The New York Knicks are finalizing a five-year deal with Tom Thibodeau to make him the new head coach of the team, according to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Knicks president Leon Rose and CAA Sports agent Spencer Breecker are reportedly working on terms, as per Wojnarowski, and a signed agreement is expected soon.
The 62-year-old Thibodeau last worked as head coach and president of basketball operations with the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2016-19. The New Britain, Conn., native has a history with the Knicks, having been an assistant coach with the team from 1996-2004.
According to Wojnarowski, the Knicks are “counting on Thibodeau’s history in player development as a head coach and assistant to put into place a program that’ll restore a competitive infrastructure.”
Thibodeau will be the Knicks’ sixth head coach in six seasons after the team fired David Fizdale in December following a 4-18 start to the season. Mike Miller took over as interim head coach after Fizdale was let go and served in the role through to the season’s pause on March 11 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Knicks will not be taking part in the NBA’s restart in Orlando as the team was 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 21-45 record when play was stopped four months ago.
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