Knicks Rumor: Brian Windhorst raises the possibility of Jeff Van Gundy reunion

Brian Windhorst hints that Jeff Van Gundy may return to the New York Knicks after Tom Thibodeau was fired.

Since the New York Knicks decided to part ways with head coach Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday, speculation has quickly turned to a potential successor. Among the names discussed, there is a name that is familiar to the team: Jeff Van Gundy.

On Wednesday morning's ESPN's Get Up show, NBA insider Brian Windhorst said the Knicks should consider evaluating whether Van Gundy is interested in returning to the head coaching position.

"I just want to mention another name. I'll see if Jeff Van Gundy is interested in him," Windhorst said. "Van Gundy won warm praise from Clippers players all season. He has a very close relationship with Tom Thibodeau. He also missed some of the seasons for personal reasons, so I'm not sure if he wants to get the job. But if I were the Knicks, I'd call and ask if he's interested."

63-year-old Van Gundy is currently an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers under head coach Tyron Lue. He joined the Clippers’ coaching team last season after working as a senior adviser during the 2023-24 championship. The Clippers finished the regular season with a record of 50 wins and 32 losses and finished fifth in the Western Conference, but lost to the Denver Nuggets in seven games in the first round.

Jeff Van Gundy's legend in the Knicks and his connection with Tom Thibodeau adds a mystery when the coach is vacant.

Van Gundy is a familiar figure among Knicks fans. He served as the team's head coach from 1996 to 2001 and as the team's assistant coach from 1989 to 1995. As head coach, he led the Knicks to a record of 248 wins and 172 losses and a playoff record of 37 wins and 32 losses. His most eye-catching achievement was to lead the Knicks to the NBA Finals as eighth in the Eastern Conference in the 1999 playoffs - a record that was not surpassed by the Miami Heat until 2023.

Van Gundy also played a key role in coaching Thibodeau, who served as his assistant coach from 1996 to 2003. The long-term collaboration between the two coaches has sparked more speculation that Van Gundy might be interested, especially after Thibodeau's recent sack.

Thibodeau's five seasons with the Knicks had a regular season record of 226 wins and 24 wins and 23 losses in the playoffs. He led the team to the playoffs four times, including the first time since 2000 to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks were eventually eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in six games.

While the Knicks have not yet appointed a successor, Windhorst's suggestion adds Van Gundy to the growing list of successes as New York hopes to build on the success of the recent playoffs and compete for the championship in the coming years.