Thursday 28 May 2020 06:42, UK
The New York Knicks have made Tom Thibodeau the top candidate for their vacant head coaching position, according to reports.
Leon Rose, the Knicks' newly hired president of basketball operations, is leading the search and hopes to make a hire within a few weeks, according to Wednesday's report by The Athletic.
Interim coach Mike Miller, who took over the 4-18 Knicks when coach David Fizdale was fired in December, is expected to interview for the job, as is former Brooklyn Nets coach Kenny Atkinson.
The Knicks were 21-45 when the season was paused on March 11 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Thibodeau, 62, was an assistant coach with the Knicks from 1996-2003 and got his first head-coaching job in 2010 with the Bulls.
In five seasons at the helm in Chicago, he posted a 255-139 record and led the team to the playoffs each year. In his first season, the Bulls were 62-20 and lost in the Eastern Conference finals.
He went on to coach the Timberwolves from 2016-17 until the midpoint of the 2018-19 season, and his Minnesota teams went 97-107.
The Timberwolves advanced to the postseason just once during his tenure, losing in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs in the 2017-18 season.
The Knicks have also hired three executives as they build the front office around new president Rose.
Brock Aller was hired away from the Cleveland Cavaliers as vice president of basketball and strategic planning. Walt Perrin had been with the Utah Jazz and is now the assistant general manager for college scouting. Frank Zanin is now the assistant general manager for pro scouting after most recently working for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Knicks also announced a one-year extension for general manager Scott Perry through the 2020-21 season. Rose, a longtime player agent, was hired as team president on March 2.
