No one in the NBA is truly safe, not even after a breakthrough season. While players often face the harsh realities of being traded or released, head coaches can also find themselves abruptly shown the door, even after success.
That was the case for New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, who led the franchise to its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years. Just three days after the Indiana Pacers eliminated the Knicks in a tough Game 6, the team fired Thibodeau.
However, the decision wasn’t made unilaterally by team ownership or the front office. According to insider Ian Begley, the Knicks’ top players had a significant role in determining Thibodeau’s fate.
“So in the aftermath of the game six loss, so the Pacers, the Knicks were conducting a review of the organization. Now, usually, what teams do is they have exit interviews with their executives conducting the interviews with players. This was different. This set up for the Knicks was different,” Begley said.
The way the Knicks conducted their season-end review of the organization was different than normal, as "top players" on the roster were called in to meetings that owner James Dolan was also present at, says @IanBegley
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) June 3, 2025
Eventually, those reviews led to the Knicks deciding to move… pic.twitter.com/Z7Aitholrr
“It was everyone kind of being reviewed, including obviously head coach Tom Thibodeau members of his staff. Not all players were involved. Top players were called in for the meeting, and I mean, Nick owner Jim Dolan was there, but to say it was Leon Rose’s decision is accurate because he is the one who would sign off on it,” he added.
Magic Johnson Reacts To Tom Thibodeau’s Firing
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NBA legend Magic Johnson also weighed in on the surprising decision. Like many others, Johnson expressed disbelief over the Knicks’ move to fire Thibodeau after such a successful season.
“WOW WOW WOW. I can’t believe the NY Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau was fired today after leading the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals! The biggest question is why was he fired? Now, who will be the next coach of the Knicks?” Johnson wrote.
Tom Thibodeau took over as head coach of the New York Knicks in 2020. Since his arrival, he led the team to a 226-174 record during his regular-season tenure. Throughout these years, he helped restore competitiveness to a once-floundering organization.
