Kendrick Perkins Names His Top Tom Thibodeau Replacement as Knicks Chase ‘Championship Aspirations’

The New York Knicks have parted ways with Tom Thibodeau, a man who brought hope back to the city. The Conference finals loss to the Indiana Pacers forced the premature end to his five-year stint in New York. And the decision has already sparked widespread debate.

As the dust begins to settle and people come to terms with it, a big question looms: Who should be the next head coach of the Knicks? Kendrick Perkins has already made his pick.

The franchise has publicly stated its championship ambitions. And the new coach will be expected to end New York’s 50-plus-year championship drought. So, Perk believes the Knicks can’t afford to settle for anything less than a proven winner.

According to the former NBA champ, the obvious choice is recently fired Nuggets coach Michael Malone, who led Denver to its first-ever title in 2023.

“They’re trying to win a championship, so you [have] got to get a championship-level coach. The only one that’s available right now, in my opinion, is Michael Malone,” Perkins said on SportsCenter.

Malone is known for maximizing the potential of stars like Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, especially on the defensive end. That area was a major issue for the Knicks in their recent playoff run. And Malone’s track record of tightening up defensive schemes makes him an ideal fit.

He brings a résumé and mentality that align perfectly with where the Knicks want to go. But Malone is not the unanimous choice for the head coaching job in New York, and he’s certainly not the expert favorite.

Some of the other names in the mix are Jay Wright and Rick Brunson. However, Perkins stood by his pick and made arguments against the other two. Wright’s name has surfaced due to his connections with Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart — all Villanova alumni. Perk sees that familiarity as a potential issue.

He argued that bringing in Wright might lead to favoritism, creating an uneven dynamic in the locker room. “You’ve got to be neutral in this. You [have] got to bring somebody in the locker room that’s not going to play favoritism toward the Nova Knicks,” he added.

Meanwhile, Rick is the father of star point guard Jalen, which, of course, would be another case of favoritism. However, according to Perk, that’s not the reason he might not be the right pick.

Perkins questioned his impact as assistant coach during the team’s recent playoff run and argued that he shouldn’t be in the conversation at all. If New York is serious about chasing a title, Perkins believes the front office needs to think big.

And in his eyes, there’s only one man on the market who fits the bill: Michael Malone.