Where Is New York Knicks' Tom Thibodeau's Coach of the Year Case?

Tom Thibodeau has dragged a depleted New York Knicks group into the Eastern Conference's third spot. Shouldn't he have a sterling Coach of the Year argument?

Mar 27, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau gestures as he directs / Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

When it comes to four-year jobs that can age its occupant an eternity, the United States presidency has nothing on the role of professional sports head coach in New York City.

Tom Thibodeau's hypothetical State of the New York Knicks Union would no doubt draw a sterling reception: what began as a relative throwaway year is now burdened yet blessed with expectations, as the Knicks currently place third in the East and have proven themselves capable of controlling the conference's supposed finest beyond Boston.

A somewhat quiet offseason (signing Donte DiVincenzo, trading Obi Toppin for draft pennies, no draft picks) had some viewing the Knicks' 2023-24 campaign as a time-killer before a presumed splurge for a superstar this coming summer. That superstar could well be Thibodeau, who is in line for a contract extension once this rollercoaster comes to a complete stop.

“He always has an immediate impact and holds his guys accountable. He coaches hard and, naturally you’re going to see an increase and attention to detail and those things," Houston Rockets boss Ime Udoka said of Thibodeau in January, per Barbara Barker of Newsday. "You’ve seen with Thibs over the years whether it’s Chicago, Minnesota, or here. Guys are going to play hard for him, he’s going to coach (them) hard and it’s about how you get to that next step.”

March 16, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau during the / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

On paper, there was ... and perhaps still are ... about 20 different things that could/can go wrong with the Thibodeau experiment, such as hiring a defensive-minded coach in an era where 150-145 is a final score in regulation. Thibodeau isn't exactly known for youth development, instead opting to ride the efforts of valuable point guards ... perhaps a little too much, as any fan of the 2010-11 Chicago Bulls will tell you. A stubborn complexion when it comes to rotations, one that that refuses to discriminate the concept of exile for lasting veterans (I.e. Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose) and potential projects (Cam Reddish) alike, could perhaps be seen as the icing on the cake.

Excessive minutes aside ... which the players in question don't seem to mind ... it's working,

“I don’t care (about Thibodeau’s reputation),” DiVincenzo said when confronted about Thibodeau's supposedly less-than-sterling reputation by Sam Amick of The Athletic. “I don’t care. Guys in the NBA now (are different) than before. Everybody wants the game all offense. Nobody wants to come in and practice. But me, being my first year here, I think he’s done a great job of balancing things."

An NBA nomad, DiVincenzo inked a four-year, $46 million contract over the summer. His own development is perhaps a pleasent sign of Thibodeau's maturity and adaptation.

Last season saw little, if any, adjustments to the Knicks' lineup and rotation, as four players started at least 66 games last year. Thibodeau has shown more willingness to mix and match in recent times: DiVincenzo usurped apparent franchise cornerstone Quentin Grimes by December. When OG Anunoby returned to the injured list, Thibodeau gave previously-exiled Miles McBride an opporunity. Seeking toughness in a gritty Saturday win over Brooklyn, he gave Jericho Sims an extended shot.

If the Knicks are indeed overtaxed, as Thibodeau's critics claim, they're either used to it or happy to work overtime.

“From the outside world, there’s always (a different view)," DiVincenzo continued. "But in our house, in-house, we have a good dynamic and we enjoy it and everybody enjoys being around each other. To the outside world, you don’t really know. All you know is perception. All you know is the history from other teams (Thibodeau has coached) and his years with different organizations. But we’ve had plenty of rest days, plenty of off days.”

Situated in one of basketball's hottest seats entering the 2022-23 season, Thibodeau has extinguished the flames and then some. It'd perhaps be a stretch to call DiVincenzo and Jalen Brunson young projects, but Thibodeau has, at the very least, helped unlock their full backcourt potential. Brunson is an undisputed leader and first option while DiVincenzo is one of the most potent three-point threats in the league.

Thibodeau's relative brilliance when it comes to in-season insertions also can't be talked about enough: whereas some struggling superteams fall back on the excuse of needing a few games to "develop chemistry," Thibodeau helped put forth one of the finest months in Knicks history upon Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa's arrivals in place of homegrown franchise faces RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. Going 14-2 in January mirrored the aftermath of the trade that brought Josh Hart in from the Pacific Northwest at last winter's deadline, which saw the Knicks win each of their first nine games.

Nov 20, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau with guard Jalen / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

All that and more doesn't even take into account that fact that Thibodeau has had to operate most of the this journey with his injury report resembling Mike Walczewski's starting five script announced at Madison Square Garden on a nightly basis. It thus begs the question: where is Thibodeau's Coach of the Year case, and will anyone have the audacity to make it?

Coach of the Year awards are perhaps professional sports' ultimate backhanded compliment, in the sense that the general gist of the award is that the winner's team didn't do as bad as everyone presumed they would in the fall. Thibodeau is a recent recipient of the awards, earning his second when he took over a meandering, rudderless, 21-win Knicks team and pushed them to the fourth seed in a literally quiet season somewhat handicapped by lingering COVID-19 procedures.

Consider the fact that no NBA boss has won the title more than three times since its introduction in 1963. Three of the last four winners (including Thibodeau) were gone by the conference final round and the outlier in that quartet (2021-22's Monty Williams, then of Phoenix and now overseeing a dozen-win slog in Detroit) has been removed from his post. Mike Brown probably won last year's vote by default, becoming a shoo-in after ending the Sacramento Kings' lengthy playoff drought.

By that logic, the race boils down to Jamahl Mosley in Orlando and whoever wins the Western kerfuffle between Chris Finch and Mark Daigneault in Minnesota and Oklahoma City respectively. But if the award is truly for "coach" of the year ... a process that should value leadership, guidance, development, over a mere sense of comparing last year's standings to these ... the obvious answer should be Thibodeau.