"Where the hell are they going?" - P.J. Carlesimo doesn't see the logic of firing Thibs without a ready replacement
"Where the hell are they going?" - P.J. Carlesimo doesn't see the logic of firing Thibs without a ready replacement originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Former Seton Hall head coach P.J. Carlesimo is not feeling the New York Knicks for firing head coach Tom Thibodeau. According to Carlesimo, Thibodeau did a great job leading the Knicks to the playoffs in each of the last three years, including taking them to the Conference finals this year, their first appearance in the ECF since 2000.
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But while he thinks it was unfair, P.J. said that he is not surprised by their actions because, for years, the Knicks have been held back by foolish moves and self-destructing decisions.
"That's the Knicks. They don't know what they're doing there. They're their own worst enemy. They've been their worst enemy. The last two years have been the best excitement…I just think he did a great job," he said.
One of the best coaches in the NBA
Last season, Thibodeau led the Knicks to their first 50-win season since the 2012-13 campaign. However, they let big man Isaiah Hartenstein leave in free agency. New York also traded Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo for Karl-Anthony Towns in a move that Carlesimo said diminished the Knicks' toughness and defense.
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With new additions in KAT and Mikal Bridges, NY won 51 games this season and finished as the third seed in the Eastern Conference. However, they were upset by the Indiana Pacers in the ECF. Still, the Knicks showed progression every year under Thibs, and they had started to bring the fans back to MSG.
"The excitement in New York was great," Carlesimo added. "And now I say, 'Where are they going?' I don't understand. I don't know who made the decision. Leon's made a lot of good decisions. I don't buy that it's the players. They didn't do it without the players, but it's not that there's a mutiny because it happened. But I don't think the players were that unhappy."
"Thibodeau's still one of the best coaches in the NBA, and he gets and he gets awfully lot out of a roster," he asserted. "You don't win a game because you outcoached him or anything like that. I'm really disappointed, plus I still come back to, 'Where the hell are they going?' If you're gonna do a thing like that, you would've thought that they had a deal in the drawer or something."
Related: "I would feel very sorry for someone in today's NBA who had to guard him as a power forward or center" - Rick Carlisle says he would play Larry Bird as a big in today's era
The Knicks think they are smarter
Carlesimo said that the Knicks seem to be seriously targeting Jason Kidd as Thibs' replacement. However, it's even unclear if the Dallas Mavericks are willing to let them interview their head coach. With no sure replacement, Carelsimo said New York is better off sticking with Thibodeau. But then again, the Knickerbockers will always be the Knickerbockers.
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"The Knicks always think they're smarter than everybody else. That's the Knick philosophy. They think they're different and smarter than all these other teams. 'We know what we're doing,' but I would say, they're normally the opposite. They're oftentimes their own enemy," he continued.
As Carlesimo said, it's crazy how they fired Thibodeau when they aren't even sure yet whether their preferred replacement will come to New York. This offseason will be a huge one for the Knicks. Hopefully, they'll get the head coach that they want. Otherwise, the decision to fire Thibs after making the ECF could haunt them.
Related: "The question here is what would the Mavericks do?" - Windhorst says the Knicks asking permission to interview J-Kidd is a mere formality
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
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