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Jun 5, 2025  |  
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NextImg:Betting odds reveal heavy favorite to be next Knicks head coach

There’s a clear favorite to take over the Knicks’ head coaching job.

After the franchise fired Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday, Michael Malone is the early front-runner to take over the position, according to oddsmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Malone, who was fired by the Nuggets with a week to go in the regular season after a decade as Denver’s head coach, is an early +125 favorite to be on the Knicks’ sideline come the fall.

CoachOdds
Michael Malone+125
Johnnie Bryant+400
Jay Wright+1500
Mike Budenholzer+1500
Rick Brunson+1500
Monty Williams+2000
Taylor Jenkins+2000
John Calipari+2000
Dan Hurley+2000
Jeff Van Gundy+2500
Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook

Malone went 471-327 in 10 seasons in Denver and led the Nuggets to the 2023 NBA title before his shocking firing just before the postseason kicked off.

His favorite status comes despite The Post’s Stefan Bondy reporting that the Knicks hiring Malone for the job was “not going to happen.”

Johnnie Bryant, who spent four seasons in New York under Thibodeau from the 2020-21 season through the 2023-24 season as an associate coach, is the second-favorite to win the job, sitting at +400.

He currently serves as the associate head coach of the Cavaliers under Kenny Atkinson, and was recently named as a finalist for the Suns’ head coach opening.

Two New York Knicks coaches watching a game.Associate Head Coach Johnnie Bryant of the New York Knicks speaks with head coach Tom Thibodeau during the second quarter of the game against the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden on March 29, 2023 in New York City.
Associate Head Coach Johnnie Bryant of the New York Knicks speaks with head coach Tom Thibodeau during a Knicks-Heat regular season game on March 29, 2023. Getty Images

A trio of intriguing names — Jay Wright, Mike Budenholzer and Rick Brunson — are +1500 long shots to be named the next Knicks head coach.

Wright coached the Knicks’ star trio of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges at Villanova, although he hasn’t coached since retiring in 2022.

Budenholzer was fired by Phoenix after one disappointing season and is considered one of the top coaches on the market right now.

Whoever gets the job will fill the big shoes of Thibodeau, who went 226-174 during the regular season and made the postseason four times.

“Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans. This pursuit led us to the difficult decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we’ve decided to move in another direction,” Knicks president Leon Rose said in a statement.

“We can’t thank Tom enough for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach. He led us not only with class and professionalism for the past five seasons, but also to tremendous success on the court with four playoff berths and four playoff series victories. Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward. Tom will always be a part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future.”