Knicks in Danger of Losing 3 Players After Tom Thibodeau Firing, Pistons Legend Warns

The Knicks had a milestone season—51-31, took down the defending champs, the Celtics, and made it to their first Eastern Conference Finals since 2000. It was a full-circle moment for Tom Thibodeau, who’d been there in 2000 as an assistant and now led the charge as head coach. He revived a franchise long stuck in the mud and racked up 226 wins, fourth-most in Knicks history. But despite all that, the front office zeroed in on one thing — no Finals appearance — and decided to fire him. Cold move after such a historic run.

The New York Knicks announced the firing of head coach Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday, three days after the team’s elimination in the Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers. “Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans. This pursuit led us to the difficult decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we’ve decided to move in another direction,” said Knicks President Leon Rose. However, the reasons for the separation run way deeper. But first, let’s weigh in on what the Pistons legend has to say.

Jalen Rose didn’t hold back. In a video he dropped on Instagram, you could hear the disbelief in his voice — this one hit different. “30 years I have been involved with the league, I don’t think I have ever done… I posted about a coach being fired. But I would do one for Tom Thibodeau,” he said. “He did not deserve to be fired the way he was by the New York Knicks.”

This wasn’t just about Thibs losing a job — it was about the foundation of the Knicks being shaken. “Do y’all realize why Jalen Brunson is actually in New York?” he said. “It ain’t because of the city, it ain’t because of the team colors, it ain’t because of the owners or the fans. It’s because Thibs has a relationship with his father, Rick Brunson. Therefore, the same reason why Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart are in New York,” he said. Rose believes that the reasoning for firing him so that the team could win next year is “Not gonna be able to do it.” So the Knicks might be in danger of losing three of its great players!

Thibodeau didn’t just bring Rick Brunson as a staff in 2022 because his son, Jalen, was signing a four-year deal with the Knicks. That bond goes all the way back to the 1980s in Salem, Massachusetts. Thibs was a senior at Division III Salem State when he transitioned into coaching there. Rick, just a teenager at the time, was already turning heads within the local men’s leagues. That’s where the two first met. Years later, they reunited because of the NBA.

Fast-forward to now: Jalen Brunson’s riding high off a monster postseason, averaging 29.4 points, 7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds across 18 playoff games. The real chatter, though, is around Thibodeau’s minute-heavy approach. Is it hurting Brunson? That’s where things get interesting. Comparing his 2024–25 per-36 numbers in New York to his 2021–22 Dallas stats shows this: Points jumped from 18.4 to 26.4. Assists climbed to 7.4. And his shooting? Still elite at 48.8% from the field and 38.2% from deep. The man’s thriving with the load—like, objectively. In Dallas, Brunson wasn’t “The Guy”—he was backing up Luka. His minutes were a manageable 24.7 a game. In New York? He’s the engine, the heart, the Alpha.

The question now is, what happens if the next coach—whoever succeeds Thibs—manages his minutes differently? Could we see Brunson’s production dip, or does he just keep cooking up success, regardless? 

Did Tom Thibodeau make a mistake in the playoffs?

It’s kinda wild when you think about what Tom Thibodeau actually pulled off in New York. This was a franchise that hadn’t had relevance in years—seven straight seasons without a playoff appearance before he arrived. Then Thibs steps in, and in just five years, they make the playoffs four times, reach the Conference Semifinals twice, and just this season? They hit the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000 after knocking off the defending champs, the Boston Celtics. The Knicks finished 51–31 and Thibodeau walked away with 226 wins—the fourth-most by any coach in franchise history.

So why let him go now? That’s where things get complicated. Thibodeau’s known for riding his stars hard—and this year, it showed more than ever. Josh Hart led the entire league in minutes with 37.6 per game, Mikal Bridges was third at 37.0, OG Anunoby came in fifth at 36.6, and Jalen Brunson wasn’t far behind at nearly 36, as reported by Basket News. Bridges even said, “We’ve got a good enough team. Our bench can come in, and we don’t need to play 47, 48 minutes… just keeping fresh bodies out there.” The heavy minutes, lack of rotational trust, and fatigue concerns became a recurring storyline, especially at playoff time.

And then there’s the roster fit. Thibs is a defensive-minded coach, but his two main guys—Brunson and Towns—aren’t exactly elite defenders. Towns, in particular, got exposed to pick-and-rolls and couldn’t even get off a single three in a game vs. OKC due to tight wing coverage. Thibs couldn’t adjust. The offense leaned almost entirely on Brunson’s isolations, which made the attack predictable and left guys like Towns under-used. Sure, Brunson had a monster playoff run, but the system just wasn’t maximizing the roster’s potential. So yeah—Thibodeau revived the Knicks, no question. But in the end, his style might’ve been what held them back from taking the final step.

To Jalen Rose, the Knicks didn’t just lose a coach—they cut ties with the glue that brought their core together. He believes replacing Thibs won’t bring success if it ignores the relationships that made this roster click. But what are your thoughts on this?