Knicks Coach Being Patient With New Contract

Tom Thibodeau is entering the final year of his contract with the New York Knicks.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 21, 2024

Apr 25, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau reacts during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers in game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

New York Knicks

New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has one year left on his deal that he signed in 2020 to lead the team.

In four years with the Knicks, Thibodeau has led the team to the playoffs thrice, missing out on the postseason in 2022. However, Thibodeau has done more than enough to earn an extension, even if the upcoming campaign goes awry.

That being said, The Athletic insider Fred Katz is reporting that the Knicks and Thibodeau are in no rush to get a new deal signed.

"He is entering the final year of his contract. But more than two months removed from the group’s playoff ousting, Thibodeau is yet to extend," Katz writes. "Yet, that’s no concern for Thibodeau or the organization, league sources told The Athletic. Thibodeau is still more likely to extend than not. The Knicks have merely had other matters to take care of, such as the trade for Bridges, the extension for Brunson and other roster-building activities."

Thibodeau, 66, has a team that has bought into his teachings. The Knicks mirror Thibodeau's mindset of being a hardnosed squad that wins games on the defensive end as opposed to offense.

The Knicks main struggles under Thibodeau have been injuries, which can be connected to the coach's strict rotations late in the season. Josh Hart was hardly sitting out in the waning games of the regular season and deep into the postseason, and several players were averaging around 40 minutes per night.

Even with that criticism, the Knicks are still all in on Thibodeau and believe he can very well be the coach that leads the franchise to its first championship since 1973. Finding a coach that can match a team's energy and vice versa can be extremely hard to find in the league. Implementing a system and culture is an underrated aspect of the NBA and coaches' jobs, but Thibodeau has done a stellar job doing that for the Knicks.

That's why there's no concern from Thibodeau on his future, because he and the organization know he's done enough to earn another deal.

Make sure you bookmark All Knicks for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Jul 21, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.