The New York Knicks are taking heat from all sides after firing head coach Tom Thibodeau, but no one hits harder than Charles Barkley. Speaking before Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Barkley did not hold back. He slammed the Knicks for dismissing a successful coach without having a clear replacement ready.
“The Knicks gonna be the stupidest damn people in the world,” the NBA Hall of Famer said prior the game. “You don’t fire no good coach like that and don’t have a plan. Tim’s done a hell of a job, obviously something’s going on there, but you don’t have a plan? And now the three coaches turn you down, you gotta have a plan. I don’t know what the hell they’re gonna do.”
“The Knicks gonna be the stupidest damn people in the world. … You don’t have a plan?”
Charles Barkley reacts to New York being denied four times to interview coaches who currently hold positions with their current teams
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— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 11, 2025
Barkley’s frustration echoes what many around the league are feeling. Thibodeau led the Knicks to a 51-31 record this season, guiding the team to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. During his five seasons with New York, Thibodeau posted a 226-174 regular-season record along with a 24-23 mark in the playoffs. Under his leadership, the Knicks transformed from a struggling franchise into a legitimate contender in the East.
Despite his success, the Knicks front office made the bold decision to part ways with him after their playoff exit against the Indiana Pacers. Many assumed the Knicks had a star replacement lined up, but that has not been the case. Their search has quickly turned into a public disaster.
New York reached out to several high-profile candidates. They sought permission to interview Jason Kidd, Chris Finch, Ime Udoka, Quin Snyder, and Billy Donovan. Every single one of them declined. The Knicks also attempted to lure Jay Wright out of retirement and made a run at UConn’s Dan Hurley, but both college coaches said no. The rejections have left the Knicks scrambling with no clear direction.
The failed search raises questions about the Knicks’ front office and its decision-making. Critics like Barkley and others in the NBA world wonder how a team could fire a coach fresh off one of the most successful seasons in decades without securing a top candidate first. Former NBA coach P.J. Carlesimo also weighed in, saying the Knicks are often their own worst enemy.
“The Knicks always think they’re smarter than everybody else, that’s the Knick philosophy,” Carlesimo said on the Ryen Russillo podcast. “They think they’re different and we’re smarter than all these other teams, and we know what we’re doing, and I would say they’re normally the opposite. They’re often times their own worst enemy.”
New York still has a talented roster with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns leading the way. However, the longer the coaching vacancy drags on, the more pressure builds.
Barkley’s harsh words reflect the growing sense that the Knicks may have made a huge gamble without thinking through the consequences. The clock is ticking in New York, and the basketball world is watching closely.
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