Report: Knicks Front Office Brass Wanted Thibodeau Fired

The New York Knicks' season didn't go exactly as planned, to say the least. After a surprising 4-seed finish in 2021, the Knicks didn't even make the Play-In Tournament this time around, finishing the season at 37-45. But if certain front office types had had their way, head coach Tom Thibodeau wouldn't even have made it to the finish line. 

According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, at the All-Star break, with the Knicks on a 3-13 swoon, "at least two members of the front office recommended Tom Thibodeau be let go." But team president Leon Rose "was dead-set against" it. 

The execs in question felt Tibs had “lost the team” and were not fond of some of the body language and attentiveness during timeouts.

While Jeff Van Gundy made it clear Julius Randle is not the only issue with the Knicks, he said this of Randle: “You’ve gotta look at the best player and you’ve just gotta see through action and body language an absolute and unquenched desire to win. You’ve got to have that.” pic.twitter.com/YfdvUkm8eC

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 27, 2022

Berman also relayed that one source said that both players and front office personnel felt that the coach didn't hold star Julius Randle accountable for his transgressions this season. 

He's also been criticized by fans and media alike for not playing the young players enough. As if to put a stamp on that critique, young power forward Obi Toppin went out in the season finale and dropped 42 points and 10 rebounds.

Games shooting better than 50% this season:

8 — Randle in 72 starts
7 — Toppin in 10 starts

Obi has more 40/10 games than Randle this season. pic.twitter.com/wBEzStOQlN

— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 11, 2022

The Knicks finished 12-11 after the break, and Rose continues to stand by Thibodeau, calling him “one of the best coaches in the NBA” who “prepares our team better than anybody. I feel that he’s done a good job under the circumstances.”

Photo Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports