Knicks Wise to be Patient in Coaching Search Amid Latest NBA Trade Rumors

The New York Knicks' search for a new head coach hasn't unfolded as quickly as most might of expected. However, it is unfolding and has finally involved a handful of official interviews.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori is the latest candidate to interview for New York's opening.

The relatively slow process of finding Thom Thibodeau's replacement has likely surprised some. NBA teams don't regularly fire coaches after reaching the conference finals, so it was easy to assume that team president Leon Rose had a coach in mind—or possibly even in waiting—when the move was made.

However, it's also entirely possible that the Knicks made the decision to move on from Thibodeau before the postseason and refused to pivot when an unexpected postseason run unfolded. That would explain why New York didn't make an immediate hire and have instead taken a patient approach.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer (h/t Bleacher Report's Adam Wells), the Knicks aren't expected to have a new head coach in place until after this week's draft. That may be unusual, but continuing to be patient makes perfect sense for New York.

For starters, Wednesday's opening round won't serve as a deadline for hiring a coach. The Knicks' 2025 draft capital is limited to one late second-round pick. Rose and the rest of the franchise's front office should be able to navigate the draft without a head coach.

Secondly, the entire point of replacing Thibodeau was to find a coach who will get more out of New York's roster. Whether or not the Knicks were wise to make that gamble remains to be seen, but they clearly didn't feel that Thibodeau got enough out of a roster featuring Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Townes.

It makes sense for the Knicks to have a good idea about how their roster will look before finding a coach who complements it. With the East appearing open due to the injuries of Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton, running it back might be New York's best bet.

However, the Knicks have already explored bold roster moves this offseason. According to ESPN Radio's Alan Hahn, they considered making a run at Kevin Durant before the Phoenix Suns dealt him to the Houston Rockets.

"They wanted some continuity, but I'll tell you what, there was a lot of interest," Hahn said on Get Up (h/t Bleacher Report's Zach Bachar).

There's still a chance that the Knicks could take another big swing on the trade market and go after Giannis Antetokounmpo—though there's no guarantee that the Milwaukee Bucks will make him available.

"Giannis has not asked for a trade, he is not available for a trade, today is June 23. These are facts," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on Get Up (h/t ClutchPoints).

The closer the Knicks get to free agency (June 30) without a significant trade in place, the more likely it is that next season's roster will look very similar to last season's. Set to be $3.8 million over the first apron, New York is unlikely to be a major player on the open market.

Now, the Knicks may make their hire in the coming days, and they'd certainly be wise to have a coach before filling out the depth chart. However, the search taking this long doesn't mean that New York made a mistake by firing Thibodeau.

Of course, replacing Thibodeau will be viewed as a mistake if the Knicks don't find the right head coach who can guide their team as deep or deeper into the playoffs next season. That is a process that shouldn't be rushed.