Knicks Next Head Coach Odds: Michael Malone, Jay Wright Lead Candidates to Replace Tom Thibodeau
After leading the New York Knicks to their first conference finals in 25 years, Tom Thibodeau is out of a job. And the Knicks next coach odds feature a few eye-catching names to replace him on the bench next season.
Michael Malone and Jay Wright opened as the favorites to take over as the Knicks' head coach in 2025-26 after Thibodeau helped revive the franchise across his five-year tenure, ranking fourth in franchise history in wins before he was ousted three days after the Eastern Conference Finals.
Here are the latest odds to replace Thibodeau as the Knicks' next head coach. Read to the end for our prediction on who New York will hire for next year.
🏀 Knicks next head coach odds
Latest New York Knicks next head coach odds as of June 3; must be the full-time head coach for Game 1 of the 2025 NBA regular season.
| Coach | Odds | Implied probability |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Malone | +100 | 50% |
| Jay Wright | +150 | 40% |
| Jeff Van Gundy | +600 | 14.29% |
| Chris Quinn | +700 | 12.50% |
| Taylor Jenkins | +800 | 11.11% |
| Dan Hurley | +900 | 10% |
| Rick Brunson | +1200 | 7.69% |
| Mike Brown | +1400 | 6.67% |
| Johnnie Bryant | +1400 | 6.67% |
| Mark Jackson | +2000 | 4.76% |
| Steve Nash | +2200 | 4.35% |
| James Borrego | +3300 | 2.94% |
| John Calipari | +4500 | 2.17% |
| Mike Budenholzer | +5000 | 1.96% |
| Mike D'Antoni | +5000 | 1.96% |
| Sam Cassell | +6600 | 1.49% |
📋 Top Knicks coaching candidates & betting favorites
When a job like the Knicks head coach opens up, the list of potential candidates includes anyone and everyone - including those with a stable job already and others who seem unlikely to ever coach again.
That hasn't stopped oddsmakers from casting a wide net for one of the most attractive jobs in the NBA, starting with a former championship-winning coach and another who would surely be the apple of the Knicks' eye if available:
🏀 Michael Malone (+100)
The former Denver Nuggets coach is regarded as one of the best in the business, but he was shockingly fired late in the regular season before the Nuggets' eventual playoff run ended in the second round.
The New York native seems like an ideal fit on paper, especially since his father once coached as an assistant for the Knicks, but he could fit the Thibs profile a little too closely. If the team is looking to go in a different direction - which seems likely after firing the most successful coach in decades - Malone could be a tough sell.
🏀 Jay Wright (+150)
The first text I received after the news of Thibodeau's firing was from a longtime friend and Knicks fan clamoring for the team to hire Wright, who has already coached the team's top stars when they played at Villanova.
That's the most obvious pitch for Wright, who won two national titles in college and has flirted with the NBA over the years. He insists that his retirement in 2022 wasn't related to poor health and was instead related to losing the "edge" to coach. Could he rediscover that coaching his former players in Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart while pursuing an NBA title?
🏀 Jeff Van Gundy (+600)
Another popular option in the rumor mill, Van Gundy led the Knicks to their last NBA Finals appearance in 1999 as part of a 12-year tenure as a head coach and assistant in New York.
After nearly two decades in the broadcast booth, Van Gundy returned to the sidelines last year as the Los Angeles Clippers' lead assistant and defensive coordinator for one of the best defenses in basketball. This one may seem like a long shot on paper, but I wouldn't rule it out so quickly.
🎯 Knicks next coach prediction & best bet
If all else were equal, the best bet here is likely Malone, who recently won a championship and is the most qualified coach on the open market (aside from Wright, who is a wild card to ever coach again).
That said, I simply can't ignore the incredible odds for a similarly qualified former champion who would represent a philsosophical shift from his potential predecessor:
🏀 Mike Budenholzer (+5000)
I have a hard time understanding how Budenholzer is dealing at such long odds for this head coaching vacancy ... even if his last stint wasn't all that impressive.
I'd caution against holding that against him considering how unsuccessful any coach has been at getting the most ouf ot Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in Phoenix. We've already seen Budenholzer have tremendous success in leading the Milwaukee Bucks to a championship and carrying the Atlanta Hawks to historic heights before that.
He also knows how to win in the modern NBA with a focus on spacing and maximizing a team's full rotation - two clear issues for the Thibodeau tenure. If the Knicks are serious about turning the page on their old coach and seeking a new direction, Budenholzer fits the bill ... and you'd turn a $10 bet into a $500 profit if they agree.
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