New York Knicks Next Head Coach Betting Odds: Who Will Replace Tom Thibodeau?

Coming off their deepest NBA playoff run in the last 25 years, the New York Knicks unceremoniously fired head coach Tom Thibodeau on June 3 just days after the team was eliminated in the Eastern Conference finals in six games by the Indiana Pacers. 

With the position currently vacant, here's a look at betting odds courtesy of Sportsbook for who could be Thibodeau's replacement on the sidelines in the Big Apple. 

New York Knicks Next Head Coach Betting Odds

Odds as of June 4, 2025 at Sportsbook

Why Did The New York Knicks Fire Tom Thibodeau?

Team president Leon Rose released this statement following Thibodeau's dismissal, courtesy of ESPN: "Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans. This pursuit led us to the decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we've decided to move in another direction. We can't thank Tom enough for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach.

"... Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward. Tom will always be part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future."

New York finished the regular season with a 51-31 record, marking the first time since 1995 that the franchise had back-to-back 50-win records after going 50-32 the year prior. Prior to the start of the campaign, the front office moved Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for superstar big man Karl-Anthony Towns, and sent five first-round draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges. 

Those acquisitions hurt the roster's depth, with Thibodeau often criticized for running his starting lineup into the ground as all five players averaged more than 35 minutes per contest. Bridges reportedly even approached his now former coach in March asking for the second unit to receive more opportunities to compete, which would alleviate some of the pressure on the starters. 

With Thibodeau being let go, every Coach of the Year winner from 2018 through 2023 has now been fired from the position which garnered them the honor in the first place. Thibodeau received the Red Auerbach trophy in 2020-21, and now s a list of dismissed coaches which includes Mike Brown, Nick Nurse, and Monty Williams to name a few. 

New York Knicks Head Coaching Candidates

Here are three potential candidates the Knicks should strongly consider to fill Thibodeau's shoes.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone is undoubtedly the sexiest name on the board after guiding the Denver Nuggets to a title in 2023. He's also a native of Queens, New York, and his late father Brendan was also a former assistant coach for the team, as well.

The issue, however, is that Malone is eerily similar in coaching style and philosophy to that of Thibodeau. Whether it was due to a lack of viable options, Malone was also prone to giving his starting unit more playing time than it could probably handle, and he was canned by Denver just days ahead of the playoffs getting underway, which obviously isn't a great look. 

Johnnie Bryant

Bryant has a history with the Knicks, at the very least, having worked under Thibodeau from 2020 through 2024 prior to ing the Cleveland Cavaliers as an associate head coach this past season. Both he and New York's front office continue to have a strong relationship to this day, and that could tilt the odds in his favor when it's time to name the person for the job. 

Dave Bliss

The Oklahoma City Thunder are four wins away from capturing the 2025 crown as of writing, and Dave Bliss currently works for the team as a lead assistant having helped forge the No. 1-ranked defense in all of basketball. He interviewed for the Phoenix Suns' opening, and like Bryant, was one of the final five choices for the position prior to the team granting Jordan Ott the job.