Just one year after inking his new three-year contract extension and mere days after wrapping up New York's first Eastern Conference Finals excursion since 2000, on Tuesday, the Knicks shockingly put an end to the Tom Thibodeau era.
Although undoubtedly one of the more polarizing headmen in the association, his surprise firing has been met with jaw-dropping reactions from both fans and players, as many have been quick to criticize the move and ponder the negative potential ramifications that could ensue.
Now heading into the offseason, it goes without saying that the Knicks' top priority will be to find a new leader to guide this title-hopeful squad on the sidelines for the 2025-26 season and (hopefully) beyond.
While many names have already been mentioned as possible replacement options, there's a case to be made that only one could bring a unanimous positive spin to Leon Rose's surprise decision.
Jeff Van Gundy reunion could be feel-good story Knicks desperately need
As mentioned, the Knicks participated in their first conference finals since the 1999-2000 season, meaning Thibodeau is the first coach to bring them there since Jeff Van Gundy.
A beloved former clipboard wielder for the franchise, Van Gundy spent 14 seasons in New York both as an assistant and, ultimately, head coach, accumulating 248 wins throughout his tenure (third-most in Knicks history).
He found ample success during high-pressure postseason play as well, seeing five semifinal appearances, two conference finals berths, and, in 1999, guiding New York to the NBA Finals, where they became the first of only two clubs to ever make it to the championship round as an eighth seed.
Due to many cited reasons, during the early stages of the 2001-02 campaign, Van Gundy resigned from his position with the Knicks.
While he initially considered the move to be "what was right" for both him and the team, as time has passed, the 62-year-old has gone on record admitting that he has grown to "regret" such a decision.
Now, 23 years later, a comeback story could feasibly be on the table.
Following a nearly two-decade break, Van Gundy returned to the sidelines for the 2024-25 season with the LA Clippers to serve as lead assistant under Tyronn Lue.
Despite his long absence, in just one year, he proved to still have more than what it takes to succeed in the coaching field, as he was widely credited for masterminding Los Angeles' third-ranked defense.
Star forward Kawhi Leonard credited him for "coming in with a passionate, aggressive mindset for us all," and coach Lue acknowledged that he "changed our defense and our program defensively," only to then admit that "he’d be a great head coach again."
With summer approaching and there being a surprise number of vacancies across the league, Jeff Van Gundy is shaping up to be one of the top targets for a number of head coach-needy teams.
Not only do the Knicks fit this description, but they could also use someone who could help turn around their middling defensive attack ahead of what is hoped to be yet another championship push campaign.
The idea of Van Gundy returning to where his head coaching career began and trying to finish what he started in the '90s may be the feel-good story New York and its fan base desperately need following the highly questionable firing of Tom Thibodeau.