Report: Knicks, Tom Thibodeau To Talk Contract Extension

The New York Knicks and coach Tom Thibodeau are expected to discuss a contract extension after the season, per Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Thibodeau, 66, is in his fourth season as head coach of the Knicks, who are 42-28 and sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference after Saturday’s 105-93 win over the Brooklyn Nets. His current deal runs through the end of next season.

“His current deal runs through the 2024-25 season, but league sources say he hopes to secure his future with the Knicks when both sides plan to revisit the topic this summer,” Amick wrote.

Through Saturday, Thibodeau has guided New York to a 167-139 mark — and defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs last season before losing to the eventual Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat in the second.

The Knicks have experienced a multitude of key injuries since the start of February, including those to starting forwards Julius Randle (shoulder) and OG Anunoby (elbow), acquired in a trade with the Toronto Raptors in January.

Still, they appear primed to finish with a top-five playoff seed for the second straight year.

The question, of course, will be how many years Thibodeau might seek as part of a new deal, as noted by Kurt Helin of NBC Sports.

“The concern is Thibodeau’s hard-driving style can burn players out, his relentless messaging wears on players and it becomes time to part ways,” Helin wrote. “As noted above, team president Leon Rose has built a team of Thibodeau-style guys who may not have that reaction, but Knicks management may want to limit the number of years to hedge against that kind of burnout happening again.”

Thibodeau spent five seasons as coach of the Chicago Bulls and three more with the Minnesota Timberwolves before coming to New York. After Saturday’s win, he sported a 519-385 career record in 12 years overall.