Thibodeau, Knicks reportedly to discuss contract extension this summer
Jalen Brunson. Josh Hart. Donte DiVincenzo. OG Anunoby. Julius Randle.
The Knicks have built a team of grinding, physical guys who want to play hard and outwork their opponent — Tom Thibodeau kind of guys. So it makes sense they want to keep him around as their coach. Thibodeau has one year left on his contract and both sides want to talk extension after the season, reports Sam Amick of The Athletic.
His current deal runs through the 2024-25 season, but league sources say he hopes to secure his future with the Knicks when both sides plan to revisit the topic this summer.
As Amick notes in his article, coaching salaries have exploded around the league in the wake of what the Pistons had to offer Monty Williams to lure him back into the coaching ranks. Thibodeau's reported $7 million salary would be low for a coach of his stature in the league, so he's likely to see a healthy raise (closer to $10 million a season is possible).
The bigger question is how many years.
These 41-28 Knicks are a Thibodeau-style team and respond to his coaching, and for the second straight season, New York appears headed for a top-five seed. The concern is Thibodeau's hard-driving style can burn players out, his relentless messaging wears on players and it becomes time to part ways. As noted above, team president Leon Rose has built a team of Thibodeau-style guys who may not have that reaction, but Knicks management may want to limit the number of years to hedge against that kind of burnout happening again.
Whatever the number and years, expect a Thibodeau contract extension to get done this offseason. It just makes too much sense for everyone not to.
