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Now two years removed from having won his second NBA Coach of the Year award, New York Knicks headman Tom Thibodeau finds himself heading into perhaps the most high-stakes season of his career in 2022-23.
Following their Cinderella story run in 2020-21 where they shocked the sports world by picking up 20 more wins than they did the season prior, finished as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 41-31, and snapped an eight-year playoff drought the Knicks plummeted back down to mediocrity in 2021-22.
Registering a lackluster 37-45 record, New York ended up in the 11 seed in their conference standings, thus missing out on the postseason and play-in tournament entirely and, though there are many reasons for why the ball club produced so poorly, just or not, a large chunk of the blame has been directed towards Thibodeau.
Now, with training camps slated to open in less than a week and the team’s October 19 regular season tip-off soon to follow, fans are hoping to see a season turnout similar to his year one stint rather than year two, otherwise year three could very well end up being his last in the Big Apple.
East GM Drops Truth Bomb on Knicks Coach
An anonymous Eastern Conference general manager recently sat down with Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney and discussed how important a winning record, a top-tier seed, and establishing a strong culture will be for Tom Thibodeau in 2022-23, as they insinuated that anything less than this could result in his dismissal.
“There was a lot of question as to whether he would make it through last year after the way they fell apart and how undisciplined that team seemed at times,” the executive told Deveney.” He was very slow to change the rotation, things like that, and it rubbed people the wrong way. But Thibs is always consistent in his approach. It’ll be the same this year.
“His problem is, look at the East, and they’re 10th best. That is the best-case scenario if everyone is healthy around the East. They’re 10th. SO he could do the best possible job he can, finish 10th and still get fired. I’d say he will get fired if they finish 10th. It’s a tough spot.”
Each one of Tom Thibodeau’s stints as head coach in the NBA has been met with unceremonious endings, and, based on this executive’s analysis of the team, he may be heading for a similar “parting of ways” with the Knicks.
Knicks Could Pursue Star Via Trade
Even though they lost out on the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes this summer, the Knicks may still be open to the idea of executing a blockbuster trade at some point this season and, per an anonymous NBA executive, the ball club could be interested in pursuing Chicago Bulls star, DeMar DeRozan.
When sitting down with Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney, the general manager mentioned the wing as someone who could hit the trade block this year should Chicago struggle and, should this happen, New York could be one of the teams who could inquire about his services.
“If this season starts the way last season ended, there is a chance the Bulls could explore all options,” the executive said. “And you’d get some good offers. Teams like the Knicks or Dallas or Portland, certainly Miami, they’d give up pieces and picks for a player like DeRozan. He was an MVP candidate for most of last year. But it would have to be a disaster of a season for that to happen.”
Suiting up for 76 games in his first season with the Bulls, DeRozan put forth one of the best campaigns of his career in 2021-22, posting stellar averages of 27.9 points (career high), 5.2 rebounds, and 4.9 assists on 50.4% shooting from the floor and 35.2% shooting from distance.
With his production, the 33-year-old went on to earn his fifth All-Star nod and third All-NBA selection.
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