When has experience ever guaranteed the right choices? Never. However, the New York Knicks believed in Tom Thibodeau’s instincts. They waited 25 years to make it to the Conference Finals. Dreams seemed to be coming true, until everything shattered. But the story sounds deeper than just the ECF loss. There were forewarnings; foreshadows, if you will? No one paid any attention to it, or maybe they did and chose to ignore it. ‘Believing in experience’ gone bad? Yes sir!

Thibs had an opportunity to shake up the roster, even before the Karl-Anthony Towns trade happened just days before the 2024-25 season kicked off. He had a simple task, and that was to bring back Marcus Morris, who had already played for the Knicks. But the veteran coach had other plans that blocked Morris’s return to the league.

The 35-year-old shared that he spent some time in New York this year in case the Knicks had a change of heart. “I didn’t plan on not playing this year, I ain’t even told you that, but I was supposed to be with the Knicks this year. I had some other calls, and I had some other teams,” Morris said. “They called me from left street, and it was like, ‘Hey, we want you here. We want you to be around, we want you to help the guys, and we want you to be a leader. You might not play, but we want you here.'”

However, a conversation with Tom Thibodeau cleared the picture for the ex-Knicks star. “I get there, I talk to Thibs, and I kind of get that feel like this old school, you’re going to do it my way. You can’t play because X, Y, and Z,” Morris shared. “And I’m just like, ‘Yeah, I don’t know how that works.’ But yeah, I’m happy to be with New York. I don’t give a f— who’s the coach. I don’t give a f— who’s in the front office. I’m a Knick, and I like the city and I like what it brings.”

You see, the ex-head coach did things his way, and to be fair, the locker room wasn’t on board with certain decisions. Sure, Marcus Morris wasn’t on his mind for the roster. But, the remaining choices? Playing the starting five only, barely allowing the bench to flourish. No, that wasn’t a great decision after all. But now that Thibs is gone, his seat is vacant, and maybe if not Ime Udoka or Jason Kidd, Mike Malone could take over. That’s again, a hopeful speculation the Knickerbockers are looking into.

Tom Thibodeau’s past decisions are in question as a new name for the HC post comes up

Marcus Morris shredded Thibs for letting the Knicks‘ bench rot in games where some of the players could’ve been effective. In fact, playing the bench could give some relief to the starting lineup, thus making them more efficient. “The team is not going to be the happiest it can be when you’re not even giving other people a chance to be successful, to help the team,” Morris said. “When Mikal Bridges came out earlier in the season, he said other guys on this team can help. We don’t need to play for this many minutes. That right there should have shown you—they’re not really feeling.”

In March, ahead of their game against the Blazers, Bridges told the media about his request to Tom Thibodeau. It’s not always fun for the bodies of the starting five to play 40+ minutes. The bench is pretty capable of winning the games, and they need to be on the court as well. Well, the flaws in several decisions summed up to their conference finals results, which, of course, led to the 67-year-old veteran’s sacking. And now, the spot is vacant, and maybe one of NYC’s own could be the one.

“You still got guys in the tuck like Mike Malone. Right? Like, Mike Malone’s a New Yorker from Queens. Things like that. They still have guys that they can get…. or still interview, where it could be a splash,” Morris speculated. The New York Knicks currently have their hawk’s eyes on every possible name in the NBA who could take over as the head coach. Their great fumbles with Ime Udoka and possibly with Jason Kidd could open doors for Michael Malone’s return as the head coach. But again, time shall tell.

History doesn’t always honor loyalty, especially when results don’t follow. Tom Thibodeau’s reign, once backed by trust and tenure, ended in silence louder than applause. Now, the Knicks stand at a crossroads, flipping through names with urgency and curiosity. From Udoka to Kidd to a potential Queens comeback with Malone, the clock ticks louder. And this time, the city wants more than just dreams—they want a coach who listens.