
One Western Conference executive told The Athletic that Thibodeau wouldn’t have secured a quick hire like this had Rose passed on the opportunity to run the Knicks. He likely would’ve had to pay his dues, possibly in an assistant coaching role, in an effort to swallow some ego and show he was willing to adapt and work to get another shot. “(I) wouldn’t say (Thibodeau) wasn’t considered a good coach anymore,” the executive said. “People know he can coach. But it’s tough to gauge how much of that was the Wolves organization with their issues and how much of it was Tom not being a modern coach.”