The New York Knicks were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals by the Indiana Pacers, but head coach Tom Thibodeau has reportedly shown the franchise enough that he’s almost guaranteed to receive a contract extension this year.
Thibodeau, age 66, was hired by New York before the 2020-’21 NBA season. He took over a team that hadn’t won more than 35 games in a season since the 2013-’14 campaign and had a seven-year playoff drought. In his first season at the helm, New York went 41-31 and made the playoffs.
- Tom Thibodeau coaching record: 527-389 overall (.575), 175-143 (.550) with New York Knicks
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After some second-year regression (37-45), the Knicks posted a 47-35 record a year ago and reached the Eastern Conference Semifinals. This past season, New York returned to the ECSF and hit 50 regular-season wins for the first time since 2013.
While the Knicks were eliminated by Indiana, it only came after the team’s rotation was ravaged by season-ending injuries and both OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson played hurt in the elimination game. New York’s season ended prematurely, but the organization has seen enough to make its decision on the head coach.
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According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Thibodeau is viewed as a “virtual certainty” to receive a contract extension this summer at the market rate.
“League sources say that Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau should be viewed as a virtual certainty to score a contract extension this off-season ‘at the market rate,’ which translates to an annual wage of at least $10 million, after New York’s run to the brink of the Eastern Conference finals with one of the league’s longest injury lists in a postseason wracked with injuries.”
Marc Stein on a potential Tom Thibodeau contract extension from the Knicks
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- Tom Thibodeau salary: $7-plus million
Being patient with contract negotiations has already paid off for Thibodeau. The Sacramento Kings recently signed coach Mike Brown to an extension and it’s valued at $8.5 million annually. With many of the highest-paid NBA coaches clearing double figures, it makes sense that Thibodeau’s contract will be worth at least $10 million per season at a minimum.
