Stephen A. Smith Calls For Knicks to Fire Thibodeau, Hire Ty Lue
Even after coaching the New York Knicks to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2013, Tom Thibodeau's job is still being called for.
When talking about the Knicks potentially pursuing New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson on First Take, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith also said the franchise should try to hire Los Angeles Clippers head coach Ty Lue after the 2023 season.
"This should be Tom Thibodeau's last season," Smith said on Monday's edition of "First Take." "Let him go somewhere else and you get Ty Lue from the Los Angeles Clippers. I think Ty Lue should want out of there and I think he should want to coach where players are going to be available to play...I think Ty Lue is a top-two coach in the NBA right now."
Smith prefaced his comments by saying he respects Thibodeau and thinks he should still be a head coach in the NBA.
Lue and Thibodeau's contracts expire after the 2024 season. Los Angeles has made the playoffs in two of Lue's three seasons as head coach, which includes a Western Conference Finals visit in 2021. The Clippers have compiled a 138-106 record in that span, sixth-best in the Western Conference. In coaching circles, Lue is best known for his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he stood at the helm for parts of four seasons and helped guide the franchise to its first NBA title upon taking over midseason in 2016.
In Thibodeau's three seasons with the Knicks, they have gone 125-111 and have also reached the postseason twice.
Along with his high praise for Lue, Smith noted that Thibodeau's coaching left something to be desired during the Knicks' recent playoff run. The Miami Heat eliminated New York in six games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
"I go back and I watch the tape and I look at Julius [Randle] and I'm like damn," Smith said. "I'm watching two years ago in the playoffs, I'm watching this year in the playoffs, you've got to make some adjustments...I'm looking for the adjustments Tom Thibodeau has made and I didn't see much of it. When you know what's coming if you're the opposition, that doesn't put Julius Randle in the greatest position to succeed."
A potential move for Lue is predicated on the Clippers moving on from him and the Knicks' brass deciding Thibodeau's run has ended with the franchise. If Lue were to become available and New York is looking for a head coach, they should give a hard look toward the former NBA champion.
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