Former Knicks head coach pays visit to Suns training camp

Ott spoke to the media about what it means to have Thibodeau be present.

“Just great having those guys around. They’ll give me honest feedback. Coach Thibs will give it to you straight. Nate [Oats], who I’ve known for a long time, there’s no bias. They’re excited to be here to watch, but having those good basketball minds in the building is definitely helpful,” Ott said (h/t AZCentral’s Duane Rankin).

Thibodeau had a strong tenure as Knicks head coach

Thibodeau spent five seasons as the Knicks’ head coach and led a successful tenure that turned around the franchise. He made the postseason in four of the five seasons as coach and earned the respect of the players, leading the Knicks to strong playoff runs.

Last season, he spearheaded their most successful season this century by reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. Unfortunately, the Knicks felt that they had reached their ceiling with Thibodeau and decided to move on.

They hired longtime coach Mike Brown to replace Thibodeau, who will inherit a Knicks team with tremendous expectations. The team is widely anticipated to be in the running for the championship, especially with a weaker Eastern Conference they will be playing in.

Thibodeau may not have a job currently, but he is still a highly respected and well-qualified coach who can help mentor some of the younger coaches, such as Ott.