June 3, 2025 • 43 mins
Sean Brace, Luke Arcaini, and Sean Barnard discuss the breaking news that the New York Knickerbockers have fired Tom Thibodeau as their head coach.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Number one on your car radio preset hand the new
and improved Iheard Radio WDAS and WD two seven.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Bring d Philadelphia is Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
The Gambler, Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, come on down.
Speaker 4 (00:19):
We got ourselves say hot topic kicking off the daily
ticket right here on the Gambler. It's a Tuesday edition.
Luke Arcaney joining me from the jump. I expected to
talk a lot about the North of the Border series
between the Toronto Blue Jays and our Philadelphia Phillies, mixing
in a little odds and ends from the NBA, the
(00:40):
NBA Finals, the Association.
Speaker 5 (00:42):
I did not think and if.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
You have been listening to this show specifically, we have
talked about We have addressed this situation now for the
last three weeks plus on whether or not the Knicks
would say if they come up short. Tom Thibodeaux is
a guy that can get you to a a nice spot.
Speaker 5 (01:01):
But eventually cannot get you over the top.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
There have been other coaches that we have viewed as such,
such as Steve Kerr of course getting the opportunity from
Mark Jackson and Golden State. We listed some examples over
the years. It's not something that.
Speaker 5 (01:15):
We would have thought, could it would have happened out
of nowhere.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
These things do happen from time to time in the
NBA and professional sports across the board.
Speaker 5 (01:24):
More so in the NBA.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
Tom Thibodeaux out as the New York Knicks head coach
with a two twenty six, one seventy four overall record
five seasons. He is one game over five hundred in
the playoffs and again just brought the Knicks to their
first Eastern Conference Finals in twenty five years, made the
(01:46):
playoffs in four out of five years, and the Knicks
are saying thanks, but no thanks, it's not good enough, unbelievable.
I am shocked, and I should not be because it's
the association, it's the NBA. The main reason why I
am shocked, it's because Sam Austrey was very, very opinionated
(02:08):
on this conversation, and he was right because when you
look at Jalen Brunson, whose father is on the team,
the communication, the friendship, the partnership, the knowing of each other,
familiarity between of course front office Lean Rose Dolan all
the way through Tom Fibodeau, and the success that they
(02:31):
just had with Brunson being the main player and saying
at the end of the game six that Phibbideau is
the guy.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
He had his trust.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
He believed that he was a coach that could get
them to the promised Land. Not so fast. Sorry, Jelen Brunson.
You might be the big man on campus, but you
are not the decision maker. Tom Thibodeau out as head
coach of the New York Knicks. Now Luke Arcaney joining me, Luke,
good afternoon. How we today, sir?
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Good afternoon.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Rip up the show notes, delete the emails, everything changes nothing, crazy, man,
just just insane. I mean, listen, if if you're a
team like the Knicks and you go into a series
like that, and no matter how Tyres Haliburton plays, and
no matter how Pascal Siakam plays, that next team was
(03:25):
was expected.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
To win that series.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
The Knicks should have won that series and they came
up short to a team that they should have beat,
you know.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
By by sports ways.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
You know, that's a lot of time. How it goes there,
there has to be a scapegoat, you know. I think
this Knicks front office knows that this roster is the
best chance that they've had in a while, you know,
and if they don't think he's the he's the right
guy to lead the way, that there's no point in
keeping him around here. I think we all know. You know,
when you think of Fibbs, you you think of all
(04:00):
all of the complaints from people saying how they run
guys forty eight to forty nine minutes a game, even
if they go to overtime, they don't sit the whole game.
Maybe this team just continues to burn out and maybe
just need a new voice in there.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
You know.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
I think there's a voice we all might have in
the back of our head that I know is going
to get thrown around. But they have a chance to
maybe go in there and get a new face, you know,
whether that's from out of house, whether that's a guy
internally that they really like.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
But you know, I think a name that.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Maybe might not be at the top of their list,
But I think the most popular name that we're gonna
see is our old friend Jay.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
Right, That's correct, I just got off the phone.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Of course, we have some great connections, great relationships, great
partnerships with the five folks over at Villanova.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
Jay is still a mainstay.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Well, he is awesome on television, has a great, great gig.
As far as CBS Sports is concerned around the college
basketball game, yeah, we've heard it all. We know like
he is the first call for a lot of teams
out there, and if you don't make the call, you're
at least thinking about him, no doubt about it. And
rightfully so, now, Luke, you can hit the rewind button
(05:15):
and go back years. I'm talking about five plus years
that I have always said that I thought Jay Wright
would come out and coach one place, in one place only,
and it was Madison Square Garden.
Speaker 5 (05:29):
It was the New York Knicks.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
And this is pre Brunson, pre Josh Hart, pre all
Villanova flavor. That was something that I've always said, and
I believed it would take something special, not just a
price tag, but something special to get Jay Wright out
of retirement.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
And I thought that, you know what, there was truth.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
There is definitely truth behind him wanting to coach the
seventy six years. We do know that there was that
opportunity a long long time ago, and I just felt
like if he was going to give coach another crack,
I didn't think he would go to a college campus.
I just felt like the NBA would be it. He
is the first call.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
Luke.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Jay Wright is the first call. I don't care if
he says no, fine, that's that's not my job. That's
not for me to decide. As somebody that's doing some
hiring for the New York Knicks next next side coach.
My job is to improve our team, get the most
out of our roster. Find someone that can coach Kat
(06:32):
and Brunson on the floor at the same time, find
someone that isn't going to burn us up.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
Take all of the.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
Positives that you have just had this season and then
some and build on that. Somebody that can get you
to the promised land. Jay Wright's that guy. Jay Wright
is that guy can be.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
But at the same time, and and I want to
play a little Devil's advocate here.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
If you're this next team, and you're a team.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
That wants to go win a championship next year, and
you know that you probably have just about all of
the pieces that you need. I know there's there's already
some some trade rumors for.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Cat and all this blah blah blah blah blah.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
If you if you have the core, and you have
the owner that's willing to spend money, and you have
the fan base that's finally behind and and.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
The Garden and the best place in basketball. Right.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Do you go get a guy that's a college basketball coach,
do you call a guy that is never coached in
the NBA, or do you go get an experienced NBA
NBA basketball coach? Personally, I think this team needs an
experienced NBA coach before they need j Rap because I
(07:49):
I think and and this is this is a little
bit to me. This is trying to where I know
and I know a lot of people are saying this
right now, and this is not the same situation by
any means, but it's the same.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Overall kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Okay, A lot of people don't want Reeese Hoskins back
in Philly because you're just trying to rewrite history. And
I think a lot of Knicks fans are gonna want
Jay right back just to rewrite history.
Speaker 5 (08:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Well, realistically, I think this Knixt team needs an experienced
NBA head coach that can coach this group rather than
a guy that their buddy buddy will.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
And they will, oh, okay, Champion's just buddy buddy, all right,
Devil's advocate. Fine, And I would like you to at
least hone in on a name. Okay, since I'm coming
at an, you're.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Coming out.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
Oh NBA coaches to throw them underneath, but sure, yeah,
underneath the blanket?
Speaker 5 (08:38):
Fine anyone? Sure?
Speaker 4 (08:40):
No, here, here's my pushback. You're ready, Jay Wright. It's basketball. Hey,
it's basketball.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Right.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
And also and also he does have experience from Team USA,
which does deal primarily with nothing but NBA players, So
he has that connection, has that experience as far as
coaching is concerned. I just feel like you want to
talk about somebody that you might be getting again, that
rejuvenated vibe coming back in. Oh, by the way, you're
(09:09):
going to the Mecca, a place he dominated Big East
Tournament after Big East Tournament, every single March. He was
at Nova for twenty one years. Here's an opportunity for
something new to go. Coach Villanova Light with Jalen Brunson,
who is a rock star who has kicked the door
in and showed us that, yeah, you want to doubt me,
(09:31):
believe me. I'm good enough to lead this team to
a championship. Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks are
a solid damn team fifty plus games. What do we say,
during the regular season they struggled versus the teams at
the top. Well, okay, but guess what when it came
to matter the most, they beat Boston. They took the
Pacers again six games. I'm not trying to make something
(09:52):
out of it that it's not. But Pacers beat Cleveland.
So at the end, it doesn't matter what the regular season,
I get it. Oh and ten fine, but man, and
this is a good damn Knicks team. And oh, by
the way, you see the flaws. They need a deeper bench,
maybe a little bit of a change. As far as
the approach with minutes per game, it was ridiculous what
Tip Thibodeaux did to that team. I get it, he
(10:15):
got them to the Eastern Conference Finals, the farthest day've
been in twenty five years.
Speaker 5 (10:20):
He deserves a ton of credit. But man, yeah, tired
legs is a real damn deal. And it was absurd
what those.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
Numbers were, the amount of minutes played compared to the
other teams that are going up against and then in
Eastern Conference finals. Yeah, you gotta go up against a
team that is just built on pace and three pointers. Yeah,
they had no shot with that. You know that that
coaching mindset. I look at Jay Wright, man, let's be
honest about the sports and entertainment side of things.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
You're in New York City.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
You want to get people talking as they already are
about the Knicks, the the Pacers won, and we have
spent the last two plus days talking about the Knicks.
You want to get you want to raise it up
to another level. Hier Jay Wright, I'll throw a name
at you, Mike Bulone.
Speaker 5 (11:06):
Sure you want me to go? You want me to
go because I'll tell you this.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
I think it's pretty How good were the Denver Nuggets
this year?
Speaker 5 (11:15):
They took Oklahoma City to seven games?
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Right?
Speaker 4 (11:19):
I know he's got the championship? How good are the
Denver Nuggets? He got fired with three games left. The
team was a disaster. What happened? Yeah, look, he want
he won a championship. You can't deny that. But come on, man,
let's not build him up to a guy that's automatically
gonna take them to the promised. He's got a little
stink on him right now, little stench on Mike Malone
(11:39):
for sure.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
I just I just think, listen, I don't think Jay
Wright would be a bad higher at all. And quite frankly,
I think it probably does make sense because you know
there there there is that obvious history there. And listen,
if if Jay Wright doesn't come back for this job,
He's not coming back. I could not coming back. That's
(12:00):
this is his last opportunity to come back to coach.
Speaker 5 (12:03):
Well, that that was always it.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
I did think that Team USA could be something that
would present itself and maybe it's something that who knows
Jay Wright?
Speaker 5 (12:12):
Again, I made one phone call.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
To a person I trust some of the that deals
and that's as far as I'll go. I said, could
you give me a percentage of the Knicks called? He
said twenty percent? And and and okay, that's a good
enough number. I don't even care if it was two percent.
I'm still calling him on the Knicks.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Yeah, no, I mean you have to call him like
you can't call him.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
There's there's, once again, the the obvious connection there. It's
just the matter of like, how how MBA experience do
you want to go? And and granted you know basketball
is basketball, it's it's five man strategies here that the
college game can be similar to the NBA game, especially
(12:55):
when you're as experienced as as he is. But if
this team's set up to win a championship right now,
which I think with the right coach and a good
and good performances, more.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Than anything their overall team they are.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
I think more than anything, they need a new general
manager's approach. As far as filling out that roster, that's
only gonna help. I don't think that they've they proved
their worth. It wasn't a fluke what the Knicks did?
They won fifty plus games? Like who wash was Greeny
Greeney saying, oh, well, this is a mediocre team that
Jalen brunts and drug to the finish line. That was
(13:30):
a joke, dude, Like I get it here on national
TV and you need a little hot take read. But
come on, man, that's a really good roster. We saw
front and center last year versus the seventy six ers,
and this year they were just as good, if not better.
Of course, they went to the first Eastern Conference finals
in twenty five years.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
Breaking news if you're just joining us.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
We got Luke Carcany crossing Bravo talk, some Phillies and
the Toronto Blue Jays coming up here in just a second.
But Tom Thibodeau out as the New York Knicks head coach.
And this has been a hot button top for the
last three plus weeks on this program, just.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
A little jab on the way out.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
We'll always talk about the games, the numbers, the odds,
the props, and then we'll get into some of the
minutia that doesn't matter until, of course, the season wraps up.
And I simply asked that will it be viewed that
if if Thibbs does not get him to the Promised Land,
the NBA Finals or win a championship, will he be out?
Because you could already hear it, You could already see
(14:24):
how the picture is being created that, oh, he got
him to as far as he could. Now you need
somebody else, a fresh new perspective, fresh new voice. And
I get it. There are examples that have worked in
the past. Specifically, people are going to bring up the
Golden State Warriors with Mark Jackson, the Steve Kerr understood,
I think can go even Phil Jackson taking over the Lakers.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
I get it.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
But man, just putting Michael Malone in there, who had
the best player, one of the best players in NBA
history for years, and then all of a sudden has
a great team one of the best teams in the playoffs,
took the eventual champion the seven games, and he gets
fired with three games left. And now people are telling
(15:08):
me that's the answer. I don't know. I just I'm
not sold on Michael Malone right now. The question I
would have though, Luke, is this, if you make that move,
you better have somebody in mind, right.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Yeah, No, that's the thing they they have. They have
their candidate.
Speaker 5 (15:26):
You think.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
It is the Knicks you have to like and and
whether it's Jay Right, Mike Malone, whatever, who it is,
And there's obviously way more options.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
This team's eight to one to win the finals next year.
They have in theater, they.
Speaker 5 (15:42):
Don't have a coach. They don't have a coach.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
They're only behind the Thunder.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
But like this is, it's still a good team that
they need.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
They need the right coach in there.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
And and they're gonna have to decide if they call
Jay Wright and he wants to do it, then they
got to do it. And they need to commit to
a guy that a college coach that has obviously had
a ton of experience, but they need to commit to
a guy that hasn't coached in a few years. Coming
back and getting what he got out of Nova from
(16:15):
these guys and what these guys have already shown in
the league, like listen, that chemistry is there.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
That move makes the most sense.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
As long as Jay Wright wants to come back, it's
just a matter of if they want to go after
a college basketball coach.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
Again, he's more than just a college basketball coach. He's
a He's a Hall of Fame coach. That's number one.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
He's a Hall of Fame.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Yes, college basketball again. You throw all the accolades in,
including Team USA. Here is here's Jalen Brunson following the loss,
the game six loss on Saturday night to the Pacers.
I hope this is the cut. It's live radio. I
don't have an opportunity to listen to it. I believe
this is the Tom Thibodeaux cut at the end where
(16:57):
he drops the microphone and essentially says, yes, he has
confidence and Pibbs is the guy. How confident are you
that this group has enough to take that next step?
Speaker 5 (17:07):
The most confidence over confidence?
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Seriously, he's not a bounce of any type of doubt
that I'm not confident with this group.
Speaker 5 (17:16):
That's not it.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Man.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
Unfortunately, there was a let's see here there was Yeah, okay,
so this is Thibbs right here, this is the day. Anyways,
let me go ahead and fire this in the search
bar here. Man, I thought I had it, Unfortunately I don't. Anyways,
he was asked at the end it was the final
(17:39):
question of the press conference Saturday night after the loss,
whether or not he had confidence in Thibbs. Maybe it
was the following question, and he came out and said, yes,
what type of question is that?
Speaker 5 (17:49):
And he dropped the microphone. He was upset at the question.
Speaker 4 (17:51):
Now, I think he owes that reporter and apology because
clearly the Knicks were thinking the same way that reporter was.
Brunson might have all the confidence in the world, and
he might have thought it was a stupid question. But
there's the reality. The Knicks just released a statement. I'll
have that for you in just the second. Here again
breaking news, the Knicks fired their head coach. You know
what's crazy to today, Luke, I worked out in my
(18:14):
gym today and who walked in Elton.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
Brandeau Elton Brand. It worked out with Elton Brand today.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
I have that kick statement if you well.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
Got it right here.
Speaker 4 (18:24):
Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for
our fans. This pursuit led us to a difficult decision
to inform Tom Thibodeau that we're that we've decided to
move in another direction. We can't thank Tom enough for
porting his heart and soul to each and every day
of being a New York Knicks head coach. He led
us not only with class and professionalism for the past
five seasons, but also a tremendous success on the court
(18:46):
with four playoff berths and four playoff series victories. Ultimately,
we made the decision we feel as best for an
organization moving forward. Tom will always be a part of
our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but
the best in the future, I hope.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
And that's from Leon Rose. Wow.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
So I know we got on here and and we
were all shocked, right like like you were you sent
some some text Are you were shocked?
Speaker 5 (19:08):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Do you think it's the right move?
Speaker 1 (19:13):
I know you're shocked that it happened, but deep down,
like do you think do you think the Knicks are
better with Tom Thibodeaux or the field? Basically, because they
were two games away from the NBA Finals, and they
lost to a better team.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
Yeah, they lost to a better team, right, like you know,
And that's in one of the things that goes to
my mind.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
And I'll answer your question a second. I talked about
the seventy six ers present day.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
And we've been down that path and and it's been
it's been troublesome, to say the least, over the past
few years.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
But even if this team was.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
To have success this year and be a three seed
like the Knicks and losing that second round maybe the
Eastern Conference, I don't know.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
I don't know if it.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
Would be good enough for for the fans. I really don't.
I just don't know. And that's kind of where the
Knicks fans are. They fully expect somebody to get them
to a championship. But the old cliche is this, there's
only one team that's happy after it's I'll said Anne,
everybody else is disappointed. And that's where we're at right now.
And yesterday Luke I said, Man, it's funny how fat
(20:17):
these Knicks fans are getting. All of a sudden, you
get on one trip to the Eastern Conference finals in
twenty five years and the fact.
Speaker 5 (20:24):
That you love who are we we can't lose. We're favored.
We're talking about we belong in the finals. And I
just laughed at that, and I had some fun at
their expense yesterday.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
But here we are now Knicks fans, maybe we're right.
Do I think Thibodeaux could have got him over the hump?
I think with a better with a deeper bench. I
really do believe with a deeper bench, they could have
ran with the pacers a little more and with that
they could advanced. I I just I put the bullseye
(20:58):
on front office. Of course, is that guy too as
well making decisions getting players in there. But the whole
approach of run these guys to their dead from the
beginning of the season, gas pedaled down all the way
through until where they just were eliminated. There were times
there were stretches that they had tired legs and they
(21:19):
blew some big time leads. Now you could flip that
on me. In the Boston series they came back down
twenty to two games.
Speaker 5 (21:25):
So I answer your question, I'm not firing Tom Thibdau
unless they got Jay Wright.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
So, so Shams was on the McAfee show and he said,
as soon as the next season ended, they started having meetings.
They believe it the best path for this team to
take the next step is with a new voice. They
came to the decision this morning that they're gonna part
ways with Tom Thibodeau. He went on to say, the
New York Knicks might be looking for a guy that
trusts their bench more. For better or for worse. Tom
(21:56):
Thibodeaux had a way that he was going to operate.
It leads to a lot of success, but clearly the
Knicks wanted to change the direction. But like you said,
they want to coach that wants to trust their bench more.
But you can only trust your bench if you have
a good bench, or at least a good enough bench
for the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
So I mean, like you said, like deep down, and
and it truly always.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Does, there's I would say there's more percentage of coach
firings that it's really the GM's fault first than it
is the coach, because like, if you want a coach
to trust a bench in the playoffs, you have to
have a deep, playable bench for the playoffs. And if
this Knicks team only had a few guys that they
(22:41):
could really trust off the bench, then he's not gonna
put guys he doesn't trust into a playoff game.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Look, he was his.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
Own worst enemy, but he had his ways, right, so
he was having success doing it his way. We are
not privy to the conversations that were happening behind the
scenes on whether or not why he would play this
player or that player. And I'm sure that that's what's
going to leak out as you just read from Shams.
Oh well, if they weren't happy with the way he
was using the bench, all right, but I'm sure that
they were in love with the fact that they were
(23:10):
in the Eastern Conference finals. But oh, by the way,
when he did tweak some things and start using some
other players, they did win that game as well, albeit
Brunson was in foul trouble.
Speaker 5 (23:19):
I believe kat was as well in that game.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
Here's another name, Taylor Jenkins. Of course, he was fired
by the Memphis Grizzlies after seventy three games this year
with a forty four and twenty nine record.
Speaker 5 (23:30):
Grizzlies. Again, you look.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
At that team, small market, pretty impressive for what they
were able to do. Of course, you got a small body,
as far as John Morani is concerned. Small a small players,
short body, whatever you want to say, comparable to Jalen
Brunson some in somewhat of a conversation, not so much
production at this point in time of his career. But
(23:53):
still I think Taylor Jenkins would be a guy that
I would be interested in. I'm not saying I'm not
interested in Michael Malone, but he's got a little Yeah,
it's got a little something going on.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Man. Yeah, win a championship two years ago and get
fired with the best player of our generation.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
Go go take a bath, Malone.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
You sank like.
Speaker 5 (24:14):
A little fishy there, dude.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
That's I gives a lot of credit. I know that
there's gonna be a lot of people and it's pretty
cool because from the standpoint of where we're at in sports,
like people know about his style, like it's well documented,
so a lot of people are gonna have an opinion
on this, and this is good.
Speaker 5 (24:32):
I like it.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
Albeit, the NBA Finals they are coming up in two
days and it does not feature the Knicks, and we
should be talking a little bit more about the two
teams that remained, but the Knicks had our attention. They
are definitely a talking point over the last few weeks,
a focal point and a lightning rod for discussion, so
please have that at f Fox Pho Gambler. We threw
a couple of names out there if you're just joining us.
(24:53):
First phone call Sean Benard. That's the niked. First phone
call is Jay Wright. I got that camera up just
so you so you just sit down. You tell me
whenever you're ready, and I'll bring you on.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Could Sean Bernard lead the New York Knicks to the
NBA Finals.
Speaker 5 (25:06):
Here's what I'll say.
Speaker 4 (25:07):
I'll reset though, because if you're just joining us at
about two fifty four literally pm, just now, The New
York Knicks have fired Tom Thibodeau as the head coach.
Five seasons with the New York Knicks two twenty six,
one seventy four regular season record. He was twenty four
and twenty three, I want to say, or twenty five
(25:29):
and twenty four one game about five hundred for a
postseason record.
Speaker 5 (25:35):
This year was the first time.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
That the East the Knicks made the Eastern Conference Finals
in twenty five years. Again, he made the playoffs, led
the Knicks to the playoffs in four of its first
five years, consecutive fifty wins seasons for the first time
since the nineteen nineties. For the next thank you, but
no thank you, Tom Thibodeau.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
Unbelievable.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
So with that, of course, having some fun and being
one hundred percent honest, the first conversation, the first phone
call that I am making, is to one and only
mister Jay Wright.
Speaker 5 (26:12):
There's no doubt in my mind that I am calling
Jay Wright, Shabinard joining us. Sean, how are we doing today? Man, Yeah,
doing well.
Speaker 6 (26:19):
I'm glad we have some things to talk about here
right off the bat, so excited driving in I mean
the Tom Thhibdeau conversation. I think it's true that when
you're fired, it's not always your fault, and I do
think that is the case in this situation. I think
the problems with the Knicks are far larger than Tom Thibodeau,
and if anything, I think he exceeded all expectations. There
any realistic plans you could have or hopes you could
(26:39):
have for that team all season. I think you went
above what the ceiling should have been. So I understand
the argument that a new voice was needed, that you
needed to go in a different direction here, But frankly,
I think Fibbs is the scape scapegoat for the roster
problems on this team that I think of anything, we
need to have a Karl Anthony Towns conversation. And I
think the fear from a Knicks fan perspective should be
that they're just gonna run this back with a different
(27:00):
voice when the reality is the roster needs to be addressed.
Speaker 4 (27:03):
Yeah, I think the clearly the bench was not good enough,
so total that the roster in totality was not good
enough to compete with a team that was better than
in the Indiana Pacers. Now, with that being said, here
we are with four teams remaining. They were one of
the four Eastern Conference finals first time in twenty five years. Like,
(27:24):
there's a lot to like about what Bibbs was able
to do this season. I just went down his stats.
Fifty plus wins. Come on, man, that stands for something.
Being able to do that in the Knicks for that
environment and having guys with clear flaws and being able
to lead your team to an Eastern Conference finals in
advance and get better this season, Like there was enough
(27:46):
of a reason.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
And oh, by the.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
Way, with Brunton and his connections to say, hey, look,
we're going to continue to do this, Let's run it
back and let's attack the bench, Let's attack the roster.
Speaker 5 (27:56):
Let's see where we can improve areas.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
Some people are saying that you want to get rid
of Cats, bring Durant in, can't you keep Cat?
Speaker 6 (28:05):
And add not really with how much he's making correct
is kind of the root of the issue. And that's
a lot of like the Karl Anthony Town's problem is, like, yes,
he has flaws as a basketball player. I mean, he
can't defend a single pick and roll. Like all the
transition issues they want to go down to that Pacer
series pretty much exclusively fall on Cat.
Speaker 5 (28:21):
If you watch the.
Speaker 6 (28:22):
Tape from those games, he didn't make a single right
read on how to get back on transition, and that's
how the Pacers are going to beat you constantly. So
you have to look at that. I don't think you
can fully throw that on Bibbs. He isn't the guy
guarding pick and rolls. I'm sure there were conversations saying, Yokat,
like be a little smarter on how you get back here.
I have to imagine he was maddening from a head
coach perspective, But I think that like the story once again,
(28:42):
should be that's the issue, not Tom Thibodeau. And I
get it, like he is a guy that wears that
as welcome. I think that's ultimately the conclusion that has
been landed on here. But I do wonder what the
conversations were behind the scenes. Is this a Jalen Brunson
sign off here, because it certainly did not sound like
it based on everything that he said publicly.
Speaker 4 (28:57):
Correct and I was trying to find that cut, but
unfortunately it was. It was one word, so I can
tell you what it was. Yes, And he was asked
whether or not he had confidence in Tom Thibodeau, and
he was like, come on, man, really is a serious quest,
serious question. He dropped the mic and walked off, and
that's how Game six press conference ended. Shot on a
scale of uh ten one to ten ten being absolutely shocked, floored.
(29:18):
Where are you at right now?
Speaker 2 (29:20):
Six?
Speaker 6 (29:20):
Probably I didn't think there was a zero percent chance
to this. I know you mentioned Sam and we're going
to talk about him, talk about this with him a
little deeper. I think the connection standpoint certainly helped, yeah,
and that he was coming back. I guess like I
went six like more so than not I did expect
him to be back.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
I'm not.
Speaker 6 (29:36):
I don't think this is as out of the blue.
I don't think it's a great look. From the next perspective,
that how this all went down, we saw, like minutes
after they were eliminated from the playoffs, we're already seeing
the hit pieces dropping on cat on how some of
the teammates do not like now a couple of days later,
that it is firing Tom Thibodeau, that.
Speaker 5 (29:51):
They're going through a whole new coaching search.
Speaker 6 (29:53):
Here, that like this should be viewed as a wildly
successful season. From the next perspective, they've been a loser
organization for decades and they are back in relevancy. They
have made made it back to the conference finals for
the first time in twenty five years. They've been the
best team that they've been in my entire lifetime, this
next team, and now they're kind of scrambling.
Speaker 5 (30:10):
It feels like so I.
Speaker 6 (30:11):
Think there's a bit of an overreaction to try and
like just rerun. I think they would have had like again,
did great man. I don't know what more you could
ask from him based on all this. So you can
nitpick stuff, I can't believe that it went down, So
six is my answer.
Speaker 5 (30:24):
But I am shocked still.
Speaker 4 (30:25):
All right, we're having a little bit of some camera issues.
I don't know what that's going on, but Seam and
I are joining us right here, and it's great to
have him in studio.
Speaker 5 (30:33):
He's got the blue gate, right, Luke, let me see
that blue gate both zero. Come on, you watch the
camera shot?
Speaker 4 (30:40):
What are you doing, Jesus smooth operation?
Speaker 5 (30:44):
Yo, what do you know about this?
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Get that out of my face? Why gatorade zero is
the most disgusting thing on the time.
Speaker 5 (30:52):
Yeah, stop it. That was a mistake on my eard.
Speaker 4 (30:54):
You can't tell the difference between gatorade and zero and
regulate gay bull bull.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
And if you put the two in front of me
and put a million dollars on the line and line.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
I will we will do that. We will do what
flavor you're gonna tell me orange? You're gonna tell the
difference between orange?
Speaker 2 (31:11):
All right?
Speaker 1 (31:12):
It's it is clearly obvious when you drink a zero
compared to a ride.
Speaker 5 (31:17):
Stay with me. I side with Luke on that. Luke,
you're a big he's a golf course guy. He's always
on the golf course.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
So that is the best.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
No.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
No, you're a big social media guy too as well.
How about the cart Girl? Do you know where I'm
going with this.
Speaker 5 (31:35):
Water hazards?
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Yes, dude, a few days ago.
Speaker 5 (31:39):
Brand new. I never heard of it until she put
out there. I'll tell you what. Cart girl content pretty strong.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Oh it's hot right now.
Speaker 4 (31:48):
Yeah, but you know there's gotta be an unwritten rule
like he can't be you know, dudes are just but
they tip well, they tip well on the golf course,
but they're really extra creepy on the golf.
Speaker 5 (31:59):
Course too, most of them. You know.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
That's why if you've ever realized a lot of the
car Girl content you see, you never see the guys
in it.
Speaker 5 (32:07):
Good call.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
It's it's always just the phone set up on the
and it's only them.
Speaker 5 (32:12):
Gives me shivers down my spine.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
The guys don't want to be in it because most
of the guys are married with kids.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
Yeah, it really just it sends like some some chills
down the spine, some douche chills when you watch those
videos and you're.
Speaker 5 (32:25):
Just like, oh my god, is that guy really say that?
Speaker 2 (32:28):
But they typically say too.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
From from from working at a golf course stories that
I hear from some of our cargirls are yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
Come on, a bit, a bit on the absurd side.
Speaker 5 (32:39):
There'll be a pig on a golf course.
Speaker 4 (32:40):
Respect the cartgirl, got girl Daily Ticket, rolled on here
having some fun.
Speaker 5 (32:47):
Uh Shaman, let's get you in on this one. Hit
me first calls Jay Wright. Yeah, I think it will be.
Speaker 4 (32:52):
I think it's no, no, no, no, not you think
it will be. I want to know is it the
right call? First call Jay Wright, sham Benard. Is it
the first call you're making? Yes, it is. I don't
think he's taking it.
Speaker 6 (33:04):
I think the if he had any sort of itch,
and who knows, maybe that is what motivated this move.
Maybe if we want to really kind of dive into
this that I almost would think there would have been
conversations beforehand with Jay Wright.
Speaker 5 (33:15):
Is this something that would ever interest you?
Speaker 6 (33:17):
And if there is any opportunity, as you guys mentioned,
like if he's going to coach again, it's going to
be this job. I don't really see that being the case.
I think Jay Wright is pretty comfortable with his cushy
TV job, does an excellent job at it, by the way,
and I think like that's the right call. But I
don't think you're getting anywhere with that. So where did
the Knicks go from here?
Speaker 4 (33:36):
And let me follow up and ask you this, is
this a type of move that because of the success
that you've had, because of the the you know, the
relationship slash partnership slash whatever you want to say, the
fact that Joe and Brunson's dad is on the coaching staff, Like,
there was a lot that had to go into this decision.
(33:56):
Now we know James Doan's a maniac. I don't know
if he is front and center on all of the
you know, decision making or wouldn't surprise me if he is.
Speaker 5 (34:04):
He's the owner.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
But I thought like one of the reasons why the
Knicks started having some success past few years, of course
with steps, but at the same time was this dude
fell back a little bit.
Speaker 6 (34:14):
Yeah, I mean, if you want to ask Sam Austria,
it's completely coincidental that Jalen Brunson's father's on the coaching
staff and that's where Jalen Brunson elected to go in
free agency for less than market value, I might add there.
Speaker 5 (34:25):
So I mean, well, what do you mean by that?
Speaker 6 (34:27):
Because yeah, we know, yeah, that was very strategically planned
out that this was built for Jalen Bronson.
Speaker 5 (34:33):
It's it's not a coincidence, is my point.
Speaker 6 (34:35):
I think Sam does try and play it off like that,
which I think is crazy.
Speaker 4 (34:38):
There, all right, we'll bring that one up at four
o'clock because yeah, I agree with you.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
Yeah, he's given me a little bit of pushback on that,
which I think is crazy that this is the kind
of the house that Jalen Brunson built and this is
all defined around him. This is his show to run,
which is why this is sort of surprising with me. Now,
Like with that being said, to give a little bit
of like the opposite direction here, he's saying all these
things publicly, who knows what he's saying behind closed doors.
And again I do think Bibbs is a coach that
wears on players there. But to bring in other names here,
(35:04):
I think Taylor Jenkins jumps my name, jumps my head
even above Michael Malone there. I don't think Michael Malone
is like the most gifted head coach on the planet.
I don't think Jalen Brunson is Nikola Jokic when talking
about creating an offense there, and like Malone is a
little bit more of the product of his plighters than
him as a coach. But Fibbs is a ceiling or
a floor racing coach. That that's what he's gonna do.
(35:25):
He's gonna build an organization into being relevant, having success,
being in the mix. I do think it's a fair
argument that he's not the guy to give them over
the top. Taylor Jenkins would be my higher from the
New York Knicks right now.
Speaker 5 (35:37):
Jenkins is definitely getting a phone call.
Speaker 4 (35:38):
Yeah, it's one of these deals where it's like, look,
if you are going to move off of Thibodeau, you
better have a name ready to go. And it doesn't
feel me, it doesn't strike me like that's the case here.
I don't believe Michael Malone has done enough. I get it,
he's got the championship, But Shawn, come on, man, we're
talking about a team that took to the Oklahoma City Thunder,
probably the future champions, to seven games. How good were
(35:59):
the clubs? How good were the Denver Nuggets this year?
And this guy got fired with three games left. Yeah,
Like that's a disaster of a decision by the Denver
Nuggets front office. But they said, you know what, we
don't need him, and he won a championship. I get it,
but he's got some stench on him right now that
I don't know if I'm in love with Michael Malone.
Jenkins is a guy that has won and he's done
(36:20):
very well, and he uses that bench down in Memphis,
or he used the bench, and it's surprising when to
look at the numbers that he had when he got fired.
Really is to be a reminder, you know, it's one
of those names that I haven't talked about a little bit,
but yeah.
Speaker 5 (36:32):
The name that keeps popping up for me?
Speaker 6 (36:34):
Is it? Johnny Bryant, by the way, assistant coach would
be as far as head coaching gigs on the assistant
coaching staff there, I don't know that much about him,
but I've seen a lot of that pop up.
Speaker 1 (36:45):
I will say too, And I know it's only been
what forty five minutes, but if it truly was Jay Wright,
I know it's been forty five minutes, but I feel
like you would have already started to hear stuff about
it like that. A Jay Wright move to me doesn't
feel a Jay Wright move that will happen in two
to three months, like if if it's truly Jay Wright,
(37:09):
then they knew all along the next season Jay Wright
was going to be their coach whether like no matter
what happened, And like it feels like to me, like
if Jay Wright was their number one guy, you would
have heard Tom has been fired, Jay Wright as the
leading candidate. Like that, That's almost what it feels like
to me. And and that's why I'm leaning towards it
(37:30):
not being him. And and once again, like we said,
if he's going to come out of retirement to coach,
it would have been this one.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
But I just still don't you think.
Speaker 4 (37:40):
You gotta you gotta put yourself in the Jay Wright
camp again full disclosure, I give twenty percent because that's
what my source said. Twenty percent that deals with Jay,
that has dealt with Jay in the past, that knows Jay,
knows what the hell he's talking about. I made one
phone call and that was it. Twenty percent. I'll stick
with it. If you want to say under you want
to go over, I have no issues with that. Beefs
fifteen percent. I think he's just having fun with me.
(38:02):
I don't know if you want to put a number
on on Jay Wright being the New York Knicks head
coach Sean five five. Okay, that's fine. But for Luke Lear,
I'm it's great. Four percent, good price is right style here,
all right. I would just say that for Jay Wright,
and you know, it's not dealing with him, like the
(38:23):
front office and Dolan weren't dealing with Jay Right. They're
dealing with his agent, and those are the conversation. And
maybe Jay Wright said, hey, if you make that decision,
then come calling. But until you do, you got a
head coach, this is your guy. Like, I just think
that it's not so much a slam dunk in that manner.
If it's to your point, Luke, I understand why you're
saying that, but I feel like maybe we're a little
(38:46):
too deep.
Speaker 5 (38:46):
In it on that one. I don't know one man's take.
That's all. What do we got?
Speaker 4 (38:50):
Ryan beef Coyle, Columbia Grad NCAA champ Todd Golden might
get a call, all right. And also he did say
uncle Rick Brick Rick Brunson. Yeah, and this applies to
both these guys. They do have college girls up in
New York. They do have one college girls up in
New York.
Speaker 5 (39:05):
Oh jeez, man coaching goodbye, got that one. That one's added.
We got some activity out here? What's going on out here?
Speaker 6 (39:17):
And brace Lee is I can narrate he's looking through
the window right now. This is Crastyida. Is Jay right
in the studio here?
Speaker 1 (39:25):
No, it's it's Buster right opening press conference live on
the daily.
Speaker 4 (39:29):
Get some you know, Buster got some you know people
out there in the studio. He's always got something going
exactly that.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
All right?
Speaker 5 (39:36):
Breaking news once again.
Speaker 4 (39:37):
New York Knicks fire Tom Thibodeaux out after five seasons,
made the playoffs four out of the five, back to
back fifty plus wins, made the Eastern Conference finals for
the first time in twenty five years. And guess what
James Dolan and New York Knicks said to Tom Thibodeau.
Speaker 5 (39:54):
Goodbye, Thank you, Luca. You have some more names. I
can throw them off.
Speaker 6 (40:00):
Sure what he got Sam Cassell, It's insane that he
hasn't gotten a head coaching opportunity.
Speaker 5 (40:06):
I love Sam Cassell.
Speaker 6 (40:07):
I do think he'd be excellent, and I do hope
he doesn't go to the New York Knicks for that
specific reason.
Speaker 4 (40:11):
There you know who Sam Cassell has a vibe of who?
What's his Eric b enemy.
Speaker 5 (40:16):
Uh No, he's way better. I'm with you and I
love Sam Cassell. And he was with the Sixers.
Speaker 4 (40:23):
You know who else was with the Sixers that had
a huge praise, a great following.
Speaker 5 (40:29):
Lloyd uh Lloyd Pierce, thank you.
Speaker 2 (40:31):
He'll get it.
Speaker 5 (40:31):
He'll get a head coach and he should.
Speaker 4 (40:33):
Yeah, he was getting shouted out by Lebron a few
seasons ago. I thought he should have got an opportunity.
Speaker 5 (40:38):
Same thing.
Speaker 4 (40:39):
I'm with you, Sam Cassell, hell of a player, a
very vocal, I am a big and has been around
with some major teams. I'm all about it.
Speaker 5 (40:49):
Was he with the Celtics, he was Celtics this year.
He's with the Celtics. Now, who was he with last year?
Speaker 6 (40:54):
He's bounced around. I gotta fact check. I thought he
was with the Celtics for the championship last year. Yeah,
he's been on Doc staff for a while now, so
he kind of bounced around with him.
Speaker 5 (41:02):
But he was on the Celtics this year.
Speaker 6 (41:04):
The other guy who's gonna throw in the mix, Jeff
Van Gundy any thought.
Speaker 5 (41:07):
Jeff, no, why not?
Speaker 3 (41:09):
No?
Speaker 5 (41:10):
Why not? He was excellent this year?
Speaker 6 (41:12):
He the Clippers defensive turnaround is basically solely given to
Jeff Van Gundy.
Speaker 5 (41:18):
I don't think you would have steped back.
Speaker 6 (41:19):
On the coaching game if he didn't have a little
bit of that itch to take another job again.
Speaker 5 (41:24):
He goes back, what was he? Those are the Hey days?
Speaker 4 (41:27):
Hey, it's an interesting name, Sean Minard an interesting name.
I don't know. I just say no because we've been
there and done that and I want something new. But
you're right still coaching? Yeah, he again, he was excellent
this year.
Speaker 6 (41:42):
The Clipper is like you listen to any one of
them talk is he gets like sole credit for their
defensive turnaround. And that's been a team who hasn't had
a defensive identity really ever when they can looking at
the Clippers and they were excellent this year with a
team with James Harden on it.
Speaker 4 (41:54):
And he was with the Knicks for seven seasons from
nineteen ninety or no, excuse me, he's with you. He
was wow even longer because he was an assistant coach
before then. But he took the head coaching gig in
ninety five, all the way up in Chill two thousand
and one, two thousand and two and was fired probably
about halfway.
Speaker 5 (42:13):
Through that season.
Speaker 4 (42:14):
Yeah, an interesting name. Definitely an interesting name. Lloyd Pierce
the coach of the Hawks already? Did he get the
head coaching job down there? I thought he did three seasons?
Speaker 2 (42:23):
He did?
Speaker 5 (42:23):
Yet?
Speaker 6 (42:24):
All right, it's currently assistant coach of the Indiana Pacers.
Speaker 5 (42:27):
You go to the Hawks to lose? Is he on
the the Pacers? Correct? Yeah? About that? How about that?
Can't hurt the pr No, definitely not.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
All right.
Speaker 4 (42:35):
We will talk a lot about the NBA Finals. We've
got to take quick time out. Luca Katy's here as well.
We got to go north to the border. Boys, we're
heading out. Anybody ever been to Canada?
Speaker 5 (42:44):
To of you two? You ever been to Canada? I
have not either. No, I've never been.
Speaker 4 (42:48):
I want to go. I want to go. I'm actually
pulling for Edmonton in the Stanley Cup Finals too, shame. Yeah,
I want to see Edmonton.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
Unless you're a Farida Panthers fan, you should be.
Speaker 4 (43:01):
What about just from the state of Florida, The fact
that six straight years somebody from the state has been
playing in the Stanley Cup Finals, Like.
Speaker 6 (43:07):
Cause, shouldn't you be? No, if you're nothing says hockey
like Florida.
Speaker 5 (43:10):
Yeah, it's absurd, you go. I think the Flyers will
do something eventually.
Speaker 4 (43:14):
All right, Daily Ticket Shopping artis is here. Luke Arcane's
hanging out. Luke, we got Sam Ostrey joining the party
at four h five. Other side, we're hitting some baseball.
We'll talk about the Blue Jays series, talk about what's
going to be different this time around versus what the
hell just took place a Citizens Bank Park against the
brew Crew where they looked like a disaster by the way,
(43:35):
Phillies now losers are fourth straight. Gotta find a way
to win a game. So I want to go with
some North of the Border bets. On the other side,
Luke R. Kane's gonna steer us in the right direction.
More Daily Ticket after this
Number one on your car radio preset hand the new
and improved Iheard Radio WDAS and WD two seven.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Bring d Philadelphia is Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
The Gambler, Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, come on down.
Speaker 4 (00:19):
We got ourselves say hot topic kicking off the daily
ticket right here on the Gambler. It's a Tuesday edition.
Luke Arcaney joining me from the jump. I expected to
talk a lot about the North of the Border series
between the Toronto Blue Jays and our Philadelphia Phillies, mixing
in a little odds and ends from the NBA, the
(00:40):
NBA Finals, the Association.
Speaker 5 (00:42):
I did not think and if.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
You have been listening to this show specifically, we have
talked about We have addressed this situation now for the
last three weeks plus on whether or not the Knicks
would say if they come up short. Tom Thibodeaux is
a guy that can get you to a a nice spot.
Speaker 5 (01:01):
But eventually cannot get you over the top.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
There have been other coaches that we have viewed as such,
such as Steve Kerr of course getting the opportunity from
Mark Jackson and Golden State. We listed some examples over
the years. It's not something that.
Speaker 5 (01:15):
We would have thought, could it would have happened out
of nowhere.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
These things do happen from time to time in the
NBA and professional sports across the board.
Speaker 5 (01:24):
More so in the NBA.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
Tom Thibodeaux out as the New York Knicks head coach
with a two twenty six, one seventy four overall record
five seasons. He is one game over five hundred in
the playoffs and again just brought the Knicks to their
first Eastern Conference Finals in twenty five years, made the
(01:46):
playoffs in four out of five years, and the Knicks
are saying thanks, but no thanks, it's not good enough, unbelievable.
I am shocked, and I should not be because it's
the association, it's the NBA. The main reason why I
am shocked, it's because Sam Austrey was very, very opinionated
(02:08):
on this conversation, and he was right because when you
look at Jalen Brunson, whose father is on the team,
the communication, the friendship, the partnership, the knowing of each other,
familiarity between of course front office Lean Rose Dolan all
the way through Tom Fibodeau, and the success that they
(02:31):
just had with Brunson being the main player and saying
at the end of the game six that Phibbideau is
the guy.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
He had his trust.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
He believed that he was a coach that could get
them to the promised Land. Not so fast. Sorry, Jelen Brunson.
You might be the big man on campus, but you
are not the decision maker. Tom Thibodeau out as head
coach of the New York Knicks. Now Luke Arcaney joining me, Luke,
good afternoon. How we today, sir?
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Good afternoon.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Rip up the show notes, delete the emails, everything changes nothing, crazy, man,
just just insane. I mean, listen, if if you're a
team like the Knicks and you go into a series
like that, and no matter how Tyres Haliburton plays, and
no matter how Pascal Siakam plays, that next team was
(03:25):
was expected.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
To win that series.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
The Knicks should have won that series and they came
up short to a team that they should have beat,
you know.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
By by sports ways.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
You know, that's a lot of time. How it goes there,
there has to be a scapegoat, you know. I think
this Knicks front office knows that this roster is the
best chance that they've had in a while, you know,
and if they don't think he's the he's the right
guy to lead the way, that there's no point in
keeping him around here. I think we all know. You know,
when you think of Fibbs, you you think of all
(04:00):
all of the complaints from people saying how they run
guys forty eight to forty nine minutes a game, even
if they go to overtime, they don't sit the whole game.
Maybe this team just continues to burn out and maybe
just need a new voice in there.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
You know.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
I think there's a voice we all might have in
the back of our head that I know is going
to get thrown around. But they have a chance to
maybe go in there and get a new face, you know,
whether that's from out of house, whether that's a guy
internally that they really like.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
But you know, I think a name that.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Maybe might not be at the top of their list,
But I think the most popular name that we're gonna
see is our old friend Jay.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
Right, That's correct, I just got off the phone.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Of course, we have some great connections, great relationships, great
partnerships with the five folks over at Villanova.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
Jay is still a mainstay.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Well, he is awesome on television, has a great, great gig.
As far as CBS Sports is concerned around the college
basketball game, yeah, we've heard it all. We know like
he is the first call for a lot of teams
out there, and if you don't make the call, you're
at least thinking about him, no doubt about it. And
rightfully so, now, Luke, you can hit the rewind button
(05:15):
and go back years. I'm talking about five plus years
that I have always said that I thought Jay Wright
would come out and coach one place, in one place only,
and it was Madison Square Garden.
Speaker 5 (05:29):
It was the New York Knicks.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
And this is pre Brunson, pre Josh Hart, pre all
Villanova flavor. That was something that I've always said, and
I believed it would take something special, not just a
price tag, but something special to get Jay Wright out
of retirement.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
And I thought that, you know what, there was truth.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
There is definitely truth behind him wanting to coach the
seventy six years. We do know that there was that
opportunity a long long time ago, and I just felt
like if he was going to give coach another crack,
I didn't think he would go to a college campus.
I just felt like the NBA would be it. He
is the first call.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
Luke.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Jay Wright is the first call. I don't care if
he says no, fine, that's that's not my job. That's
not for me to decide. As somebody that's doing some
hiring for the New York Knicks next next side coach.
My job is to improve our team, get the most
out of our roster. Find someone that can coach Kat
(06:32):
and Brunson on the floor at the same time, find
someone that isn't going to burn us up.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
Take all of the.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
Positives that you have just had this season and then
some and build on that. Somebody that can get you
to the promised land. Jay Wright's that guy. Jay Wright
is that guy can be.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
But at the same time, and and I want to
play a little Devil's advocate here.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
If you're this next team, and you're a team.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
That wants to go win a championship next year, and
you know that you probably have just about all of
the pieces that you need. I know there's there's already
some some trade rumors for.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Cat and all this blah blah blah blah blah.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
If you if you have the core, and you have
the owner that's willing to spend money, and you have
the fan base that's finally behind and and.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
The Garden and the best place in basketball. Right.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Do you go get a guy that's a college basketball coach,
do you call a guy that is never coached in
the NBA, or do you go get an experienced NBA
NBA basketball coach? Personally, I think this team needs an
experienced NBA coach before they need j Rap because I
(07:49):
I think and and this is this is a little
bit to me. This is trying to where I know
and I know a lot of people are saying this
right now, and this is not the same situation by
any means, but it's the same.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Overall kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Okay, A lot of people don't want Reeese Hoskins back
in Philly because you're just trying to rewrite history. And
I think a lot of Knicks fans are gonna want
Jay right back just to rewrite history.
Speaker 5 (08:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Well, realistically, I think this Knixt team needs an experienced
NBA head coach that can coach this group rather than
a guy that their buddy buddy will.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
And they will, oh, okay, Champion's just buddy buddy, all right,
Devil's advocate. Fine, And I would like you to at
least hone in on a name. Okay, since I'm coming
at an, you're.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Coming out.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
Oh NBA coaches to throw them underneath, but sure, yeah,
underneath the blanket?
Speaker 5 (08:38):
Fine anyone? Sure?
Speaker 4 (08:40):
No, here, here's my pushback. You're ready, Jay Wright. It's basketball. Hey,
it's basketball.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Right.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
And also and also he does have experience from Team USA,
which does deal primarily with nothing but NBA players, So
he has that connection, has that experience as far as
coaching is concerned. I just feel like you want to
talk about somebody that you might be getting again, that
rejuvenated vibe coming back in. Oh, by the way, you're
(09:09):
going to the Mecca, a place he dominated Big East
Tournament after Big East Tournament, every single March. He was
at Nova for twenty one years. Here's an opportunity for
something new to go. Coach Villanova Light with Jalen Brunson,
who is a rock star who has kicked the door
in and showed us that, yeah, you want to doubt me,
(09:31):
believe me. I'm good enough to lead this team to
a championship. Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks are
a solid damn team fifty plus games. What do we say,
during the regular season they struggled versus the teams at
the top. Well, okay, but guess what when it came
to matter the most, they beat Boston. They took the
Pacers again six games. I'm not trying to make something
(09:52):
out of it that it's not. But Pacers beat Cleveland.
So at the end, it doesn't matter what the regular season,
I get it. Oh and ten fine, but man, and
this is a good damn Knicks team. And oh, by
the way, you see the flaws. They need a deeper bench,
maybe a little bit of a change. As far as
the approach with minutes per game, it was ridiculous what
Tip Thibodeaux did to that team. I get it, he
(10:15):
got them to the Eastern Conference Finals, the farthest day've
been in twenty five years.
Speaker 5 (10:20):
He deserves a ton of credit. But man, yeah, tired
legs is a real damn deal. And it was absurd
what those.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
Numbers were, the amount of minutes played compared to the
other teams that are going up against and then in
Eastern Conference finals. Yeah, you gotta go up against a
team that is just built on pace and three pointers. Yeah,
they had no shot with that. You know that that
coaching mindset. I look at Jay Wright, man, let's be
honest about the sports and entertainment side of things.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
You're in New York City.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
You want to get people talking as they already are
about the Knicks, the the Pacers won, and we have
spent the last two plus days talking about the Knicks.
You want to get you want to raise it up
to another level. Hier Jay Wright, I'll throw a name
at you, Mike Bulone.
Speaker 5 (11:06):
Sure you want me to go? You want me to
go because I'll tell you this.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
I think it's pretty How good were the Denver Nuggets
this year?
Speaker 5 (11:15):
They took Oklahoma City to seven games?
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Right?
Speaker 4 (11:19):
I know he's got the championship? How good are the
Denver Nuggets? He got fired with three games left. The
team was a disaster. What happened? Yeah, look, he want
he won a championship. You can't deny that. But come on, man,
let's not build him up to a guy that's automatically
gonna take them to the promised. He's got a little
stink on him right now, little stench on Mike Malone
(11:39):
for sure.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
I just I just think, listen, I don't think Jay
Wright would be a bad higher at all. And quite frankly,
I think it probably does make sense because you know
there there there is that obvious history there. And listen,
if if Jay Wright doesn't come back for this job,
He's not coming back. I could not coming back. That's
(12:00):
this is his last opportunity to come back to coach.
Speaker 5 (12:03):
Well, that that was always it.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
I did think that Team USA could be something that
would present itself and maybe it's something that who knows
Jay Wright?
Speaker 5 (12:12):
Again, I made one phone call.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
To a person I trust some of the that deals
and that's as far as I'll go. I said, could
you give me a percentage of the Knicks called? He
said twenty percent? And and and okay, that's a good
enough number. I don't even care if it was two percent.
I'm still calling him on the Knicks.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Yeah, no, I mean you have to call him like
you can't call him.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
There's there's, once again, the the obvious connection there. It's
just the matter of like, how how MBA experience do
you want to go? And and granted you know basketball
is basketball, it's it's five man strategies here that the
college game can be similar to the NBA game, especially
(12:55):
when you're as experienced as as he is. But if
this team's set up to win a championship right now,
which I think with the right coach and a good
and good performances, more.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Than anything their overall team they are.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
I think more than anything, they need a new general
manager's approach. As far as filling out that roster, that's
only gonna help. I don't think that they've they proved
their worth. It wasn't a fluke what the Knicks did?
They won fifty plus games? Like who wash was Greeny
Greeney saying, oh, well, this is a mediocre team that
Jalen brunts and drug to the finish line. That was
(13:30):
a joke, dude, Like I get it here on national
TV and you need a little hot take read. But
come on, man, that's a really good roster. We saw
front and center last year versus the seventy six ers,
and this year they were just as good, if not better.
Of course, they went to the first Eastern Conference finals
in twenty five years.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
Breaking news if you're just joining us.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
We got Luke Carcany crossing Bravo talk, some Phillies and
the Toronto Blue Jays coming up here in just a second.
But Tom Thibodeau out as the New York Knicks head coach.
And this has been a hot button top for the
last three plus weeks on this program, just.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
A little jab on the way out.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
We'll always talk about the games, the numbers, the odds,
the props, and then we'll get into some of the
minutia that doesn't matter until, of course, the season wraps up.
And I simply asked that will it be viewed that
if if Thibbs does not get him to the Promised Land,
the NBA Finals or win a championship, will he be out?
Because you could already hear it, You could already see
(14:24):
how the picture is being created that, oh, he got
him to as far as he could. Now you need
somebody else, a fresh new perspective, fresh new voice. And
I get it. There are examples that have worked in
the past. Specifically, people are going to bring up the
Golden State Warriors with Mark Jackson, the Steve Kerr understood,
I think can go even Phil Jackson taking over the Lakers.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
I get it.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
But man, just putting Michael Malone in there, who had
the best player, one of the best players in NBA
history for years, and then all of a sudden has
a great team one of the best teams in the playoffs,
took the eventual champion the seven games, and he gets
fired with three games left. And now people are telling
(15:08):
me that's the answer. I don't know. I just I'm
not sold on Michael Malone right now. The question I
would have though, Luke, is this, if you make that move,
you better have somebody in mind, right.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Yeah, No, that's the thing they they have. They have
their candidate.
Speaker 5 (15:26):
You think.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
It is the Knicks you have to like and and
whether it's Jay Right, Mike Malone, whatever, who it is,
And there's obviously way more options.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
This team's eight to one to win the finals next year.
They have in theater, they.
Speaker 5 (15:42):
Don't have a coach. They don't have a coach.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
They're only behind the Thunder.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
But like this is, it's still a good team that
they need.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
They need the right coach in there.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
And and they're gonna have to decide if they call
Jay Wright and he wants to do it, then they
got to do it. And they need to commit to
a guy that a college coach that has obviously had
a ton of experience, but they need to commit to
a guy that hasn't coached in a few years. Coming
back and getting what he got out of Nova from
(16:15):
these guys and what these guys have already shown in
the league, like listen, that chemistry is there.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
That move makes the most sense.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
As long as Jay Wright wants to come back, it's
just a matter of if they want to go after
a college basketball coach.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
Again, he's more than just a college basketball coach. He's
a He's a Hall of Fame coach. That's number one.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
He's a Hall of Fame.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Yes, college basketball again. You throw all the accolades in,
including Team USA. Here is here's Jalen Brunson following the loss,
the game six loss on Saturday night to the Pacers.
I hope this is the cut. It's live radio. I
don't have an opportunity to listen to it. I believe
this is the Tom Thibodeaux cut at the end where
(16:57):
he drops the microphone and essentially says, yes, he has
confidence and Pibbs is the guy. How confident are you
that this group has enough to take that next step?
Speaker 5 (17:07):
The most confidence over confidence?
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Seriously, he's not a bounce of any type of doubt
that I'm not confident with this group.
Speaker 5 (17:16):
That's not it.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Man.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
Unfortunately, there was a let's see here there was Yeah, okay,
so this is Thibbs right here, this is the day. Anyways,
let me go ahead and fire this in the search
bar here. Man, I thought I had it, Unfortunately I don't. Anyways,
he was asked at the end it was the final
(17:39):
question of the press conference Saturday night after the loss,
whether or not he had confidence in Thibbs. Maybe it
was the following question, and he came out and said, yes,
what type of question is that?
Speaker 5 (17:49):
And he dropped the microphone. He was upset at the question.
Speaker 4 (17:51):
Now, I think he owes that reporter and apology because
clearly the Knicks were thinking the same way that reporter was.
Brunson might have all the confidence in the world, and
he might have thought it was a stupid question. But
there's the reality. The Knicks just released a statement. I'll
have that for you in just the second. Here again
breaking news, the Knicks fired their head coach. You know
what's crazy to today, Luke, I worked out in my
(18:14):
gym today and who walked in Elton.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
Brandeau Elton Brand. It worked out with Elton Brand today.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
I have that kick statement if you well.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
Got it right here.
Speaker 4 (18:24):
Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for
our fans. This pursuit led us to a difficult decision
to inform Tom Thibodeau that we're that we've decided to
move in another direction. We can't thank Tom enough for
porting his heart and soul to each and every day
of being a New York Knicks head coach. He led
us not only with class and professionalism for the past
five seasons, but also a tremendous success on the court
(18:46):
with four playoff berths and four playoff series victories. Ultimately,
we made the decision we feel as best for an
organization moving forward. Tom will always be a part of
our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but
the best in the future, I hope.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
And that's from Leon Rose. Wow.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
So I know we got on here and and we
were all shocked, right like like you were you sent
some some text Are you were shocked?
Speaker 5 (19:08):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Do you think it's the right move?
Speaker 1 (19:13):
I know you're shocked that it happened, but deep down,
like do you think do you think the Knicks are
better with Tom Thibodeaux or the field? Basically, because they
were two games away from the NBA Finals, and they
lost to a better team.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
Yeah, they lost to a better team, right, like you know,
And that's in one of the things that goes to
my mind.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
And I'll answer your question a second. I talked about
the seventy six ers present day.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
And we've been down that path and and it's been
it's been troublesome, to say the least, over the past
few years.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
But even if this team was.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
To have success this year and be a three seed
like the Knicks and losing that second round maybe the
Eastern Conference, I don't know.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
I don't know if it.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
Would be good enough for for the fans. I really don't.
I just don't know. And that's kind of where the
Knicks fans are. They fully expect somebody to get them
to a championship. But the old cliche is this, there's
only one team that's happy after it's I'll said Anne,
everybody else is disappointed. And that's where we're at right now.
And yesterday Luke I said, Man, it's funny how fat
(20:17):
these Knicks fans are getting. All of a sudden, you
get on one trip to the Eastern Conference finals in
twenty five years and the fact.
Speaker 5 (20:24):
That you love who are we we can't lose. We're favored.
We're talking about we belong in the finals. And I
just laughed at that, and I had some fun at
their expense yesterday.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
But here we are now Knicks fans, maybe we're right.
Do I think Thibodeaux could have got him over the hump?
I think with a better with a deeper bench. I
really do believe with a deeper bench, they could have
ran with the pacers a little more and with that
they could advanced. I I just I put the bullseye
(20:58):
on front office. Of course, is that guy too as
well making decisions getting players in there. But the whole
approach of run these guys to their dead from the
beginning of the season, gas pedaled down all the way
through until where they just were eliminated. There were times
there were stretches that they had tired legs and they
(21:19):
blew some big time leads. Now you could flip that
on me. In the Boston series they came back down
twenty to two games.
Speaker 5 (21:25):
So I answer your question, I'm not firing Tom Thibdau
unless they got Jay Wright.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
So, so Shams was on the McAfee show and he said,
as soon as the next season ended, they started having meetings.
They believe it the best path for this team to
take the next step is with a new voice. They
came to the decision this morning that they're gonna part
ways with Tom Thibodeau. He went on to say, the
New York Knicks might be looking for a guy that
trusts their bench more. For better or for worse. Tom
(21:56):
Thibodeaux had a way that he was going to operate.
It leads to a lot of success, but clearly the
Knicks wanted to change the direction. But like you said,
they want to coach that wants to trust their bench more.
But you can only trust your bench if you have
a good bench, or at least a good enough bench
for the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
So I mean, like you said, like deep down, and
and it truly always.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Does, there's I would say there's more percentage of coach
firings that it's really the GM's fault first than it
is the coach, because like, if you want a coach
to trust a bench in the playoffs, you have to
have a deep, playable bench for the playoffs. And if
this Knicks team only had a few guys that they
(22:41):
could really trust off the bench, then he's not gonna
put guys he doesn't trust into a playoff game.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Look, he was his.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
Own worst enemy, but he had his ways, right, so
he was having success doing it his way. We are
not privy to the conversations that were happening behind the
scenes on whether or not why he would play this
player or that player. And I'm sure that that's what's
going to leak out as you just read from Shams.
Oh well, if they weren't happy with the way he
was using the bench, all right, but I'm sure that
they were in love with the fact that they were
(23:10):
in the Eastern Conference finals. But oh, by the way,
when he did tweak some things and start using some
other players, they did win that game as well, albeit
Brunson was in foul trouble.
Speaker 5 (23:19):
I believe kat was as well in that game.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
Here's another name, Taylor Jenkins. Of course, he was fired
by the Memphis Grizzlies after seventy three games this year
with a forty four and twenty nine record.
Speaker 5 (23:30):
Grizzlies. Again, you look.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
At that team, small market, pretty impressive for what they
were able to do. Of course, you got a small body,
as far as John Morani is concerned. Small a small players,
short body, whatever you want to say, comparable to Jalen
Brunson some in somewhat of a conversation, not so much
production at this point in time of his career. But
(23:53):
still I think Taylor Jenkins would be a guy that
I would be interested in. I'm not saying I'm not
interested in Michael Malone, but he's got a little Yeah,
it's got a little something going on.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Man. Yeah, win a championship two years ago and get
fired with the best player of our generation.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
Go go take a bath, Malone.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
You sank like.
Speaker 5 (24:14):
A little fishy there, dude.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
That's I gives a lot of credit. I know that
there's gonna be a lot of people and it's pretty
cool because from the standpoint of where we're at in sports,
like people know about his style, like it's well documented,
so a lot of people are gonna have an opinion
on this, and this is good.
Speaker 5 (24:32):
I like it.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
Albeit, the NBA Finals they are coming up in two
days and it does not feature the Knicks, and we
should be talking a little bit more about the two
teams that remained, but the Knicks had our attention. They
are definitely a talking point over the last few weeks,
a focal point and a lightning rod for discussion, so
please have that at f Fox Pho Gambler. We threw
a couple of names out there if you're just joining us.
(24:53):
First phone call Sean Benard. That's the niked. First phone
call is Jay Wright. I got that camera up just
so you so you just sit down. You tell me
whenever you're ready, and I'll bring you on.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Could Sean Bernard lead the New York Knicks to the
NBA Finals.
Speaker 5 (25:06):
Here's what I'll say.
Speaker 4 (25:07):
I'll reset though, because if you're just joining us at
about two fifty four literally pm, just now, The New
York Knicks have fired Tom Thibodeau as the head coach.
Five seasons with the New York Knicks two twenty six,
one seventy four regular season record. He was twenty four
and twenty three, I want to say, or twenty five
(25:29):
and twenty four one game about five hundred for a
postseason record.
Speaker 5 (25:35):
This year was the first time.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
That the East the Knicks made the Eastern Conference Finals
in twenty five years. Again, he made the playoffs, led
the Knicks to the playoffs in four of its first
five years, consecutive fifty wins seasons for the first time
since the nineteen nineties. For the next thank you, but
no thank you, Tom Thibodeau.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
Unbelievable.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
So with that, of course, having some fun and being
one hundred percent honest, the first conversation, the first phone
call that I am making, is to one and only
mister Jay Wright.
Speaker 5 (26:12):
There's no doubt in my mind that I am calling
Jay Wright, Shabinard joining us. Sean, how are we doing today? Man, Yeah,
doing well.
Speaker 6 (26:19):
I'm glad we have some things to talk about here
right off the bat, so excited driving in I mean
the Tom Thhibdeau conversation. I think it's true that when
you're fired, it's not always your fault, and I do
think that is the case in this situation. I think
the problems with the Knicks are far larger than Tom Thibodeau,
and if anything, I think he exceeded all expectations. There
any realistic plans you could have or hopes you could
(26:39):
have for that team all season. I think you went
above what the ceiling should have been. So I understand
the argument that a new voice was needed, that you
needed to go in a different direction here, But frankly,
I think Fibbs is the scape scapegoat for the roster
problems on this team that I think of anything, we
need to have a Karl Anthony Towns conversation. And I
think the fear from a Knicks fan perspective should be
that they're just gonna run this back with a different
(27:00):
voice when the reality is the roster needs to be addressed.
Speaker 4 (27:03):
Yeah, I think the clearly the bench was not good enough,
so total that the roster in totality was not good
enough to compete with a team that was better than
in the Indiana Pacers. Now, with that being said, here
we are with four teams remaining. They were one of
the four Eastern Conference finals first time in twenty five years. Like,
(27:24):
there's a lot to like about what Bibbs was able
to do this season. I just went down his stats.
Fifty plus wins. Come on, man, that stands for something.
Being able to do that in the Knicks for that
environment and having guys with clear flaws and being able
to lead your team to an Eastern Conference finals in
advance and get better this season, Like there was enough
(27:46):
of a reason.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
And oh, by the.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
Way, with Brunton and his connections to say, hey, look,
we're going to continue to do this, Let's run it
back and let's attack the bench, Let's attack the roster.
Speaker 5 (27:56):
Let's see where we can improve areas.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
Some people are saying that you want to get rid
of Cats, bring Durant in, can't you keep Cat?
Speaker 6 (28:05):
And add not really with how much he's making correct
is kind of the root of the issue. And that's
a lot of like the Karl Anthony Town's problem is, like, yes,
he has flaws as a basketball player. I mean, he
can't defend a single pick and roll. Like all the
transition issues they want to go down to that Pacer
series pretty much exclusively fall on Cat.
Speaker 5 (28:21):
If you watch the.
Speaker 6 (28:22):
Tape from those games, he didn't make a single right
read on how to get back on transition, and that's
how the Pacers are going to beat you constantly. So
you have to look at that. I don't think you
can fully throw that on Bibbs. He isn't the guy
guarding pick and rolls. I'm sure there were conversations saying, Yokat,
like be a little smarter on how you get back here.
I have to imagine he was maddening from a head
coach perspective, But I think that like the story once again,
(28:42):
should be that's the issue, not Tom Thibodeau. And I
get it, like he is a guy that wears that
as welcome. I think that's ultimately the conclusion that has
been landed on here. But I do wonder what the
conversations were behind the scenes. Is this a Jalen Brunson
sign off here, because it certainly did not sound like
it based on everything that he said publicly.
Speaker 4 (28:57):
Correct and I was trying to find that cut, but
unfortunately it was. It was one word, so I can
tell you what it was. Yes, And he was asked
whether or not he had confidence in Tom Thibodeau, and
he was like, come on, man, really is a serious quest,
serious question. He dropped the mic and walked off, and
that's how Game six press conference ended. Shot on a
scale of uh ten one to ten ten being absolutely shocked, floored.
(29:18):
Where are you at right now?
Speaker 2 (29:20):
Six?
Speaker 6 (29:20):
Probably I didn't think there was a zero percent chance
to this. I know you mentioned Sam and we're going
to talk about him, talk about this with him a
little deeper. I think the connection standpoint certainly helped, yeah,
and that he was coming back. I guess like I
went six like more so than not I did expect
him to be back.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
I'm not.
Speaker 6 (29:36):
I don't think this is as out of the blue.
I don't think it's a great look. From the next perspective,
that how this all went down, we saw, like minutes
after they were eliminated from the playoffs, we're already seeing
the hit pieces dropping on cat on how some of
the teammates do not like now a couple of days later,
that it is firing Tom Thibodeau, that.
Speaker 5 (29:51):
They're going through a whole new coaching search.
Speaker 6 (29:53):
Here, that like this should be viewed as a wildly
successful season. From the next perspective, they've been a loser
organization for decades and they are back in relevancy. They
have made made it back to the conference finals for
the first time in twenty five years. They've been the
best team that they've been in my entire lifetime, this
next team, and now they're kind of scrambling.
Speaker 5 (30:10):
It feels like so I.
Speaker 6 (30:11):
Think there's a bit of an overreaction to try and
like just rerun. I think they would have had like again,
did great man. I don't know what more you could
ask from him based on all this. So you can
nitpick stuff, I can't believe that it went down, So
six is my answer.
Speaker 5 (30:24):
But I am shocked still.
Speaker 4 (30:25):
All right, we're having a little bit of some camera issues.
I don't know what that's going on, but Seam and
I are joining us right here, and it's great to
have him in studio.
Speaker 5 (30:33):
He's got the blue gate, right, Luke, let me see
that blue gate both zero. Come on, you watch the
camera shot?
Speaker 4 (30:40):
What are you doing, Jesus smooth operation?
Speaker 5 (30:44):
Yo, what do you know about this?
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Get that out of my face? Why gatorade zero is
the most disgusting thing on the time.
Speaker 5 (30:52):
Yeah, stop it. That was a mistake on my eard.
Speaker 4 (30:54):
You can't tell the difference between gatorade and zero and
regulate gay bull bull.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
And if you put the two in front of me
and put a million dollars on the line and line.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
I will we will do that. We will do what
flavor you're gonna tell me orange? You're gonna tell the
difference between orange?
Speaker 2 (31:11):
All right?
Speaker 1 (31:12):
It's it is clearly obvious when you drink a zero
compared to a ride.
Speaker 5 (31:17):
Stay with me. I side with Luke on that. Luke,
you're a big he's a golf course guy. He's always
on the golf course.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
So that is the best.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
No.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
No, you're a big social media guy too as well.
How about the cart Girl? Do you know where I'm
going with this.
Speaker 5 (31:35):
Water hazards?
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Yes, dude, a few days ago.
Speaker 5 (31:39):
Brand new. I never heard of it until she put
out there. I'll tell you what. Cart girl content pretty strong.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Oh it's hot right now.
Speaker 4 (31:48):
Yeah, but you know there's gotta be an unwritten rule
like he can't be you know, dudes are just but
they tip well, they tip well on the golf course,
but they're really extra creepy on the golf.
Speaker 5 (31:59):
Course too, most of them. You know.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
That's why if you've ever realized a lot of the
car Girl content you see, you never see the guys
in it.
Speaker 5 (32:07):
Good call.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
It's it's always just the phone set up on the
and it's only them.
Speaker 5 (32:12):
Gives me shivers down my spine.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
The guys don't want to be in it because most
of the guys are married with kids.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
Yeah, it really just it sends like some some chills
down the spine, some douche chills when you watch those
videos and you're.
Speaker 5 (32:25):
Just like, oh my god, is that guy really say that?
Speaker 2 (32:28):
But they typically say too.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
From from from working at a golf course stories that
I hear from some of our cargirls are yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
Come on, a bit, a bit on the absurd side.
Speaker 5 (32:39):
There'll be a pig on a golf course.
Speaker 4 (32:40):
Respect the cartgirl, got girl Daily Ticket, rolled on here
having some fun.
Speaker 5 (32:47):
Uh Shaman, let's get you in on this one. Hit
me first calls Jay Wright. Yeah, I think it will be.
Speaker 4 (32:52):
I think it's no, no, no, no, not you think
it will be. I want to know is it the
right call? First call Jay Wright, sham Benard. Is it
the first call you're making? Yes, it is. I don't
think he's taking it.
Speaker 6 (33:04):
I think the if he had any sort of itch,
and who knows, maybe that is what motivated this move.
Maybe if we want to really kind of dive into
this that I almost would think there would have been
conversations beforehand with Jay Wright.
Speaker 5 (33:15):
Is this something that would ever interest you?
Speaker 6 (33:17):
And if there is any opportunity, as you guys mentioned,
like if he's going to coach again, it's going to
be this job. I don't really see that being the case.
I think Jay Wright is pretty comfortable with his cushy
TV job, does an excellent job at it, by the way,
and I think like that's the right call. But I
don't think you're getting anywhere with that. So where did
the Knicks go from here?
Speaker 4 (33:36):
And let me follow up and ask you this, is
this a type of move that because of the success
that you've had, because of the the you know, the
relationship slash partnership slash whatever you want to say, the
fact that Joe and Brunson's dad is on the coaching staff, Like,
there was a lot that had to go into this decision.
(33:56):
Now we know James Doan's a maniac. I don't know
if he is front and center on all of the
you know, decision making or wouldn't surprise me if he is.
Speaker 5 (34:04):
He's the owner.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
But I thought like one of the reasons why the
Knicks started having some success past few years, of course
with steps, but at the same time was this dude
fell back a little bit.
Speaker 6 (34:14):
Yeah, I mean, if you want to ask Sam Austria,
it's completely coincidental that Jalen Brunson's father's on the coaching
staff and that's where Jalen Brunson elected to go in
free agency for less than market value, I might add there.
Speaker 5 (34:25):
So I mean, well, what do you mean by that?
Speaker 6 (34:27):
Because yeah, we know, yeah, that was very strategically planned
out that this was built for Jalen Bronson.
Speaker 5 (34:33):
It's it's not a coincidence, is my point.
Speaker 6 (34:35):
I think Sam does try and play it off like that,
which I think is crazy.
Speaker 4 (34:38):
There, all right, we'll bring that one up at four
o'clock because yeah, I agree with you.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
Yeah, he's given me a little bit of pushback on that,
which I think is crazy that this is the kind
of the house that Jalen Brunson built and this is
all defined around him. This is his show to run,
which is why this is sort of surprising with me. Now,
Like with that being said, to give a little bit
of like the opposite direction here, he's saying all these
things publicly, who knows what he's saying behind closed doors.
And again I do think Bibbs is a coach that
wears on players there. But to bring in other names here,
(35:04):
I think Taylor Jenkins jumps my name, jumps my head
even above Michael Malone there. I don't think Michael Malone
is like the most gifted head coach on the planet.
I don't think Jalen Brunson is Nikola Jokic when talking
about creating an offense there, and like Malone is a
little bit more of the product of his plighters than
him as a coach. But Fibbs is a ceiling or
a floor racing coach. That that's what he's gonna do.
(35:25):
He's gonna build an organization into being relevant, having success,
being in the mix. I do think it's a fair
argument that he's not the guy to give them over
the top. Taylor Jenkins would be my higher from the
New York Knicks right now.
Speaker 5 (35:37):
Jenkins is definitely getting a phone call.
Speaker 4 (35:38):
Yeah, it's one of these deals where it's like, look,
if you are going to move off of Thibodeau, you
better have a name ready to go. And it doesn't
feel me, it doesn't strike me like that's the case here.
I don't believe Michael Malone has done enough. I get it,
he's got the championship, But Shawn, come on, man, we're
talking about a team that took to the Oklahoma City Thunder,
probably the future champions, to seven games. How good were
(35:59):
the clubs? How good were the Denver Nuggets this year?
And this guy got fired with three games left. Yeah,
Like that's a disaster of a decision by the Denver
Nuggets front office. But they said, you know what, we
don't need him, and he won a championship. I get it,
but he's got some stench on him right now that
I don't know if I'm in love with Michael Malone.
Jenkins is a guy that has won and he's done
(36:20):
very well, and he uses that bench down in Memphis,
or he used the bench, and it's surprising when to
look at the numbers that he had when he got fired.
Really is to be a reminder, you know, it's one
of those names that I haven't talked about a little bit,
but yeah.
Speaker 5 (36:32):
The name that keeps popping up for me?
Speaker 6 (36:34):
Is it? Johnny Bryant, by the way, assistant coach would
be as far as head coaching gigs on the assistant
coaching staff there, I don't know that much about him,
but I've seen a lot of that pop up.
Speaker 1 (36:45):
I will say too, And I know it's only been
what forty five minutes, but if it truly was Jay Wright,
I know it's been forty five minutes, but I feel
like you would have already started to hear stuff about
it like that. A Jay Wright move to me doesn't
feel a Jay Wright move that will happen in two
to three months, like if if it's truly Jay Wright,
(37:09):
then they knew all along the next season Jay Wright
was going to be their coach whether like no matter
what happened, And like it feels like to me, like
if Jay Wright was their number one guy, you would
have heard Tom has been fired, Jay Wright as the
leading candidate. Like that, That's almost what it feels like
to me. And and that's why I'm leaning towards it
(37:30):
not being him. And and once again, like we said,
if he's going to come out of retirement to coach,
it would have been this one.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
But I just still don't you think.
Speaker 4 (37:40):
You gotta you gotta put yourself in the Jay Wright
camp again full disclosure, I give twenty percent because that's
what my source said. Twenty percent that deals with Jay,
that has dealt with Jay in the past, that knows Jay,
knows what the hell he's talking about. I made one
phone call and that was it. Twenty percent. I'll stick
with it. If you want to say under you want
to go over, I have no issues with that. Beefs
fifteen percent. I think he's just having fun with me.
(38:02):
I don't know if you want to put a number
on on Jay Wright being the New York Knicks head
coach Sean five five. Okay, that's fine. But for Luke Lear,
I'm it's great. Four percent, good price is right style here,
all right. I would just say that for Jay Wright,
and you know, it's not dealing with him, like the
(38:23):
front office and Dolan weren't dealing with Jay Right. They're
dealing with his agent, and those are the conversation. And
maybe Jay Wright said, hey, if you make that decision,
then come calling. But until you do, you got a
head coach, this is your guy. Like, I just think
that it's not so much a slam dunk in that manner.
If it's to your point, Luke, I understand why you're
saying that, but I feel like maybe we're a little
(38:46):
too deep.
Speaker 5 (38:46):
In it on that one. I don't know one man's take.
That's all. What do we got?
Speaker 4 (38:50):
Ryan beef Coyle, Columbia Grad NCAA champ Todd Golden might
get a call, all right. And also he did say
uncle Rick Brick Rick Brunson. Yeah, and this applies to
both these guys. They do have college girls up in
New York. They do have one college girls up in
New York.
Speaker 5 (39:05):
Oh jeez, man coaching goodbye, got that one. That one's added.
We got some activity out here? What's going on out here?
Speaker 6 (39:17):
And brace Lee is I can narrate he's looking through
the window right now. This is Crastyida. Is Jay right
in the studio here?
Speaker 1 (39:25):
No, it's it's Buster right opening press conference live on
the daily.
Speaker 4 (39:29):
Get some you know, Buster got some you know people
out there in the studio. He's always got something going
exactly that.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
All right?
Speaker 5 (39:36):
Breaking news once again.
Speaker 4 (39:37):
New York Knicks fire Tom Thibodeaux out after five seasons,
made the playoffs four out of the five, back to
back fifty plus wins, made the Eastern Conference finals for
the first time in twenty five years. And guess what
James Dolan and New York Knicks said to Tom Thibodeau.
Speaker 5 (39:54):
Goodbye, Thank you, Luca. You have some more names. I
can throw them off.
Speaker 6 (40:00):
Sure what he got Sam Cassell, It's insane that he
hasn't gotten a head coaching opportunity.
Speaker 5 (40:06):
I love Sam Cassell.
Speaker 6 (40:07):
I do think he'd be excellent, and I do hope
he doesn't go to the New York Knicks for that
specific reason.
Speaker 4 (40:11):
There you know who Sam Cassell has a vibe of who?
What's his Eric b enemy.
Speaker 5 (40:16):
Uh No, he's way better. I'm with you and I
love Sam Cassell. And he was with the Sixers.
Speaker 4 (40:23):
You know who else was with the Sixers that had
a huge praise, a great following.
Speaker 5 (40:29):
Lloyd uh Lloyd Pierce, thank you.
Speaker 2 (40:31):
He'll get it.
Speaker 5 (40:31):
He'll get a head coach and he should.
Speaker 4 (40:33):
Yeah, he was getting shouted out by Lebron a few
seasons ago. I thought he should have got an opportunity.
Speaker 5 (40:38):
Same thing.
Speaker 4 (40:39):
I'm with you, Sam Cassell, hell of a player, a
very vocal, I am a big and has been around
with some major teams. I'm all about it.
Speaker 5 (40:49):
Was he with the Celtics, he was Celtics this year.
He's with the Celtics. Now, who was he with last year?
Speaker 6 (40:54):
He's bounced around. I gotta fact check. I thought he
was with the Celtics for the championship last year. Yeah,
he's been on Doc staff for a while now, so
he kind of bounced around with him.
Speaker 5 (41:02):
But he was on the Celtics this year.
Speaker 6 (41:04):
The other guy who's gonna throw in the mix, Jeff
Van Gundy any thought.
Speaker 5 (41:07):
Jeff, no, why not?
Speaker 3 (41:09):
No?
Speaker 5 (41:10):
Why not? He was excellent this year?
Speaker 6 (41:12):
He the Clippers defensive turnaround is basically solely given to
Jeff Van Gundy.
Speaker 5 (41:18):
I don't think you would have steped back.
Speaker 6 (41:19):
On the coaching game if he didn't have a little
bit of that itch to take another job again.
Speaker 5 (41:24):
He goes back, what was he? Those are the Hey days?
Speaker 4 (41:27):
Hey, it's an interesting name, Sean Minard an interesting name.
I don't know. I just say no because we've been
there and done that and I want something new. But
you're right still coaching? Yeah, he again, he was excellent
this year.
Speaker 6 (41:42):
The Clipper is like you listen to any one of
them talk is he gets like sole credit for their
defensive turnaround. And that's been a team who hasn't had
a defensive identity really ever when they can looking at
the Clippers and they were excellent this year with a
team with James Harden on it.
Speaker 4 (41:54):
And he was with the Knicks for seven seasons from
nineteen ninety or no, excuse me, he's with you. He
was wow even longer because he was an assistant coach
before then. But he took the head coaching gig in
ninety five, all the way up in Chill two thousand
and one, two thousand and two and was fired probably
about halfway.
Speaker 5 (42:13):
Through that season.
Speaker 4 (42:14):
Yeah, an interesting name. Definitely an interesting name. Lloyd Pierce
the coach of the Hawks already? Did he get the
head coaching job down there? I thought he did three seasons?
Speaker 2 (42:23):
He did?
Speaker 5 (42:23):
Yet?
Speaker 6 (42:24):
All right, it's currently assistant coach of the Indiana Pacers.
Speaker 5 (42:27):
You go to the Hawks to lose? Is he on
the the Pacers? Correct? Yeah? About that? How about that?
Can't hurt the pr No, definitely not.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
All right.
Speaker 4 (42:35):
We will talk a lot about the NBA Finals. We've
got to take quick time out. Luca Katy's here as well.
We got to go north to the border. Boys, we're
heading out. Anybody ever been to Canada?
Speaker 5 (42:44):
To of you two? You ever been to Canada? I
have not either. No, I've never been.
Speaker 4 (42:48):
I want to go. I want to go. I'm actually
pulling for Edmonton in the Stanley Cup Finals too, shame. Yeah,
I want to see Edmonton.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
Unless you're a Farida Panthers fan, you should be.
Speaker 4 (43:01):
What about just from the state of Florida, The fact
that six straight years somebody from the state has been
playing in the Stanley Cup Finals, Like.
Speaker 6 (43:07):
Cause, shouldn't you be? No, if you're nothing says hockey
like Florida.
Speaker 5 (43:10):
Yeah, it's absurd, you go. I think the Flyers will
do something eventually.
Speaker 4 (43:14):
All right, Daily Ticket Shopping artis is here. Luke Arcane's
hanging out. Luke, we got Sam Ostrey joining the party
at four h five. Other side, we're hitting some baseball.
We'll talk about the Blue Jays series, talk about what's
going to be different this time around versus what the
hell just took place a Citizens Bank Park against the
brew Crew where they looked like a disaster by the way,
(43:35):
Phillies now losers are fourth straight. Gotta find a way
to win a game. So I want to go with
some North of the Border bets. On the other side,
Luke R. Kane's gonna steer us in the right direction.
More Daily Ticket after this
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