The NBA common season is over. The season of change is simply starting.
For the league’s lottery-bound groups — and even a couple of who nonetheless have playoff video games left to play — the ultimate buzzer on Sport 82 usually feels like a beginning gun for front-office and training employees upheaval.
The primary transfer got here swiftly on Monday morning, when the New Orleans Pelicans dismissed president of basketball operations David Griffin after six seasons. Griffin, the chief who helped construct a title staff round LeBron James in Cleveland, now hits the market at a time when a number of franchises are anticipated to shake up not simply teaching staffs, however their complete management construction.
Griffin is the primary government out the door this offseason — however removed from the primary domino to fall.
Denver shocked the league weeks earlier by firing each head coach Michael Malone and normal supervisor Calvin Sales space — a daring transfer simply forward of one other postseason run with Nikola Jokić. Memphis let go of Taylor Jenkins. Sacramento dismissed Mike Brown two days after Christmas. Groups aren’t ready for the playoffs to finish. Some aren’t even ready for the season to complete.
The carousel is already spinning — and it’s solely going to get sooner.
Which brings us to the Knicks.
After back-to-back second-round appearances and a swing-for-the-fences offseason — 5 first-round picks for Mikal Bridges, Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo out the door for Karl-Anthony Cities — expectations have by no means been increased. One other early exit might convey questions. About match. About ceiling. And about whether or not Tom Thibodeau continues to be the person to information this group to the following stage.
If the Knicks flame out — whether or not in opposition to Detroit in Spherical 1 or Boston in Spherical 2 — there’s each purpose to consider they’ll be monitoring the increasing subject of teaching candidates.
The NBA’s spring cleansing is underway. Under, we’re monitoring all the foremost teaching and front-office strikes as they occur.
APRIL 14
SUNS FIRE MIKE BUDENHOLZER
After a 36-46 season mired by harm and dysfunction did not qualify for the Western Convention Play-In Event image, the Phoenix Suns — star-laden with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal — fired head coach Mike Budenholzer one yr into his contract on Monday.
The Suns regressed by 13 wins this season after Frank Vogel coached the staff to a 49-32 report final season. Accidents — plus the lack to maneuver Beal’s albatross contract — led Phoenix to changing into one of many NBA’s worst defenses, and Budenholzer has now been fired twice within the final three years.
What it means for the Knicks: Budenholzer’s repute as an offensive genius will at all times hold him within the dialog ought to a staff, together with the Knicks, be able to make a training change. Bud received 2019 NBA Coach of the Yr, received a title in Milwaukee, and is a disciple of the Gregg Popovich teaching tree as an assistant on 4 championship-winning San Antonio Spurs teaching staffs. He was additionally the top coach of the 60-win Atlanta Hawks of 2015, however his solely title run was on the again of one of the crucial dominant gamers within the sport (Giannis Antetokounmpo) and Budenholzer’s lack of ability to maximise a restricted however gifted roster in Phoenix may very well be cautionary for a Knicks staff with little wiggle room beneath the second apron.
PELICANS FIRE GRIFFIN
The Pelicans fired Griffin after six seasons in New Orleans, bringing an abrupt finish to an period outlined by unfulfilled potential. The staff’s downward spiral this yr — one of many NBA’s worst information — can largely be traced to repeated harm setbacks, most notably with franchise centerpiece Zion Williamson. Since being drafted No. 1 total in 2019, Williamson has missed both all the season or appeared in fewer than 31 video games in 4 of his six NBA campaigns.
Pelicans head coach Willie Inexperienced additionally accomplished his fourth season in New Orleans and it’s unclear whether or not or not the group will pursue a training change, although that will likely be a job for Griffin’s substitute to fill.
This story is growing and will likely be up to date all through the day.
Initially Revealed: April 14, 2025 at 11:50 AM EDT
