The New York Knicks are still looking for a new head coach to replace Tom Thibodeau. About one week after firing Thibodeau following an Eastern Conference Finals exit, the team is currently the only one in the league with a head coaching vacancy.
Knicks have been denied many interview requests with other teams’ head coaches
Therefore, they have continued to conduct their due diligence and reach out to teams to see if their head coaches are available. Unfortunately, no team has entertained that possibility with the Knicks at this time.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday that New York requested an interview with Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder, but it was firmly denied. Later, K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network reported that the Knicks’ request to interview Chicago Bulls’ head coach Billy Donovan was also denied.
That makes it now five teams with an employed head coach who have turned down the Knicks’ requests for an interview. The other teams that have turned them down are the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves for their coaches.
The Knicks are taking a smart approach with their head coaching search
While it is not ideal that the Knicks still don’t have a head coach lined up, it should be noted that they are simply checking in on other teams to see where they stand on their coaches. With New York being the lone head coaching vacancy at this time, there is no need to rush a decision.
The last thing the Knicks want to have happen is a better head coach become available after already hiring someone. Furthermore, checking in with other teams allows them to gain intel on their plans, which is beneficial for a variety of reasons, including free agency, trades, and head coaching candidates.
New York is still looking for a new head coach, but they have a variety of ways they can approach this situation. They can also look into teams’ assistant coaches, or even look in the college coaching realm to see if a viable candidate becomes available there.
One way or another, conducting due diligence is always a positive, even if that means they get turned away by other teams.
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