Tom Thibodeau Eyes Knicks Contract Extension: 'This is Where I Want to Be'

After the New York Knicks lost Sunday's Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Indiana Pacers, head coach Tom Thibodeau made it clear that he doesn't want to leave the Big Apple anytime soon.

Thibodeau, who has one year remaining on his contract, told reporters that he will let his agent handle contract extension talks this summer and added, "The Knicks have been great to me. This is where I want to be."

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported last week that the Knicks "very much want to lock in" Thibodeau to a long-term extension, and it "wouldn't surprise anyone" if his new deal "approaches eight figures" in yearly salary.

Thibodeau is coming off a stellar year in which he led the Knicks to a 50-32 record, the team's best finish since 2012-13. New York advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the second straight year and fought through a string of devastating injuries to push the series against the Pacers to seven games.

Thibodeau arrived in New York in 2020 following his tenures as head coach of the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. He inherited a Knicks team that was in the midst of a seven-year playoff drought, but he guided the squad to the postseason in his first year and earned his second career NBA Coach of the Year award. New York has made the playoffs in three out of four years under Thibodeau.

The 66-year-old has also brought the best out of point guard Jalen Brunson, who emerged as a superstar this postseason by leading all players in playoff scoring at 33.7 points per game.

The Knicks are facing some important contract decisions this summer, but extending Thibodeau likely won't be a difficult endeavor. It sounds like there's mutual interest between both sides, so Thibodeau likely will be staying put in New York for the foreseeable future.