Thibodeau went from Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler to Andrew Wiggins and KAT... ...to now RJ Barrett and Kevin Knox. I don't think he can turn that team around. NY media is not as forgiving as Chicago and Minny.
I thought Mike Miller did a pretty decent job in that short period so it makes sense that they would go in a completely different direction. After all, Knicks gonna Knick. I'm just happy he's off the market tbh.
Interesting. Why do you say? Seems to me, tough as nails defensive minded authoritarians are what succeeds in NY. They can fade the media and harness the power of the garden. if any team has needed a backbone over the last decade- it’s the Knicks. Riley, Van Gundy has been the mold they are trying to get back to.
The only hope was the new front office would have some degree of innovation and control and would install a more progressive coach. It didn’t happen. This is yet again the same old Knicks... I will be shocked if Thibs lasts 2 full seasons.
I agree with you that authoritarian coaches are what has won in NY, but there is no Ewing on this Knicks roster. The Knicks need to build and Thibs is not the person to do that as he tends to demand control of player moves/trades and typically looks short term.
The best players, or projected best players, are kids who either just came out of college or are 1/2/3 years removed from collegiate ball. I don't think it's easy to get non-vets to buy into Thibs' brand of hard-nosed defense nor his style of tough coaching. Thibs has had veteran voices in the locker room like Taj Gibson and Jimmy Butler, who were with him in both Chicago and Minny. It's a bit easier to get younger players to buy into his coaching if there's already vets that have been there, done that. With the Knicks squad, you still have Gibson...but that's about it. These young guys are trying to secure the bag after their rookie deals expire. Easier to do when you show out on offense, as opposed to defense. Thibs seems like the right coach for a win-now team, not a "we're 3 years away" team like the Knicks.
If we're talking any coach, then Nick Nurse. Has the pedigree and reputation (now) to be thick-skinned enough to not take any crap from the ownership/media, and has a brilliant coaching mind. I think he's also a "player's coach," but I dunno for sure. If we're talking a current unemployed coach...then no idea lol.
Not sure how to feel about it. I know over the years, hoop heads have soured on Tibs. If the expectation is low, maybe Tibs will surprise us.
I think he is fine for them. They've been a dumpster fire for so long. His brand will make them a low seeded playoff team at some point, which is about all you can hope for as a Knicks fan. His style won't do any better than that, but neither will that organization. Perfect match of mediocrity
