Ian Begley reacts to the Knicks disappointing loss to Indiana in Game 2
What's next for the Knicks after Eastern Conference Finals exit? | The Putback with Ian Begley
On The Putback with Ian Begley, SNY's NBA Insider is joined by Knicks Fan TV's CP The Fanchise and The Athletic's James Edwards to break down the Knicks Eastern Conference Finals exit after their Game 6 loss to the Pacers and preview what is to come for New York in the offseason.
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New York Times
33 minutes ago
- New York Times
Knicks head coach search: Is Jason Kidd Plan A? What we know
About a week has passed since the Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau — the franchise's winningest coach this century – on the heels of New York making the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years. So far, everything about the franchise's search for a new coach seems … odd. The Knicks have interest in Jason Kidd, per league sources. The problem? Kidd, the coach of the Dallas Mavericks, has two years left on his contract. The Knicks, while they might be preparing to ask for permission to interview Kidd for their vacancy, have not yet made a formal request. There has yet to be any contact as of Monday morning, per a Mavericks team source. And yet, when that time comes, per multiple league sources, the expectation is that the Mavericks will deny that request. Advertisement This brings us to this question: Did the Knicks fire Thibodeau without a no-hiccups successor in place? A week into the search, it certainly feels that way. New York is expected to do an exhaustive search that includes coaches at every level, per league sources. However, the expectation for this franchise is to win a championship. Whoever is hired has to carry the weight of that. The Knicks decided to move on from Thibodeau — a decision that The Athletic reported after the Knicks' season ended was in the hands of owner James Dolan — during a coaching cycle that isn't overflowing with heavily experienced, successful head coaches. Former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, a champion, is the biggest name on the market with championship experience. Malone, like Thibodeau, is a very good coach, but he shares many tendencies and traits with Thibodeau. Former Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown is an experienced name out there, as well. Former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins is, too. Ex-Los Angeles Lakers Lakers head coach Darvin Ham and former Charlotte Hornets head coach James Borrego could also be of interest. They are all good coaches and have had various degrees of success, though only Malone has won a championship as a head coach among that group. Would any of those names be clear-cut upgrades over Thibodeau? Not on paper, at least. That the Knicks fired Thibodeau and are currently juggling the idea of trying to pry away currently employed head coaches suggests that Thibodeau's firing might have been made without a sure-fire successor in mind. With that said, maybe the Knicks' decision-makers really believe Kidd is attainable. The Mavericks head coach has connections to several members of the Knicks organization, including star guard Jalen Brunson and Knicks vice president of sports medicine Casey Smith. Furthermore, Kidd didn't always enjoy being Dallas' spokesperson in the aftermath of the franchise trading Luka Dončić, per league sources. In a Feb. 10 game against the Kings, Mavericks center Daniel Gafford got hurt. In the middle of the injury crisis, multiple fans were also ejected for protesting the Dončić trade. Kidd didn't address the media afterward. Advertisement 'I just needed a break,' Kidd explained Feb. 12 — two days later. In New York, Kidd would continue to be the spokesperson. President Leon Rose hasn't fielded questions from independent media in several years. If Dallas were to deny the Knicks' request, and Kidd would prefer to coach elsewhere, could he put up enough of a stink behind the scenes to make the organization's decision-makers change their mind? It feels like the Knicks are banking on that. Even then, the Mavericks almost certainly would want draft compensation to facilitate such a rare move. New York, which depleted most of its draft capital over the last calendar year, would have to consider that as it moved forward in the process. (Kidd was previously involved in a coaching trade. In 2014, the Milwaukee Bucks acquired his coaching rights from the Brooklyn Nets for two second-round picks.) Lastly, maybe there is an expectation that owners get involved to work something out. They've proved they can work together in other settings. Dolan's Sphere in Las Vegas is on property owned by Mavericks owner Miriam Adelson. A lot of moving parts would have to work in the Knicks' favor in order to make Jason Kidd their next head coach. There's nothing wrong with targeting an employed head coach for their vacant position. Due diligence is good. It just seems a little odd that it appears to be Plan A. The Knicks have backed themselves into a corner between the firing of Thibodeau and this upcoming hire. They've made it clear that what the winningest coach in recent franchise history did wasn't good enough to reach their ultimate goal of a championship. It'll be tough for New York's suits to win the headlines and backpages with the next head coach, unless they have something up their sleeves, which is totally possible. Until the big reveal, though, the Knicks appear to be in limbo. No available coach is an obvious upgrade or change of pace from Thibodeau. Getting a proven coach from another team seems far-fetched. Hiring an inexperienced or first-year head coach, while it might end up being the right decision a year from now, is a difficult sell to fans who now have heightened expectations after several successful seasons and based on the franchise's own language following the firing of Thibodeau. New York just has to get this right. Maybe it will. Right now, though, this all feels lackluster. Christian Clark and Fred Katz contributed reporting.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Jalen Brunson breaks silence on Knicks' shocking Tom Thibodeau firing
Jalen Brunson has finally spoken. Kind of. The superstar guard reacted Sunday on Instagram to the Knicks' firing of head coach Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday. Brunson posted a photo of him with Thibodeau with a heart emoji, and another emoji of fingers crossing. Brunson had publicly endorsed Thibodeau, who had three years left on his contract, last week after the Knicks were eliminated in six games by the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Advertisement It was the Knicks first trip to the conference finals in 25 years, but despite being the betting favorite ahead of Game 1, they failed to advance. Jalen Brunson has publicly stood behind in support of Tom Thibodeau. NBAE via Getty Images Asked if Thibodeau is 'the right guy' to take the Knicks to the next level — presumably a championship or at least the NBA Finals — Brunson appeared taken aback that the question had even been considered. 'Is that a real question right now? You just asked me if I believe he's the right guy,' Brunson said following the Knicks' 125-108 Game 6 loss to the Pacers on May 31. 'Yes. Come on,' he added. Thibodeau, hired ahead of the 2020-21 season, was fired despite serving as the Knicks' most successful head coach this century. Jalen Brunson posted this photo on Instagram, acknowledging Tom Thibodeau's firing. Getty Images He coached 400 regular-season games with the Knicks, the fourth most in the organization's history, and became the first head coach to lead the team to at least four playoff trips within a five-year period since Jeff Van Gundy. Advertisement Thibodeau's four playoff trips are tied for the fourth most in Knicks history. Also, his 24-23 playoff record gives him the fourth-highest post-season winning percentage for the organization at 51.1 — the best mark of any head coach to not lead New York to the NBA Finals. Only Red Holzman, Pat Riley and Van Gundy have definitively more decorated Knicks coaching tenures since the franchise's inception in 1947 with the introduction to the NBA, though some might also fight for the success of Joe Lapchick, who coached the team from 1948-1956. The Knicks head coaching search is expected to pick up steam in the coming days as Thibodeau's eventual replacement is set to fill a void with immensepressure at the helm, unlike any we've seen from the franchise in at least a quarter century.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Tyrese Haliburton's girlfriend appears to have heated NBA Finals moment with Thunder fans
Tyrese Haliburton's girlfriend seemingly had a tense exchange with someone in the stands during Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. Jade Jones, who made the trip to Oklahoma City to support the Pacers guard, appeared to argue with Thunder fans at Paycom Center, as seen in a video on social media. Jones stood up and pointed her finger in the direction of Thunder fans dressed in blue t-shirts, however, they weren't seen in the video. Advertisement It's unclear what exactly was said, though Jones didn't seem happy. Jones, who is a former Iowa State cheerleader, has supported Haliburton throughout the Pacers' playoff run — and she didn't back down from dishing trash talk at Knicks fans during the Eastern Conference Finals. Advertisement 3 Jade Jones, the girlfriend of Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, appeared to exchange words with Thunder fans during Game 2 of the NBA Finals in Oklahoma City on June 8, 2025. X The couple, who began dating while they were students at Iowa State, celebrated six years together in April. Jones skipped out of Paycom Center after Haliburton hit the game-winner with 0.3 seconds left to steal Game 1 on Thursday. 3 Jade Jones, the girlfriend of Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, before Game 2 of the NBA Finals in Oklahoma City on June 8, 2025. Instagram/Jade Jones Advertisement Things didn't go as well for Indiana on Sunday. The Thunder steamrolled the Pacers in Game 2, 123-107, to even the best-of-seven series at 1-1. Oklahoma City was in control throughout the entire game, holding a 23-point lead in the second quarter. 3 Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton brings the ball up court during Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Thunder on June 8, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NBAE via Getty Images Advertisement Haliburton finished with 17 points, three rebounds and six assists. NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 34 points for the Thunder — after he totaled 38 points in Game 1. His 72 points in this finals is the most points by a player in their first two NBA Finals games in history, surpassing Allen Iverson's previous best of 71. The NBA Finals shifts to Indiana for Games 3 and 4 on Wednesday and Friday.
