Despite still being alive in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, there are intriguing New York Knicks rumors regarding head coach Tom Thibodeau. As the team gears up for Game 6 of their Eastern Conference semifinal against the Indiana Pacers, ownership and the front office are planning something significant for the offseason.
According to NBA insider Shams Charania, the latest Knicks rumors involve Tom Thibodeau’s future. Charania revealed that the team wants to retain him long-term and is preparing to offer him a substantial extension, nearing $10 million annually.
“The Knicks very much want to lock in Tom Thibodeau long term…It wouldn’t surprise anyone if his next deal approaches 8-figures,” Charania said Wednesday morning during a segment on Run It Back on FanDuel TV.
"The Knicks very much want to lock in Tom Thibodeau long term…It wouldn't surprise anyone if his next deal approaches 8-figures."@ShamsCharania on the #Knicks and Tom Thibodeau pic.twitter.com/20mN4t5ufs
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 15, 2024
The 2024-25 season is the final year of Tom Thibodeau’s current contract. To avoid a lame-duck situation, the Knicks plan to reward him with a lucrative extension, one that he clearly deserves.
When Thibodeau took over as head coach before the 2020-21 season, the Knicks were struggling, having missed the postseason for seven consecutive years and cycled through four different head coaches with two interim coaches.
In those seven years, the Knicks’ highest single-season win total was 37; in Thibodeau’s four seasons, the lowest number of regular season victories has been 37. He deserves significant credit for turning the franchise around.
Under Thibodeau, the Knicks have a 175-143 regular-season record with three playoff appearances. They are 14-13 in those postseasons as the team aims to reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000 under Jeff Van Gundy.
