The New York Knicks are struggling to make headway in their search for a new head coach. Both the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves shut down their attempts to talk with Ime Udoka and Chris Finch.
The coaching search kicked off after the Knicks parted ways with Tom Thibodeau, following their impressive run to the Eastern Conference finals. Thibodeau's departure ends a five-year stretch that saw the team reach success not seen in 25 years.
During Thibodeau's time, the team reached 50 wins in back-to-back seasons - a feat not accomplished since the '90s. His outstanding first season in 2021 earned him NBA Coach of the Year when he ended the team's long playoff drought.
With these two top candidates now out of reach, the front office is in a tough position. Both coaches proved themselves this year - Udoka turned things around in Houston, while Finch guided Minnesota into playoff territory.
Jason Kidd's name keeps popping up, though no official moves have been made. After their strong playoff run, Dallas looks sure they'll hang onto their coach.
NBA great Shaquille O'Neal threw his support behind Mark Jackson. Despite his New York roots and time with the Warriors, Jackson - now doing TV commentary - hasn't grabbed the attention of team executives.
Before taking the helm in 2020, Thibodeau worked seven years as an assistant under Jeff Van Gundy from '96 to '03, building deep connections with the organization.
The stakes couldn't be higher. The next coach will take over a team coming off its best performance in years, while dealing with huge expectations from passionate fans and a results-driven front office.
