CHICAGO — Jeff Van Gundy calls Tom Thibodeau “the hungriest person in the NBA.’’
Whether that hunger will lead to Thibodeau’s return to New York is a matter of debate. Van Gundy will broadcast Sunday’s Knicks-Bulls game at United Center as Carmelo Anthony could be facing his future coach. Whether that would be in New York or Chicago is unclear.
“Tom drives his team, paces his team, evaluates their strengths and has a relentless intensity and thirst to win,’’ Van Gundy said. “He is the hungriest person in the NBA.’’
If the Knicks can’t get Van Gundy out of coaching retirement — and they may try — Thibodeau’s name likely would top the Knicks’ list.
An obvious problem is Thibodeau, the former Knicks assistant under Van Gundy and later Don Chaney, still has three years left on his Bulls’ contract. Multiple sources confirm Thibodeau’s relationship with Bulls general manager Gar Forman could lead to a breakup after the season, when the Knicks could swoop in. Forman wouldn’t renew the contract of one of Thibodeau’s assistants, and friend, Ron Adams.
Thibodeau is represented by CAA and counts the agency’s representative William Wesley as one of his advisers. The powerful Wesley has heavy influence within the Knicks’ organization, especially with new president Steve Mills.
According to a league source, Wesley’s insistence is why the Knicks signed J.R. Smith when he returned from China.
Bulls Vice President John Paxson addressed the speculation on WGWG of Chicago.
“He is not going anywhere,” Paxson said. “I don’t think it’s a stretch to say our team is the best prepared in the NBA with Tom as our head coach.”
Any play for Thibodeau might cost the Knicks a first-round draft pick, which they don’t have. Hence, it still seems a long shot.
“He loves Chicago,’’ a coaching source who has worked with Thibodeau told The Post. “They gave him his first head-coaching opportunity. I don’t know why coaches and GMs don’t get along better. But when someone throws a boatload of money at you?”
Thibodeau, for his part, would not respond.
“No matter how you answer, it will keep coming up, so I don’t waste any time with that,” he said.
Knicks owner James Dolan already passed on Thibodeau not once, but twice. When Van Gundy abruptly resigned in 2001, Dolan picked Chaney over Thibodeau despite Thibodeau’s legendary four-hour summer-league practices.
When former president Donnie Walsh conducted his coaching search in 2007, Walsh didn’t grant Thibodeau an interview before naming Mike D’Antoni.
Thibodeau is now viewed as the defensive genius, while Mike Woodson is on the firing block and has lost that cachet. A Thibodeau signing could also be a coup in convincing Anthony to stick.
Anthony and Thibodeau don’t know each other well, but The Post reported he would be intrigued playing for the former Coach of the Year. However, when a Chicago journalist asked about Thibodeau recently, Anthony said he had “no relationship’’ with him.
The Post also reported he would consider the Bulls because of the big market and chance to play with a healthy point guard Derrick Rose. The Bulls can be creative, too, in opening up cap space this summer.
Thibodeau’s work this season is beyond impressive, after losing Rose to another season-ending knee injury and then ownership’s salary dump of Luol Deng. The Bulls are tied for third in the East with the Raptors at 32-26.
“Twice that team had a chance to quit and instead they got better,’’ the coaching source said. “He loves the players. The players love him. That team bought into him.
“The Bulls have a lot to be careful about. When you find a guy in this league who can really coach. … ”Besides his maniacal work ethic, he’s a detail freak on everything they do.
Even during the Knicks’ 54-win campaign last year, Thibodeau outcoached Woodson in sweeping the season series with the Knicks, 4-0.
The Knicks have fallen in complete defensive disarray, allowing 110 points per game during the five-game losing streak. They’ve fallen 17 games under .500, but are still in a playoff race only because the Hawks are in a similar collapse.
One NBA scout said it’s not Woodson’s defensive system and constant rotations that have doomed the team, as much as the players not zeroing in on the game plan.
“They’re not as engaged this year,’’ the scout said. “It’s the same coaching staff and defensive system that won 54 games last season. But when you had Jason Kidd and Rasheed Wallace, even though he didn’t play as much, they’re defensive-minded guys and that’s contagious. They have no one like that this season.’’
Would Thibodeau even want to be part of what appears a large rebuilding project? He always held a strong relationship with segments of the New York media and understands the market better than most. As much as he’s a Van Gundy disciple, his friends say he learned as much as an assistant to the deceased former Timberwolves coach Bill Musselman, a defensive hound.
“Nobody wants to say it about the Knicks, but they’re just not good enough,’’ the NBA scout said. “The Knicks have no personality. They’re not going to outscore you 110-108. And they’re not going to grind it out because they don’t guard well.’’