James Dolan directly involved in Knicks’ decision to fire Tom Thibodeau: Report

The New York Knicks shocked the basketball world when they fired coach Tom Thibodeau on June 3. Thibodeau was in charge for five seasons and was fresh off leading the franchise to their first Eastern Conference finals since 2000. The latest reports suggest that Knicks chairman and owner James Dolan was involved in the decision to make changes.

According to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo! Sports, Dolan had the final say in letting Thibodeau go. Team president Leon Rose first held an exit meeting with players, and some of them had complaints against the 67-year-old coach.

Citing sources within the team, Goowill reported that a couple of players were critical of how Thibodeau handled his starters’ minutes. Some also pointed out Thibs’ lack of adjustments and failure to develop his bench like other coaches. There was even a player who didn’t want to return if Thibodeau was still there.

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While no player was mentioned, Mikal Bridges famously complained about playing too many minutes publicly back in March. Bridges, the NBA's ironman, had a meeting with Tom Thibodeau regarding his complaints, and the two sorted it out.

As for the New York Knicks' lack of bench depth, it was widely understood after the team acquired Karl-Anthony Towns and Bridges. They had time to incorporate role players in the regular season, but Thibodeau is known for not having a deep rotation in the playoffs.

Some of the coaches linked to the Knicks include Michael Malone, Jay Wright, Jason Kidd, Luke Walton, Mike Brown, Ime Udoka and Johnnie Bryant. Malone and Brown are unemployed, Wright is retired, Kidd and Udoka are in charge of the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets, respectively, and Walton and Bryant are assistants in Detroit and Cleveland, respectively.

NBA insider shares why the Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau

While Vincent Goodwill reported that James Dolan was involved in the firing of Tom Thibodeau, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne shared why the decision was made. The feeling within the organization was that Thibodeau wasn't equipped to help the New York Knicks get over the hump.

One source told Shelburne that Thibodeau didn't lose the locker room, but there were doubts about the Knicks making it back to the NBA Finals with him at the helm. He was outcoached by Rick Carlisle, though things could have been different if the Indiana Pacers hadn't pulled off an insane comeback win in Game 1.

Another issue was how Thibodeau failed to maximize most of his players while also overworking his starters, especially Jalen Brunson, who had a career year in terms of usage, despite injuries to his ankle and calf.

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About the author

Juan Paolo David

Juan Paolo is a journalist for Sportskeeda who covers the NBA and WNBA. He's been writing about basketball since 2015 and has been with Sportskeeda since 2021.

Juan's allegiance lies with the Golden State Warriors and his journey with the Warriors began with their memorable victory over the Lakers in 2000, and he experienced the successes of the 'We Believe' era and the rise of Steph Curry. 

What Juan loves most about basketball is its ability to evoke a range of emotions, from adrenaline-fueled excitement to the highs of victory and the lows of defeat. To ensure complete accuracy in articles, he conducts thorough research before writing his articles.

The Warriors' victories in the 2022 and 2017 championships hold a special place in Juan's memories, as well as iconic moments like Baron Davis' dunk over Andrei Kirilenko and Goran Dragic's performance in the 2010 Western Conference semifinals.

Off the court, Juan enjoys watching football, TV and movies, caring for his numerous cats, and cooking whenever time permits.

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