The New York Knicks announced on Tuesday that they have fired head coach Tom Thibodeau.

"Our organization's singular goal is to win a championship for our fans," Knicks president Leon Rose said in a statement. "That pursuit has forced us to make the difficult decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that the organization will pursue an alternative path."

"Words cannot express how grateful we are to Tom. Tom has dedicated himself to his job, day in and day out, during his five seasons as head coach of the New York Knicks. He has led us with grace and professionalism to remarkable results, including four playoff appearances and four series wins."

"Ultimately, we made the decision that was best for the future of the franchise. Tom will always be a part of the Knicks family, and we sincerely wish him all the best in his future endeavors."

Thibodeau, 67, has coached the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves, and was appointed the 31st head coach in the Knicks' history in July 2020. During his tenure, he led the Knicks to the playoffs four times, and this season he advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals after an absence of 25 years. However, the Knicks eventually lost to the Indiana Pacers 2-4 and failed to go further.

Although Thibodeau led the team to the best record of this century, the Knicks management still decided to look for a new coach. They hope to achieve further breakthroughs by changing coaches and listed Mike Malone, Greg Budenholzer, Frank Vogel, Jay Wright and Dan Hurley as potential candidates.