Tom Thibodeau fired pt 2

[Kampuchea]

With the Pacers up 1-0 the Thibs firing is even more questionable.

As for replacement, I would lean toward Bryant. Next choice would be Budenholzer, 2 time coach of the year with 5 championships (4 as assistant and 1 as head coach).

[MrDollarBills]

With the Pacers up 1-0 the Thibs firing is even more questionable.

Not really

Read on Twitter

[MrDollarBills]

Watch on YouTube

Another good analysis why thibs had to go
Sry if this has been posted b4

Everything he said has been posted on here before, yes.

[KnixinSix]

Is it even possible to keep Kat, OG and Mitch in any Greek Freak trade?

It would be tough and would need quite a few 'smaller' salaries....
Hart (19.4)
Bridges (24.9)
Mcbride (4.3)
PJ Tucker (3.5)
Pacome Dadiet (2.8)
And then either Kolek (2.2) or Hukporti (1.9)

Therefore if we were able to somehow keep KAT and OG the one that makes most sense under the CBA is:

Hart (19.4)
Bridges (24.9) *expiring
Mitch (12.9) *expiring

As the headliners of the deal.....


C KAT/Giannis/Huk
PF Giannis/KAT/MLE
SF OG/MLE/McCullar
SG McBride/Wright
PG Brunson/McBride/Wright/Kolek

3 elite defenders in starting lineup. 4- 40% level 3 point shooters. Rebounding. MLE wing added.

[TheGreenArrow]

With the Pacers up 1-0 the Thibs firing is even more questionable.

Not really

Read on Twitter

Not sure he’s talking about thibs here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He may be taking a shot at #11!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Especially when he’s playing with a Pg like Hali!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TheGreenArrow]

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=W09F6FrMDfp5_y1gKYgF1g

Another reason thibs had to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Totally agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[thebuzzardman]

With the Pacers up 1-0 the Thibs firing is even more questionable.

Not really

Read on Twitter

Not sure he’s talking about thibs here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He may be taking a shot at #11!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Especially when he’s playing with a Pg like Hali!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GTFO with that bullsh*t.

[thebuzzardman]

Is it even possible to keep Kat, OG and Mitch in any Greek Freak trade?

Probably any 1 of the 3 in the unlikely even there is a Giannis trade

[nykballa2k4]

Reading that the FO may be catering to Brunson doesn't sound all that great to me if true.

Not that they shouldn't care what Brunson thinks, but the last thing this club needs is a coach who just hands him the keys without coaching up his game as a floor general.

What a player wants or prefers is not necessarily what is good for the team or that player themself.

If they are/were catering to JB, then Thibs would still be here. Thibs basically had JB's dad as a top assistant. Can't get more player friendly than that.

[KnicksGadfly]

With the Pacers up 1-0 the Thibs firing is even more questionable.

Not really

Read on Twitter

Obi is a disappointment and has to realize that he’s only gotten paid cause of Hali. He’s literally useless if no one passes him the ball. Guy is a halfway player.

Leon Rose did him a massive favor drafting him where he got drafted.

[nykballa2k4]

The GMs job is to do what's best for the franchise, and this idea Giannis can just dictate where he wants to go doesn't work because he's under contract for 3 more years. KD has a say in where he goes because he's a free agent at the end of the season, they can send Giannis to whoever offers them the best chance at a future. We do not have anything they can build on, nothing at all. If the Rockets decide to offer up Sengun and picks, why would any sane GM accept our offer over theirs?


You cannot sell a fanbase on a 30 yr old all-star when their roster is completely depleted, there's no hope or promise to look forward to. The Bucks will get back picks and young players for him if they move him.

I think there is a way to trade KAT for Giannis
Now to expand... would we trade KAT and OG for Giannis and Kuz?
Does Kolek and perhaps Pac have enough juice to sweeten it so the Bucks feel they have a competitive roster until Dame comes back?

IMO Knicks need to stop making drastic changes to the roster. They need to build on what they have and add a 6th man spark plug type of guy. Getting rid of OG and KAT gets rid of your best defensive guy and 2nd best offensive guy in one swoop Giannis is a great player, but I don't think it's worth it.

Plus why would we need to trade that much salary? KAT & Giannis have almost the same cap annual cap hits.

Plus it's ANOTHER guy that can't hit free throws. We can't afford another.

I mean, there are many iterations of it. OG and KAT to me gets us to the value that I would want if I was the Bucks also because it gets rid of Kuzma. KAT by himself gets you into the playoffs in the East (unless he gets hurt) and as long as you put 4 defenders around him (the no Brunson minutes) your team has no real ceiling.
Of course he is best as a 4 not a 5, but they already have Portis/Sims who can hold down the 5.

Then for us, it's about making sure Hart, Giannis, and Mitch are not all on the court together. In my mind we already have Donte back so:
Mitch/Huk (maybe Horford?)
Giannis/Precious/Kuzma
Bridges/Hart/McCullar
Donte/Shamet
Brunson/Payne

Assuming we have traded away OG, KAT, Kolek, Pac.

[Iron Mantis]

With the Pacers up 1-0 the Thibs firing is even more questionable.

As for replacement, I would lean toward Bryant. Next choice would be Budenholzer, 2 time coach of the year with 5 championships (4 as assistant and 1 as head coach).

So with the laundry list of reasons that Thibs was fired....that's all you got to justify keeping him?

Yea.... Leon def made the right move.

[Jeff Van Gully]

coaching does not matter...a perfect roster with allstar starters and bench is far more important










am i doing this right?

not even a little bit. the energy we're trying to get away from, actually.

more of a shitpost.

[nykballa2k4]

With the Pacers up 1-0 the Thibs firing is even more questionable.

Not really

Read on Twitter

Obi is a disappointment and has to realize that he’s only gotten paid cause of Hali. He’s literally useless if no one passes him the ball. Guy is a halfway player.

Leon Rose did him a massive favor drafting him where he got drafted.

i mean, he is 100% correct. How many guys (including Mitch) have complained about feeling like all they did in a game was do cardio? these guys all want to actually PLAY basketball. This is not a knicks alone issue. There are only a few teams that distribute the ball well and even then, it's usually in a front-runner way (Boston). Pacers are unique in that Hali is not really a super-star so really you can stop him, but it doesn't impact the teams success because he is not going to force up 20 shots. He is just as capable of being Steve Kerr on a given night as he is being Steph Curry and it doesn't impact the team.

[KnixinSix]

I think there is a way to trade KAT for Giannis
Now to expand... would we trade KAT and OG for Giannis and Kuz?
Does Kolek and perhaps Pac have enough juice to sweeten it so the Bucks feel they have a competitive roster until Dame comes back?

IMO Knicks need to stop making drastic changes to the roster. They need to build on what they have and add a 6th man spark plug type of guy. Getting rid of OG and KAT gets rid of your best defensive guy and 2nd best offensive guy in one swoop Giannis is a great player, but I don't think it's worth it.

Plus why would we need to trade that much salary? KAT & Giannis have almost the same cap annual cap hits.

Plus it's ANOTHER guy that can't hit free throws. We can't afford another.

I mean, there are many iterations of it. OG and KAT to me gets us to the value that I would want if I was the Bucks also because it gets rid of Kuzma. KAT by himself gets you into the playoffs in the East (unless he gets hurt) and as long as you put 4 defenders around him (the no Brunson minutes) your team has no real ceiling.
Of course he is best as a 4 not a 5, but they already have Portis/Sims who can hold down the 5.

Then for us, it's about making sure Hart, Giannis, and Mitch are not all on the court together. In my mind we already have Donte back so:
Mitch/Huk (maybe Horford?)
Giannis/Precious/Kuzma
Bridges/Hart/McCullar
Donte/Shamet
Brunson/Payne

Assuming we have traded away OG, KAT, Kolek, Pac.

Yes there is many variables to what ends up being what you end up having to give up in a trade. Lets say instead in a turn of events we pull off Kidd as coach, Bridges makes it clear he would extend here , Giannis wants now to come to NY and we ending up trading OG as part of the package but keep KAT.

Knicks outgoing salaries:
OG (39.6M)
Hart (19.4M)
Mitch (12.9M)
Dadiet (2.8M)
Kolek (2.2M)
PJ Tucker (3.5M)
Total=80.4M

Bucks outgoing slaries:
GIannis (57.6M)
Kuzma (21.8M)
Total=79.4

Milwaukee's roster is bare. Just look at it here. They would probably keep a lot of the players we send in the trade:
https://hoopshype.com/salaries/milwaukee_bucks/

A third team would probably need to be involved for the balancing part as the CBA allows it to work easier with a third team involved when one/both teams are over the 1st Apron. They would send out or take on a small contract and receive minor compensation for it. (Like the Hornets did in the KAT for Randle/DDV trade)

Knicks 2025/26 line-up:

KAT/Huk/Giannis
Giannis/Precious/Kuzma
Bridges/Kuzma/MLE/McCullar
McBride/Shamet/Wright/MLE
Brunson/Wright

Kuzma becomes the ultimate 6th man which is a role he is probably better suited for. MLE can be a ring chaser willing to come on a lower salary (Beasley, Oubre who is CAA, Horford, etc.)


Knicks 2025/26 line-up (if it's Oubre for MLE):

Rotation:
KAT/Huk/Giannis
Giannis/Precious/Kuzma
Bridges/Kuzma/Oubre/McCullar
McBride/Oubre/Shamet/Wright
Brunson/Wright

[cgmw]

If it's Budenholzer, isn't that way too much fodder for Giannis (or Durant) rumors? I don't think Bud can coach the Knicks with KAT on the team because literally every media piece after every practice, game, or event would be about a Giannis or Durant trade. Seems kind of problematic IMO.

[cgmw]

Thinking through this logically, by process of elimination:

1) Malone: No, too rigid and ornery like Thibs
2) Wright: No, can't have first time pro coach
3) Hurley: No, see above
4) Bryant: No, see above
5) Budenholzer: No, Giannis rumors too disruptive (unless you really are trading KAT)
6) Udoka: No, under contract
7) Kidd: No, under contract

Who does that leave?

Could it really be down to Jeff Van Gundy or John Callipari? NBA experience, big enough personal brand to withstand the pressure, no close ties to outside superstars to fuel disruptive rumors, not currently under contract with another team. I suppoose throw Mike Brown on that list, although I could honestly see the Lebron rumors starting very quickly.

[MrDollarBills]

With the Pacers up 1-0 the Thibs firing is even more questionable.

Not really

Read on Twitter

Not sure he’s talking about thibs here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He may be taking a shot at #11!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Especially when he’s playing with a Pg like Hali!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it might be a shot at both, but that was Tom's offense at the end of the day.

[MrDollarBills]

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=W09F6FrMDfp5_y1gKYgF1g

Another reason thibs had to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Totally agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep.

[MrDollarBills]

Not really

Read on Twitter

Obi is a disappointment and has to realize that he’s only gotten paid cause of Hali. He’s literally useless if no one passes him the ball. Guy is a halfway player.

Leon Rose did him a massive favor drafting him where he got drafted.

i mean, he is 100% correct. How many guys (including Mitch) have complained about feeling like all they did in a game was do cardio? these guys all want to actually PLAY basketball. This is not a knicks alone issue. There are only a few teams that distribute the ball well and even then, it's usually in a front-runner way (Boston). Pacers are unique in that Hali is not really a super-star so really you can stop him, but it doesn't impact the teams success because he is not going to force up 20 shots. He is just as capable of being Steve Kerr on a given night as he is being Steph Curry and it doesn't impact the team.

There's way too much talent on this team for dudes to be doing cardio.