Getty Head coach Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks (R) and Head coach Steve Nash of the Brooklyn Nets (L) direct their teams.
Though the New York Knicks are widely revered as top dogs when it comes to media coverage in the metropolitan area, it is their cross-borough rivals, the Brooklyn Nets, who are currently dominating the headlines.
As a result of a wildly underwhelming 2-5 start to the 2022-23 NBA season, the Nets have opted to part ways with head coach Steve Nash after just two completed seasons with the franchise.
Despite constantly being viewed as title favorites and having two of the game’s brightest stars, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, in tow, under Nash’s watch Brooklyn has racked up an overall record of 94-67 and has come away victorious from just one playoff series.
During a Knicks media session on November 1, a reporter asked head coach Tom Thibodeau if he had any reactions to the news about the recent firing. In response, New York’s head man praised Nash for his efforts with the Nets, and stated that he has “a lot of respect for him.”
“Number one, he’s a great guy and I think he’s a heck of a coach,” Thibodeau said. “It’s the unfortunate part of this business.”
Thibodeau would continue by saying that while it’s certainly an unfortunate situation that Nash finds himself in, he believes the 48-year-old will “do well” with whatever else comes his way moving forward.
Thibodeau No Stranger to the “Unfortunate Part”
Though Tom Thibodeau is widely revered as being a top-notch NBA coach who has won two Coach of the Year awards and boasts an impressive overall record of 433-325 throughout his 11 years serving as a headman, even he has found himself caught up on numerous occasions in what he deemed the “unfortunate part of the business.”
In fact, each one of the 64-year-old’s previous stints as head coach in the association has been met with unceremonious endings.
Even coming into this season with the Knicks, many believed Thibodeau’s seat was rather hot, with one executive going as far as to tell Heavy Sports’ NBA Insider Sean Deveney that he could wind up heading down a similar path with this club should they have a second consecutive lackluster campaign.
Now, while New York’s solid start may have some believing that Thibodeau could wind up earning himself at least one more year with the franchise, considering there are still 76 games remaining on the docket, frankly, there’s no telling how 2022-23 will turn out for the last remaining New York-based head coach.
Knicks Wing Dishes on Nash Situation
During the same day’s media session on November 1, a reporter asked Knicks star, RJ Barrett, what his feelings were regarding Brooklyn’s decision to part ways with Steve Nash. Though he admitted that he had not had enough time to let it all sink in, the wing did manage to share his immediate thoughts on the situation.
“I actually literally just found out about it,” Barrett told the reporter. “I haven’t really had much time to process it, you know. That’s Uncle Steve. That’s family. You know, so, uh, I don’t really know what to say yet.”
Nash and Barrett have a long-standing relationship that goes beyond the hardwood, as the Hall of Fame point guard is the wing’s godfather and played with Barrett’s father, Rowan, for Team Canada during the 2000 Summer Olympics.