The Knicks have obviously fallen through tough times over the past 20 years and, as a result, the team has become a setback for NBA jabs and battles. The most famous players have repeatedly moved on to come to New York (with players like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving having elected Brooklyn over the “mecca” of Madison Square Garden), and previous coach hires and front office moves have gone wrong.
So will Rose and Thibodeau change that league-wide image of the Knicks franchise? Thibodeau clearly brings a practical and purposeful approach to training, and has been successful in turning teams into playoff contenders in his previous stops. Obviously he’s too early to say exactly how he fits into this current iteration of the Knicks, but at the very least he’s a proven NBA coach with a track record of building winners.
As for Rose, he’ll be able to do what other Knicks front office members don’t have in putting together a roster that can sustain victory and make a run (or two, or three) to an NBA title.