The fifth coaching change of this summer’s job cycle happened in stunning fashion Tuesday afternoon, as the Knicks -- fresh off making the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in a quarter century -- parted ways with Tom Thibodeau.

Thibodeau leading the franchise to what has easily been its best stretch of success since the 1990s winning at least one playoff series in three straight seasons and advancing to the conference finals to culminate his five-year run with the team he grew up rooting for -- was not enough for him to get a chance to end New York’s 26-year Finals drought and 52-year championship drought next season.

That task will instead fall upon whomever president of basketball operations Leon Rose chooses to replace him -- that person will walk into the job with sky-high expectations.

It was the latest move in what’s been a relatively busy summer for off-thecourt moves across the league. The Phoenix Suns fired Mike Budenholzer after the first year of a fiveyear contract. Before that, the Denver Nuggets moved on from Michael Malone, along with general manager Calvin Booth, with less than a week to go in the regular season.

Denver’s decision came less than two weeks after the Memphis Grizzlies fired longtime coach Taylor Jenkins. Memphis has since removed the interim tag on coach Tuomas Iisalo.

The Sacramento Kings became the first franchise to fire its coach this season when they dismissed Mike Brown amid a losing streak in late December.

Will more jobs open over the next several weeks? Last season, seven teams changed coaches, including three -- the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns -- that did so after making the playoffs.

Here’s our annual look at the NBA’s coaching carousel, with the pros and cons of each vacancy and who could fill them:

Open coaching jobs

New York Knicks 2024-25 record: 51-31 Previous coach: Tom Thibodeau Lead executive: Leon Rose (hired in 2020) If the Knicks fired a coach after one of the best stretches of success for the franchise in recent history, the expectations are high for his successor. And New York didn’t mince words in its statement announcing the decision to fire Thibodeau: “Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans.”

Phoenix Suns 2024-25 record: 36-46 (No. 11 in West) Previous coach: Mike Budenholzer Lead executive: James Jones (hired in 2018) Phoenix is headed toward its fourth coach in as many seasons after firing Budenholzer, who was hired with great fanfare last spring. Ishbia has owned the team for a little over two years and has already fired three coaches -- not exactly an inspiring track record for whomever replaces Budenholzer.

Hired jobs

Denver Nuggets 2024-25 record: 50-32 (No. 4 in West) Previous coach: Michael Malone (fired April 8; assistant David Adelman took over on interim basis) Lead executive: None (GM Calvin Booth, promoted in 2020, was also let go)

While the Western Conference is deep with contenders, Denver still arguably was set to enter the playoffs as a favorite behind Oklahoma City before the shocking news of Malone’s dismissal after 10 years and unparalleled success with the Nuggets. Whoever walks into this job will believe they can win a championship immediately.

San Antonio Spurs 2024-25 record: 34-48 (No. 13 in West) New coach: Mitch Johnson Previous coach: Gregg Popovich (transitioning to full-time role as president of basketball operations) Lead executive: RC Buford (promoted to CEO in 2019) Memphis Grizzlies 2024-25 record: 48-34 (No. 8 in West) New coach: Tuomas Iisalo (hired on May 2) Previous coach: Taylor Jenkins (fired March 28; Iisalo took over on interim basis) Lead executive: Zach Kleiman (hired in 2019) Sacramento Kings 2024-25 record: 40-42 (No. 9 in West) New coach: Doug Christie Previous coach: Mike Brown (fired in December; assistant Doug Christie takes over on interim basis) Lead executive: GM Scott Perry (hired on April 17 after Monte McNair parted ways with the team)