New Report Details Knicks’ Jalen Brunson Concern Before Firing Tom Thibodeau

Days after the New York Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau, a new report revealed some of what was going behind the scenes in the Knicks' organization prior to the sacking.

For one thing, the decision wasn't a spontaneous one as the franchise had "been trending" in the direction of letting go of Thibodeau for months, according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

For another, Thibodeau's coaching methods were largely scrutinized, particularly how he handled Jalen Brunson in the 2024-25 campaign.

"Brunson's usage, which under Thibodeau has been the highest of his career, raised concerns," Shelburne wrote Thursday.

The Knicks appeared to be dissatisfied with the way Thibodeau coached Brunson and reportedly thought the 67-year-old coach "relied" on the star guard too much at the end of games.

Shelburne elaborated:

Then there were more general concerns about how much Thibodeau relied on Brunson. The Brunson-Towns pairing was initially wildly successful. Entering February, the Brunson and Towns pick-and-roll was the second-most-efficient pick-and-roll combination in the NBA, averaging 1.22 points per direct play.

But after February, that dropped to 0.88 points per direct pick as opponents started putting a wing on Brunson and switching a center onto the inconsistent-shooting Hart. Thibodeau never came up with an effective counter -- often forcing Brunson to bail the team out at the end of possessions.

Following their first conference finals appearance in 25 years, the Knicks suffered playoff heartbreak against the Indiana Pacers, with Thibodeau's worn-out squad seemingly unable to match the Pacers' energy on the other side of the court.

Given Thibodeau's well-documented tendency to lean on his starters and stick with a core-heavy rotation, it's possible the Knicks were worried about Brunson's longevity after the 28-year-old missed a handful of games this past season due to ankle and calf injuries. Shelburne brought up the cautionary tale of Derrick Rose being hampered by injuries in his later years under Thibodeau on the Chicago Bulls.

Not wanting to run that risk, the Knicks may have chosen to do what was best for Brunson's career in the long run. How to build around their franchise star—and who to trust to coach Brunson and the Knicks to greater playoff glory—are now the burning questions that New York will try to answer this summer.