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Ex-Pelican Josh Hart Reacts to Knicks Firing Tom Thibodeau

Former New Orleans Pelicans forward Josh Hart took to social media to thank his former New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau
Matt Guzman|
Jan 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau talks to guard Josh Hart (3) during the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden.
Jan 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau talks to guard Josh Hart (3) during the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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Josh Hart is sort of an NBA journeyman.

After being drafted by the Utah Jazz and immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, Hart spent a season with LeBron James before he was shipped to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the Anthony Davis deal that won James his fourth NBA title.

Since then, Hart left New Orleans for Portland in a deal that brought C.J. McCollum to the Pelicans and then again in a deal with the Knicks that sent Cam Reddish to the Trailblazers. Now set to enter his ninth season in the league, it seems he's found a more permanent home in New York.

The same can't be said of the coach who arrived to the Knicks just a couple of years before him.

In a surprising move Tuesday afternoon, the Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau after five years at the helm. Thibodeau's tenure came with controversy; his rotations were a unique fixture of his coaching style.

The Knicks simply felt it best to have a new voice lead the locker room.

"Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans," Knicks president Leon Rose said. "This pursuit led us to the difficult decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we've decided to move in another direction."

Following the announcement, Hart took to social media to express his praise for his former coach. "Forever Grateful," he wrote. "Thank you!"

In his five seasons, the Knicks advanced to the playoffs four times and won at least one series thrice — a feat only accomplished twice since the 1999-00 season prior to Thibodeau's arrival.

Fresh off a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, New York is now set for a coaching reset, though they hope to build on the momentum behind Jalen Brunson, Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns rather than start from scratch.

That may end up being more difficult than it seems.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodea
Apr 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau speaks to his team on the bench during a time out during the fourth quarter of game two of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

"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," Rose said. "He led us not only with class and professionalism for the past five seasons, but also to tremendous success on the court.

"Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward."

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

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