On Tuesday afternoon, the New York Knicks shockingly fired Tom Thibodeau. The move came after Thibodeau led the Knicks to their first Conference Finals appearance in 25 years. The Minnesota Timberwolves have a crucial offseason ahead of them with several decisions to make about key players. Nevertheless, bringing Thibodeau back as an assistant coach could be a highly impactful move for the Wolves this offseason. Let's dive into this possibility and how it could benefit the Wolves.
The Wolves hiring Thibs is realistic
The Phoenix Suns is the only other open head coaching position, however, they've already listed their two finalists. As a result, Thibs will likely have to take an assistant job or take a year off from coaching. A Thibs-Wolves reunion could benefit both sides and is a realistic option. Notably, from 2016 to 2019, Thibodeau served as the Wolves' head coach. Furthermore, Thibs was an assistant with the Wolves from 1989-91.
During Thibs' second season as the Wolves' head coach in 2017-18, he led them to the playoffs. Thibs' familiarity with the organization and his relationships with Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo could entice him to return to Minnesota.
Thibs would be a perfect "defensive coordinator"
If Thibs returns to the Timberwolves, he could take on a "defensive coordinator" type of role. Last season, we saw Jeff Van Gundy have enormous success with the Los Angeles Clippers in this role. This also showed the value of having a great assistant coach.
The Wolves' elite and versatile defense would be perfect for Thibs' defensive philosophy. Impressively, the Wolves have been a top 10 defense over the past three seasons. It would be interesting to see what schemes Thibs would implement around Rudy Gobert's stellar rim protection, along with the versatility of Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards.
Thibodeau's knack for defense would surely bring the best out of this talented group. Despite being a top 10 defense over the past three years, Minnesota's defense dropped from the best in the league in 2023-24 to the sixth-best this past season. Thibs' presence could help the Wolves return to the top three.
While Thibodeau has certain downsides as a head coach, he would undoubtedly be an elite assistant, especially if he's solely focused on defense. With Thibs, Micah Nori, and Chris Finch, the Wolves would have one of the league's most complete coaching staffs. Hiring Thibodeau could be an underrated move that would greatly benefit the Wolves. Ultimately, pursuing a reunion with Thibs is a logical and intriguing option for the Wolves this summer.