Windhorst: Tom Thibodeau to Be Candidate for Knicks' Head Coach Opening

Former Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau will reportedly be a candidate to fill the same role with the New York Knicks.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported the news Monday on his Hoop Collective podcast, citing Thibodeau's connection to new Knicks president Leon Rose.

"Thibodeau, I believe, is going to be a candidate for the Knicks' job as well," Windhorst said (via RealGM). "He has long been represented by CAA, who Leon Rose ran the CAA basketball division. Wes Wesley, one of his first clients was Tom Thibodeau."

He added: "He's got a really good working relationship with Leon Rose and Wes Wesley. I know Wes hasn't been named anything official with the Knicks, but trust me, he will be involved. That connection will matter."

The update comes on the heels of SNY's Ian Begley reporting Thibodeau is the "strong favorite" to take over as the Knicks' bench boss.

He won an NBA championship as an assistant with the Boston Celtics in 2008 and was named the NBA Coach of the Year with the Bulls for the 2010-11 season.

The 62-year-old Connecticut native compiled a 352-246 record (.589) across seven-plus years with the Bulls and Wolves. He was fired by Minnesota midway through the 2018-19 season after a 19-21 start.

Mutual interest is expected if the Knicks do make a push for Thibodeau.

"He really wants the Knick job. He can taste it and he may even be in the lead," a confidant of the veteran head coach told Marc Berman of the New York Post in February.

New York has posted a 17-27 record under interim head coach Mike Miller since it fired David Fizdale in December. The Knicks went 21-83 in less than two seasons with Fizdale leading the staff.

The team's offseason will likely be defined far more by its roster upgrades than its coaching hire, though.

New York has a couple budding foundational pieces in RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson, but it lacks the high-end talent necessary to seriously compete in the star-driven NBA. The organization is betting Rose's connections can help attract more superstars to Madison Square Garden.

Without an infusion of talent, the ceiling on the Knicks' potential is limited, regardless of the front office's choice to lead the coaching staff.