After firing head coach Tom Thibodeau after a 50+ win season and a trip to the Eastern Conference finals, the New York Knicks continue to search for a head coach.

Despite leading the team to its first appearance in the ECF since the 2000 season, the Knicks cut ties with Thibodeau, who had coached the Knicks since the 2020 season.

It was a curious move for the Knicks, given that Thibodeau was the 2021 head coach of the year in the NBA and compiled 226 wins as head coach, the most for any head coach for New York since the 1990s. After the hapless Knicks had not won a playoff series since the 2013 season, Thibodeau led New York past the first round in three straight seasons, while also achieving back-to-back 50-win seasons.

But questions about his use of his rotation, including leaning heavily on his starters, and his inability to get the two Knicks stars —Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns— to improve on their defense, ultimately led general manager Leon Rose and executive management to make a change.

Thibodeau took out a full page ad in the New York Times on Wednesday to thank the fan base.

to the fans, thank you for believing in me and embracing me from day one. Watching you support our team, and seeing the Garden ignite with that incomparable Knicks energy, is something I will never forget," he wrote.

It appears that the coaching search may drag on for some time.

Initial reports were that the Knicks were trying to coax former Villanova head coach Jay Wright out of retirement. Wright coached several of the current Knicks players to a college championship, including Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. But before anyone could make Wright a front runner, he immediately took himself out of the running.

Similarly, Rick Pitino, who coached the Knicks in the 1980s for two seasons before returning to the college ranks, removed his name from the pool. He was Big East Coach of the Year for St. John’s, who was a No. 2 seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament before being upset by Arkansas in the second round.

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The Knicks later reached out to the Houston Rockets about Ime Udoka and the Minnesota Timberwolves about Chris Finch, and were quickly rebuffed by both franchises. The same happened on Wednesday with the Dallas Mavericks when the Knicks requested permission to interview Jason Kidd.

Kidd, a former Knick, is considered a top target by New York management, but it is highly unlikely the Mavericks would give up their up-and-coming head coach. As it stands, Kidd still has two years left on his contract with Dallas.

Other names that do not require the Knicks seeking permission of a team include free agent coaches Michael Malone, who was fired toward the end of the 2025 regular season by the Denver Nuggets in a shocking move. There is history with Malone and the Knicks, as he was an assistant coach there from 2001 to 2005.

The Sacramento Kings also fired Mike Brown in December, and the veteran coach could be a fit for the Knicks. He is a former two-time NBA Coach of the Year.