James Dolan Talks Thibodeau Firing: “We Needed to Evolve”
After the loss to the Pistons, the Knicks owner breaks his silence, explaining the reasons behind Tom Thibodeau’s offseason dismissal
James Dolan has decided to speak. And when the Knicks owner takes the microphone, it rarely goes unnoticed. After nearly three years of silence, he returned to share his vision—without mincing words: for New York, this is a Finals-or-nothing season. Either they reach the end, or it will be a failure.
In doing so, Dolan also reopened one of the summer’s most debated chapters: the firing of Tom Thibodeau. A decision that shocked many, especially since the coach had just built a solid, winning team capable of reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in twenty-five years. And Dolan does not shy away from acknowledging it:
The team was truly built on Tom Thibodeau’s shoulders. He created that core. We got to where we got last year. So you have to tip your hat to Tom and the work he did. But we came to the conclusion that we had a specific idea of how we wanted to organize the team. And that meant we needed to evolve, moving beyond the old traditional coaching formulas.
James Dolan
Thibodeau laid the foundations, created the core, and gave the team its identity. But, according to the owner, that was no longer enough.
The reasons behind Thibodeau’s firing
The issue wasn’t performance on the court – it was the method. Too little collaboration, too little focus on long-term development. In a fast-changing NBA, Dolan wants a broader, more shared organization where player growth is as important as immediate wins. This vision led to the split, despite the results.
In the NBA, it’s almost impossible to do this. You have to grow talent internally, which also allows you to create value for potential trades. And it’s a team effort: there are literally 20 people specifically dedicated to player development and translating strategy to the court. It’s essential for building a franchise. Tom liked development, but not fully to that extent.
James Dolan
On trade rumors surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo
No, there won’t be a revolution. Dolan quickly shut down speculation about a possible Giannis trade and reaffirmed his strong belief in the current roster:
We love the team we have right now. There’s chemistry, everyone gets along. I’ve never seen a locker room this peaceful. There’s a lot of energy. Leon (Rose, Knicks President, ed.) can always step in, but I don’t see major changes on the horizon. We need to keep building this group. This group can win a championship. I believe it.
James Dolan
Now, the bench is in Mike Brown’s hands, tasked with taking the final step. Despite a turbulent stretch of six losses in the last eleven games, early results are already visible: the NBA Cup victory, with Jalen Brunson named MVP, and the team sitting third in the Eastern Conference (23-13). That’s why the focus is on refinement, not rebuilding. In New York, after years of waiting and promises, fans are craving a title that has eluded them since 1973.