The New York Knicks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in two and a half decades. So, of course, the expectations were higher than ever before from Tom Thibodeau and his men. Especially after they came here after taking care of business against the defending champions, the Boston Celtics. The New York faithful believed that after years of pain, this was their moment in history, only for them to be devastated by the outcome. The Knicks fans’ dreams were crushed by the red-hot Indiana Pacers, who ended their playoff run in just six games. Since then, there’s been one question in everyone’s mind: What’s next?

After that humiliating exit, the team’s front office has decided to make some major changes in the franchise, as they remain focused on winning a championship. Keeping that in mind, the team has landed on the shocking decision to part ways with their long-time head coach, Tom Thibodeau. ESPN’s Shams Charania broke this earth-shattering news.

“Tom Thibodeau led the Knicks to their first East Finals in 25 years, made playoffs in 4 of 5 years, and led Knicks to consecutive 50+ win seasons for the first time since the 1990s. The Knicks are singularly focused on their pursuit of a championship and believe a new voice will serve as the focus for the organization’s next step, sources said. After five seasons with the Knicks, Tom Thibodeau is out as head coach.” Charania wrote on Instagram.

It’s huge news for the Knicks, as Tom Thibodeau’s record with the team was quite impressive, not to mention their recent run to the Eastern Conference Finals. So, it’s only obvious to ask why the team fired the veteran head coach.

Why did the New York Knicks decide to fire Tom Thibodeau?

Tom Thibodeau helped the New York Knicks reach their first conference finals in over 25 years, made the playoffs in four out of five years, and had back-to-back 50-win seasons. These stats make it hard for us to wrap our heads around the news of him being fired. However, the team president, Leon Rose, explained that it’s in the franchise’s best interest. “Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans,” Rose said. “This pursuit led us to the decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we’ve decided to move in another direction. We can’t thank Tom enough for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach.”

“... Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward. Tom will always be part of our Knicks family, and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future.” Leon Rose’s statement emphasized the Knicks’ goal to win a championship. It shows that the team has only one goal: to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy, something that Thibodeau failed to deliver over his five-year tenure. While it’s harsh to put the entire blame on the 67-year-old alone, he was appointed as the head coach, keeping the championship hopes in mind. Moreover, he was given all the assets needed to go all the way.

A part reason why the Knicks decided to part ways with Thibodeau after this season was because they made a huge splash in the summer last year. New York landed Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges ahead of the season to bolster their ranks and compete with the Boston Celtics in the East. So, even after being given all the assets to work with, Tom Thibodeau’s failure to deliver might’ve been the last straw. Moreover, his tactical approach might’ve also played a huge role in his surprise firing. The Knicks’ head coach was well-known for his stubborn tactics of not changing his lineups very often.

Many believe that this was a major reason Jalen Brunson and Co. failed miserably against the Pacers. “As soon as the Knicks’ season ended, they started having meetings.. They believe that the best path for this team to take the next step is with a new voice.. They came to the decision this morning that they’re gonna part ways with Tom Thibodeau.” Shams Charania said. This statement might indicate that Tom Thibodeau could’ve been losing his command within the locker room, which might have caused the front office to come up with this drastic change. Now, all eyes will be on New York as they look to replace Tom Thibodeau.

But who will be his successor? We’ll have to wait and watch.