Earlier this month, Jalen Brunson signed a contract extension to stay with the New York Knicks. Now, his head coach may soon follow suit. Tom Thibodeau could be receiving a contract extension very soon. According to a recent report by NBA insider Marc Stein, he expects an announcement to be made “in the near future.”
Thibodeau is entering the final season of the initial contract he signed with the Knicks when he was hired in 2020. For the past few months, the expectation has been that he will be extended.
“There was a strong expectation in the desert that a contract extension for Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau will be announced in the near future,” reported Stein.
Knicks: Tom Thibodeau’s extension would be a deserving honor
An extension for the two-time NBA Coach of the Year would be well-deserved. Thibodeau has helped turn the Knicks franchise around, boasting a 175-143 record in his four seasons with the Knicks, making the playoffs three times, and advancing to the second round in each of the last two seasons. In March, he became just the sixth head coach in franchise history to coach 300 games.
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Thibodeau’s new deal could become one of the league’s most lucrative
Stein reported earlier this offseason that Thibodeau’s new contract could reach $10 million annually, an increase from his current $8 million per year mark. The new deal would align with some of the league’s highest-paid coaches.
Extending Thibodeau while the Knicks are entering a championship window helps maximize the team’s potential going forward. Players have bought into the culture he has brought to the team, and he has helped right the ship to turn the Knicks into true contenders for the first time in decades.
