NBA Rumors: Tom Thibodeau 'Confident' of HC Job; Linked to Knicks, Nets and More

Tom Thibodeau is looking to get back on the sidelines in 2020-21.

It appears as though the 62-year-old will have several opportunities to land a head-coaching job, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News:

"Thibodeau is confident he'll get a job next season and has even been asking around the league for advice on picking the best opportunity, according to sources. The Knicks, Nets and Rockets are expected to have the three highest-profile coaching gigs available. Keep an eye on the Pelicans, Bulls and Hawks."

Thibodeau most recently spent parts of three seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves before being fired in January 2019. He has a 352-246 career record as a head coach in eight years with Minnesota and the Chicago Bulls.

His exit from Minnesota was ugly, with a talented team struggling to a 19-21 record. He couldn't keep his players happy, which saw Jimmy Butler traded away early in the season.

Still, he guided the Timberwolves to the playoffs in 2018, giving the organization its first postseason appearance in 14 years. Thibodeau also led to the Bulls to the postseason in each of his five years with the team, getting as far as the Eastern Conference Finals. He was named the NBA's Coach of the Year in 2010-11.

His resume could make him a top candidate for a lot of notable openings in 2020-21.

The New York Knicks have been searching for a permanent replacement for David Fizdale, who was fired in December, while the Brooklyn Nets let go of Kenny Atkinson in March. The two Big Apple teams battled for high-profile free agents last summer, and Brooklyn clearly won with the signings of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. It seems the rivals could be competing again for a big-name coach this summer.

Meanwhile, Bondy noted there could be more openings if the Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans and others move on from their head coaches.