Just days after the New York Knicks fell to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals—an accomplishment that should’ve been a high-water mark for the franchise—news broke that the Knicks had fired head coach Tom Thibodeau.

Let that sink in for a moment. The Knicks, who hadn’t reached the Eastern Conference Finals since 2000 (when they also lost to the Pacers, by the way), just fired the coach who took them the farthest they’ve been in a generation. They had back-to-back 50+ win seasons for the first time since the 1994-1995 Pat Riley era, and Thibodeau had just passed Riley for 4th on the Knicks’ all-time wins list. He was within striking distance of passing Jeff Van Gundy for 3rd early next season. Oh, and the franchise gave him a three-year extension just last summer.

So… why?

Criticisms vs. Context

Critics of Thibodeau have long pointed to his heavy minutes distribution and reliance on his starters. That criticism came roaring back during this postseason as the Knicks’ short-handed rotation clearly ran out of gas. Jalen Brunson, who had been superhuman for most of the playoffs, looked absolutely spent late in the series. Josh Hart played through injury. The bench was thin and nearly non-existent.

But let’s be real: that’s not on Thibs. It was the front office that pulled the trigger on decisions in recent years that shipped out Immanuel Quickly, Quentin Grimes, Obi Toppin, Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle in deals that brought in Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, as well as choosing not to bring back Isaiah Hartenstein.

Those are great players—no doubt—but those trades gutted New York’s depth.

The Knicks weren’t running five-man lineups by choice. They were running out of options.

Despite all of that, the team kept winning. Despite the wear and tear, the players never quit on their coach. In fact, they vouched for him.

Brunson and Hart: Thibs’ Defenders

In a heartfelt postgame interview after the Game 6 loss to Indiana, Jalen Brunson—whose name is now etched into playoff lore for his incredible run over the last two seasons—was asked if Thibodeau is the right coach to lead the Knicks to a championship. Without hesitation, he said yes.

His teammate, Josh Hart, echoed the same sentiment. There were no signs of discord. No whispers of locker room turmoil. Only appreciation and loyalty.

So again…why now?

What’s the Plan, Leon?

Moves like this only make sense if you have a plan—if you’ve already got the next guy lined up. Remember when Milwaukee fired Adrian Griffin mid-season and replaced him with Doc Rivers? That was brutal, but it at least made tactical sense. They believed Doc could elevate a championship contender.

But in New York’s case? There’s no clear heir apparent. The only name that remotely makes sense is Mike Malone, who was let go by the Nuggets after bringing them their first title in franchise history. But if Thibodeau was let go because of his stubbornness and hard-charging coaching style, why replace him with someone equally rigid?

It feels like the front office panicked, or worse—they caved to unrealistic expectations.

A Proud Franchise, a Short Memory

The New York Knicks are one of the proudest franchises in all of basketball, but pride doesn’t always equal patience. Since the 1999 Finals run, this team has cycled through more head coaches than playoff wins. They’ve become infamous for instability, dysfunction, and high-profile blunders.

Thibodeau represented a break from that chaos. In his five seasons, the Knicks became relevant again. Competitive again. Tough again. They didn’t just play defense—they embodied it. And the fans, the Garden, the city—it all responded.

Firing him now sends a dangerous message: “We want a title, but we don’t want to build toward it.”

Thibs got them closer to that elusive championship than anyone has in 25 years, and now he’s gone—not because he failed, but seemingly because he didn’t do the impossible fast enough.

He Deserved Better

Tom Thibodeau spent half a decade rebuilding the Knicks’ identity. He gave them discipline. He gave them grit. He gave them a chance. A personality that fits with the city itself. And while he wasn’t perfect—no coach is—he earned the right to see this through. He earned the right to coach this retooled roster with a full season of continuity. He earned the right to chase that elusive title with Brunson, Hart, Towns, Bridges, and (hopefully) a deeper bench.

Instead, he’s shown the door.

Maybe the Knicks have a grand plan. Maybe there’s something behind the scenes we don’t know. But you could make an argument that, right now, Thibodeau is the third best coach in the NBA, behind Steve Kerr and Rick Carlisle, and those two aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. So right now, this feels like a massive misstep.

Thibo-don’t, indeed.