Pros and cons of Knicks' potential Tom Thibodeau replacements

The Knicks have kept their fans on their toes over the past year, once again rocking headlines on Tuesday afternoon when they fired head coach Tom Thibodeau after five of the winningest seasons in recent franchise history.

Now eyes turn to a potential replacement who can take the team to the next level.

Here are the pros and cons of some of the potential candidates...

Johnnie Bryant

Pros: 

-Bryant is a highly respected player development coach, having forged strong bonds with guys over the course of his career, notably Donovan Mitchell while in Utah.
-He spent four seasons in New York as an associate head coach under Tom Thibodeau, watching him lay this foundation that he would get a chance to build further off.
-Having coached under Quin Snyder and Kenny Atkinson has given him a front row look at some of the NBA’s best offensive schemers. 

Cons:

-First-time head coach risk. For a team trying to elevate beyond a legend like Thibodeau and crack the Finals, it’s inherently a big swing to go with a newcomer to the position.
-His relative newness and player-first mentality may not be the strongman approach needed to get the most out of this contending core, and he would be working in a high-pressure New York environment.

Kenny Atkinson

Pros: 

-Renowned player development coach who has elevated the games of Evan Mobley recently and the plucky pre-big-three Brooklyn Nets.
-High-level offensive mind whose hiring boosted the Cleveland Cavaliers record from 48 wins in 2024 to 64 in 2025.
-Over 20 years of coaching experience, including under Steve Kerr and Tyronn Lue.

Cons:

-Untested as a head coach in deep playoff runs, his Cavaliers team flamed out in the 2025 postseason.
-Was fired from the Nets in part due to struggles with managing star personalities. 

Mike Malone

Pros:

-2023 NBA championship winning coach with over 30 years of experience.
-Strong defensive coach with high-level winning mentality. 
-Was a Knicks assistant from 2001-2005, so some experience coaching this franchise under his belt.

Cons:

-Has been critiqued for many of the things that got Thibodeau dismissed, such as a lack of adaptability and unwillingness to play and develop young players. 
-May not bring enough of a shakeup offensively, was similarly reliant on a one-man show in his time in Denver.

Jay Wright

Pros:

-Two-time NCAA champion with Villanova, known for building championship cultures.-Coached Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges at the collegiate level.

Cons:

-No NBA head coaching experience.-Transitions from the college level for any name are hit-or-miss.

Jeff Van Gundy

Pros:

-Fan favorite, deep roots with the Knicks including leading them to a 1999 Finals appearance.-Decades of coaching experience, including long playoff runs and dealing with multiple high-profile personalities.

Cons:

-Hasn’t been an NBA head coach since 2007-May be some concerns with transitioning to the modern game.

Mike Brown

Pros:

-Over 25 years of NBA coaching experience, including two Coach of the Year awards-Known for being player-first with a strong defensive mindset.

Cons:

-Shaky playoff resume, lots of cases of underperformance.-May not bring the offensive innovation the Knicks need.

Mike Budenholzer

Pros:

-NBA champion in 2021 and architect of the starless 60-win 2014-15 Atlanta Hawks team, two-time Coach of the Year. -Descends from the Spurs' coaching tree under Gregg Popovich and has seen his assistants grow into strong NBA coaches themselves.

Cons:

-Often on the brink of dismissal.-Similarly to Thibodeau, he has struggled with in-game adjustments during high-level playoff series.