather is Knicks’ president Leon Rose. There are still strong family ties to the organization, but Thibs was a part of that. He is now gone, and JB can’t be happy. Brunson became a superstar under Thibodeau’s coaching and knew exactly what to expect. That familiarity is gone with zero certainty of who will take over.
Does the next head coach keep Rick Brunson on staff? If not, what does Jalen think about that? It could be the next domino falling. It is often little things that add up to ending the relationships between superstars and their franchises. This could certainly be the start.
Brunson is under contract for three more seasons before a 2028 player option, but he could request a trade if things blow up. The organization did not value his input here, so the two-time All-Star may not value theirs when wanting out.
This is a situation to monitor closely. The Knicks put immense pressure on themselves to nail the coaching hire and build a championship roster around Brunson next season. If not, JB could be looking around and questioning the franchise’s decision-making. That is never ideal in the player empowerment era.
The New York Knicks have work to do. They are searching for a new head coach and roster upgrades. Jalen Brunson can’t be happy right now, but the franchise could quickly make it up to him. Only time will tell, but this just became a storyline worth watching closely for all Knicks fans.