The New York Knicks fired their most successful head coach in 25 years. The last time they were in the Eastern Conference Finals was in the 1999-00 season prior to this year. Since then, they have had more losing seasons than winning seasons. Tom Thibodeau turned the franchise around with four playoff berths in five years, and three consecutive Eastern Conference Semifinals appearances. There have been plenty of situations that a team fires their successful coach. In some cases, it has gone great, like the Golden State Warriors firing Mark Jackson and hiring Steve Kerr. But it hasn’t always been great. Let’s take a look at the possible rewards and risks of such a move.
Knicks Fired Their Mark Jackson—Now They Need a Steve Kerr
We have to say, Jackson coached the Warriors for three seasons before he was fired. In his first season, he went 23-43 (a lockout shortened season). He then went 47-35 in his second season and lost in the Conference Semifinals, and 51-31 in his third season, losing in the first round. Steph Curry was already establishing himself as a star.
The Warriors made a risky move, fired Jackson, and hired Kerr as their next coach. The Warriors went 67-15 in Kerr’s first season and won the NBA championship. Since then, they have won three more titles. Kerr is now one of the longest-tenured coaches in the league.
Another positive example is Nick Nurse with the Toronto Raptors. Dwane Casey coached the Raptors for seven seasons, and had 50+ wins in his last three seasons with the franchise. The team fired him after he won a franchise-best 59 games, and won Coach of the Year. In his last three seasons with the Raptors, Casey led them to three consecutive Eastern Conference Semifinals, and one Eastern Conference Finals appearance. Yet, the Raptors fired him, hired Nurse, and traded for Kawhi Leonard. In the first season, Nurse won 58 games and led the team to a championship.
The Knicks Risk Firing a Successful Head Coach
While Kerr and Nurse are great recent examples of firing a winning coach and finding a new voice for the locker room, there are some situations when things do not go well. Here is a fun fact: Thibs was involved in one. The Chicago Bulls fired Thibodeau in 2015, after five winning seasons. They hired Fred Hoiberg, hoping he can bring his college success to the Bulls. They made the playoffs only once in his first three seasons, and he was fired after going 5-19 in his fourth season.
We can also look at the Milwaukee Bucks. They fired Mike Budenholzer, the coach who helped win them a championship title and hired Adrian Griffin. It is safe to say that things have gone downhill for the Bucks. Griffin didn’t even last a full season, and the team has lost in the first round for two consecutive seasons.
Between the success and failures, we also have to mention the Oklahoma City Thunder. They fall somewhere in the middle. Their hire after a successful coach was neither a success nor a failure. The OKC Thunder fired Scott Brooks after six winning seasons, and hired Billy Donovan in his place. Donovan led the team to the Western Conference Finals in his first season, but then lost in the first round for four consecutive years. He was fired after that, opening room for Mark Daigneault, who has led them to the NBA Finals in his fifth year as head coach with the franchise.
Who Will Be the Knicks Next Head Coach?
With the Knicks in win-now mode, they need a coach who can improve the team around the edges and help them get over the hump. There are some interesting choices out there, and some surprising betting favorites. Who will the Knicks choose as their next head coach? Let’s wait and see.
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