Breaking: Tom Fired

[BKlutch]

How TF is Spo even coming up? Dude is signed into the 2030s. I’d like him to come in but I’m not seeing how

It's got to be one of Knicks fans greatest fantasies ever - stealing Pat the Rat's coach and winning a chip. Payback for what he did by leaving us and going off to win in Miami!

[thebuzzardman]

that's my early hope. but what gives you the confidence? just a feeling?

Bryant is a finalist for the job in Phoenix. He’s not in position to wait for the Knicks to embark on a long search with an extensive list of candidates.

If the Knicks are really serious about Bryant they've already back-channeled the hell out of the situation, and if Bryant is into it there's no way he's giving up even the chance at it and taking the PHX job - one of the worst roster situations in the sport.

When Bryant went to the Cavs was it a promotion or a lateral move?

If a promotion, him taking the Knicks job would be the next step up in the ladder. So would the Suns though.

Indicates a seriousness on Bryant's part of getting to the top of the profession though.

[The KnicksFix]

Double post

[BadNewsBarnes]

If I'm repeating this I apologize...but this was interesting...

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[Adelheid]

chris quinn could also be one of the candidates (spoelstra/riley tree)

[gavran]

chris quinn could also be one of the candidates (spoelstra/riley tree)

From an actual virgin to one, that probably isn't, but still looks like one?

[sp6r=underrated]

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I'd definitely consider giving something in return for Ime. He's a great coach and landing him would be like landing Spo in 2010. By contrast, if we are really chasing Kidd I think we are back to the same old Knicks.

[BKlutch]

if the next coach expands the rotation to 10, kolek is probably in there like swimwear.

i watched him through his college career and i'm ASHAMED of how much video i watched leading up to the draft. i lost my **** when we picked him. also really liked the defensive improvement i saw when he got back in. we'll need facilitation in the second unit and he could absolutely bring that.

Kolek stepping into the Payne minutes seems like an easy decision. You save $3mm in veteran minimum salary and hopefully keep Delon Wright as your third string. Payne's salary slot can go to Shamet on a full season deal. With those moves, the roster would be:

C: Mitch / Hukporti
PF: KAT / Hart
SF: OG / Shamet / Dadiet
SG: Bridges / Deuce
PG: Brunson / Kolek / Wright

That's $202mm give or take, and roughly $6mm under the second apron.

yeah. i believe part of the reason payne was there was to let him see what a backup looks like, which i imagine is important.

and trying to keep it back on track to the thibs firing and not derail into a kolek lovefest, next coach should probably feel confident enough to play him there now. as big a kolek fan as i am, i thought he had a ways to go after those first couple spurts he had. there's a difference between adjusting to pro speed and a continuation of the concerns i had about him at marquette. so watching him get embarrassed a few times i was kinda hoping they'd pull him in, take him back to the lab, and bring him back out when ready. i think thibs did that with hukporti and he also came back looking a lot better. i think if he didn't get hurt, he was on-track for backup C minutes. but thibs kinda had to keep KAT and mitch covering those.

It's not derailing to discuss Kolek and Huk, as they are Exhibits 14 and 15 in "Knicks v. Thibs" Many of us thought Kolek ran the offense really well. With the exception of 1 good game, all of Payne's backup minutes were pretty awful. Even as a newbie level defender, Kolek's offensive skills would have helped us a lot more than Payne. That guy took and missed crazy shots and didn't seem to defend all that well, either. Shamet, OTOH, played with intelligence and poise. I'm glad the fans cheered him.

[Carl_Karlson]

How TF is Spo even coming up? Dude is signed into the 2030s. I’d like him to come in but I’m not seeing how

It's got to be one of Knicks fans greatest fantasies ever - stealing Pat the Rat's coach and winning a chip. Payback for what he did by leaving us and going off to win in Miami!

So it’s our fan fiction lol. Just don’t ask that ETSY witch to cast a spell to make it happen because we remember how that turned out

[BKlutch]

How TF is Spo even coming up? Dude is signed into the 2030s. I’d like him to come in but I’m not seeing how

It's got to be one of Knicks fans greatest fantasies ever - stealing Pat the Rat's coach and winning a chip. Payback for what he did by leaving us and going off to win in Miami!

So it’s our fan fiction lol. Just don’t ask that ETSY witch to cast a spell to make it happen because we remember how that turned out

Yes gotta be!

We don't need any fake witches - we have to deal with real Rats and b*tches!

[Grinditout]

The man is 67, he needs to relax and enjoy that 30 mill

[HEZI]

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?s=46&t=W09F6FrMDfp5_y1gKYgF1g

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought they had a plan but if they really have no idea who the next coach will be and are still searching then that’s not a good sign

Don't fall for it. Although they had a million interviews the first time around, everyone knew they had already made up their mind that Thibs would get the job.

This would just be Leon helping agents by allowing them to use the Knicks interviewing their client as a way to get other teams interested, or it could just be to allow their client to get reps at interviewing for a job later on.

Also, if Leon schedules multiple interviews it's just the front office killing time and not wanting to be a distraction from the Finals. The next Knicks' head coach has already been chosen and that is why Thibodeau is no longer here.

I hope you are right

[DE FENSE]

Kolek stepping into the Payne minutes seems like an easy decision. You save $3mm in veteran minimum salary and hopefully keep Delon Wright as your third string. Payne's salary slot can go to Shamet on a full season deal. With those moves, the roster would be:

C: Mitch / Hukporti
PF: KAT / Hart
SF: OG / Shamet / Dadiet
SG: Bridges / Deuce
PG: Brunson / Kolek / Wright

That's $202mm give or take, and roughly $6mm under the second apron.

yeah. i believe part of the reason payne was there was to let him see what a backup looks like, which i imagine is important.

and trying to keep it back on track to the thibs firing and not derail into a kolek lovefest, next coach should probably feel confident enough to play him there now. as big a kolek fan as i am, i thought he had a ways to go after those first couple spurts he had. there's a difference between adjusting to pro speed and a continuation of the concerns i had about him at marquette. so watching him get embarrassed a few times i was kinda hoping they'd pull him in, take him back to the lab, and bring him back out when ready. i think thibs did that with hukporti and he also came back looking a lot better. i think if he didn't get hurt, he was on-track for backup C minutes. but thibs kinda had to keep KAT and mitch covering those.

It's not derailing to discuss Kolek and Huk, as they are Exhibits 14 and 15 in "Knicks v. Thibs Many of us though Kolek ran the offense really well. With the exception of 1 good game, all of Payne's backup minutes were pretty awful. Even as a newbie level defender, Kolek's offensive skills would have helped us a lot more than Payne. That guy took and missed crazy shots and didn't seem to defend all that well, either. Shamet, OTOH, played with intelligence and poise. I'm glad the fans cheered him.

Kolek's court vision and passing ability coupled with his above average 3pt shooting should shoe him into primary backup PG minutes next season. I was ready to flip my sht WHEN Tom didn't have him in the rotation next year, but now there is a lot of hope. He is the perfect fit to relieve Brunson and keep the offense flowing consistently all game.

[WaltFrazier]

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I'd definitely consider giving something in return for Ime. He's a great coach and landing him would be like landing Spo in 2010. By contrast, if we are really chasing Kidd I think we are back to the same old Knicks.

Knicks can't afford to give up any more picks or players, for a coach.

Why would Houston and Udoka part ways when he's just got there and they're a young team on the rise

Also it seems like he's a defensive coach with mad intensity, but lacking offense creativity. Which sounds Thibs-like

[JayTWill]

This is because Thibs has no offensive system so PGs by default get to play their game. Thibs offensive coaching is ass, make no mistakes.

Go back and read the Bulls board from back then. They thought we were going to be champs once he left. THREE PLAYOFF VICTORIES IN A DECADE.

I was talking about AFTER you lost Thibs. You didnt have a Brunson. Look...Brunson has put up historical numbers that EVEN Rose didnt accomplish.
Not taking away anything from Rose but -I'm not interested in having a discussion with anyone who cant acknowledge what Brunson has accomplished-
that only 1 or 2 other players in NBA history has...

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/brunsja01.html

I don't want to come off as a hater in the slightest - I love Brunson and was rooting for y'all hard - as hard as I've rooted for any team in NBA in the last decade but look at that career arc. Once he got to NYC and played with Thibs, he took off. Just like he elevated Derrick to be the youngest MVP in NBA history - he's elevated Brunson. I hope for your sake Brunson continues to progress but I'm leery.

The reality is - the heart and soul that you've seen your team play with just got thrown away for the lottery ticket that you'll replace Thibs with a better coach. The reality is - there aren't that many dudes out there that are better than him, and while he has limitations, you just had one of the best playoff runs of your life. Coming from a fan who has had nothing to cheer for in a decade and is in NBA hell - I'd say I wouldn't be so quick to throw it away.

At the end of the day you're talking about James Dolan and he's just as incompetent as Jerry Reinsdorf. I hope you enjoyed these years with meaningful basketball, it sucks without them and I'd kill for the Thibs teams back in Chicago again.

That Chicago Bulls team that Thibs walked into was a far better situation than he left behind. That team peaked early in his tenure with a 10 deep rotation of either guys entering their prime or in their prime and a dynamic 100% healthy and blossoming Derrick Rose. He left behind a very good player in Butler, a broken down Rose and Noah, multiple 35 year+ rotation players in the twilight of their careers in Gasol, Dunleavy, and Hinrich, a red-shirt rookie in McDermott that Thibs hardly played and few other solid role players.

Thibs then went onto Minnesota where he was not only the coach but also the president of basketball operations and despite his effort to desperately re-create the Chicago Bulls teams he was unable to come close to the success those Bulls teams had so clearly he can't just make team great just with his coaching ability alone even when he has more control.

This Knicks team is in a better position than when he arrived but they also traded away all the youth and some picks to get him the win now players that he wanted. Mostly good results with that but some bad. They then foolishly traded most of their remaining picks for Mikal for some reason. They did draft a few rookies last year but Thibs gave them almost no developmental time. He spent most of the year grinding down our vets.

He has now left behind a group of guys approaching 30 that have been playing hard brand of basketball for this era instead of a smart brand of basketball while they have given them their physical prime and he hasn't actually taught them to play the game in a way to extend their careers as their body declines.

I'm just hoping this time he has left behind more Jimmy Butlers with many quality years left to give the game and less Rose, Dengs and Noahs that gave their all to Thibs. Jimmy was only 25 when Thibs left Chicago and he quickly moved on from Minnesota which may have helped extend his career. With or without Thibs things may not get better but there was no reason to continue this grinding relationship.

[WaltFrazier]

The man is 67, he needs to relax and enjoy that 30 mill

I was thinking wow, $30 million was a lot for Dolan to be ok giving away. Then I read PHX owes Coach Bud $40million now

[BKlutch]

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I'd definitely consider giving something in return for Ime. He's a great coach and landing him would be like landing Spo in 2010. By contrast, if we are really chasing Kidd I think we are back to the same old Knicks.

Knicks can't afford to give up any more picks or players, for a coach.

Why would Houston and Udoka part ways when he's just got there and they're a young team on the rise

Also it seems like he's a defensive coach with mad intensity, but lacking offense creativity. Which sounds Thibs-like

It's also possible this was leaked to make our coaching search seem to have a wider net and also to help relationships between our front office and those two coaches. Kidd was possibly the runner up to Thibs, so this could be a way of saying, Hey, we still like you, man. Sounds like WWW leaked this on purpose, because in the future, you never know...

[stuporman]

Knicks FO leak the big list so there's cover for when they hire nepoman daddy to be coach...

[god shammgod]

even if they wanted to fire him, i think i would have checked the market first before actually doing it. it can be worse. i hope they have a fallback option.

[sol537]

The man is 67, he needs to relax and enjoy that 30 mill

I was thinking wow, $30 million was a lot for Dolan to be ok giving away. Then I read PHX owes Coach Bud $40million now

Something tells me Thibs will coach one more NBA team before finally calling it quits. One more floor raise for one more lucky team. Maybe Charlotte or Washington or New Orleans hands him the keys? Once a team gets tired of the long tank journey, they should hire Thibs like we did and give him some decent talent to work his magic.