New York Knicks to Hire Tom Thibodeau as New Head Coach

USA Today and ESPN reported that former Minnesota Timberwolves Head Coach Tom Thibodeau is finalizing a deal with the New York Knicks

The Madison Square Garden Arena team is said to land Thibodeau as its latest coach after a 3-month search for a suitable coach. The team also hired a new team President in Leon Rose, thus creating another Rose-Thibodeau duo. 

Thibodeau's last NBA executive stint was with the Minnesota Timberwolves serving as Coach and President of basketball operations. Unfortunately, such was cut short during his third season with the organization in 2019. He was one of the people behind the successful years of Chicago Bulls during the peak years of former Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose. 

Can Thibodeau lead the Knicks?

Thibodeau has a reputation for being a disciplinarian. He imposes a brand of basketball known to value work ethic and hard work which the current young Knicks squad desperately needs. Well known for his player development, young players like Mitchell Robinson, Rj Barrett, and Julius Randle will surely benefit under his tutelage.

His technical know-how and valuable experience for over 15 seasons will come in handy for the team as he is one of the most experienced coaches in the league, leading the Bulls deep in its playoff run during Miami's Big Three era with a .647 winning percentage.

However, he also has a reputation for inefficient player load management. He tends to overuse players as exemplified during his stint with the bulls, often falling short in the playoffs due to key player injuries. It might have contributed to the injuries suffered by Derrick Rose which derailed his career and hampered their title hopes during their peak years.

Final thoughts

Thibodeau's experience, mastery of defensive strategy, and good player development will surely benefit the Knicks. He may not be the man to bring the team its most coveted championship, it is definitely an upgrade and a big impact to where the Knicks are right now. At least it is an improvement from previous years and a step forward which the team has not done for the previous years.


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