"This would be like D-Rose going back coaching the Bulls" - KG likes the idea of Mark Jackson getting the Knicks job

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"This would be like D-Rose going back coaching the Bulls" - KG likes the idea of Mark Jackson getting the Knicks job originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett isn't surprised that the New York Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau. According to Garnett, Thibodeau's style is outdated, and the Knicks should have fired him as early as 2022 because it was clear that he wasn't going to win a chip there.
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As for his replacement, KG and his buddy Paul Pierce discussed potential candidates like Patrick Ewing, Sam Cassell, and even their former teammate Rajon Rondo. However, the name that got The Big Ticket animated was former Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson.
"I like that Mark Jackson," said Garnett on the "Ticket and the Truth" podcast. "That Mark Jackson in New York have it cracking. Mark Jackson a real dude. New York need some…Mark Jackson in the Garden, who from New York? Queens? I actually like that better than he in Golden State. "
Jackson delivers a different vibe
Mark is widely considered the architect of the Golden State Warriors dynasty team. He coached the Warriors for three years from 2011-12 to 2013-14. After a 23-43 first season, Jackson led the Dubs to back-to-back playoff appearances, including a 51-win season in 2013-14.
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However, just as when they were expected to turn the page, Jackson was fired, not because of his basketball performance but because he could not get along with people in the organization. Steve Kerr replaced him and immediately won the NBA title in 2015, but many consider Mark to be the architect of that team.
The issue with Jackson is that he has not coached in more than a decade, and his three-year NBA coaching resume pales in comparison to the names currently linked to the coaching vacancy. However, KG says that Mark being from Queens gives him a different vibe from the other candidates.
"Nothing better of a story that came from where you from…This would be like D-Rose going back coaching the Bulls. Man, can't nobody exemplify New York basketball better than Mark Jackson or be one up. That's like a bedtime story," added Garnett.
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New York is not an attractive coaching destination right now
Like Garnett, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, who is a diehard fan of the Knicks, also made a case for Jackson as the team's next head coach earlier this week. But unlike KG, who said Thibs deserved to be booted out, SAS has been critical of his firing. In his recent take on the Knicks' search for a head coach, Stephen A. said that NY is no longer an alluring coaching destination.
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"The New York Knicks are not as attractive of a job as one would argue they were last season. Why? Because you gave up five first-round picks, four unprotected, for Mikal Bridges, who's a damn good player. But he ain't Luka; that ain't Kevin Durant. That ain't LeBron. That ain't Steph Curry. That's not him," explained SAS.
On Wednesday, the Dallas Mavericks denied the Knicks' request to interview Jason Kidd, essentially shutting the door on that option. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets also denied New York's bid to interview Chris Finch and Ime Udoka, respectively. These denials should tell New York that they may need to source their next coach elsewhere. It may not be bad to listen to KG and SAS right now.
Related: "Where the hell are they going?" - P.J. Carlesimo doesn't see the logic of firing Thibs without a ready replacement
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.