A surprising report reveals why the Knicks haven't been able to land a superstar

It's safe to say the New York Knicks are back in the NBA hierarchy. After spending several seasons under mediocrity, with various coaches, players, and front office personnel, the Knicks have their needed core intact to compete in the Eastern Conference and for a potential NBA Finals. Jalen Brunson's ascension, along with Julius Randle's, has made the Knicks one of the best teams in the NBA. Besides Brunson and Randle, the Knicks have formed a deep, two-way roster with versatility.

The Knicks were able to essentially steal Jalen Brunson from the Dallas Mavericks, and the dividends have paid off. An All-NBA player in the midst of a career-best, Most Valuable Player-caliber season, Brunson has had a lot on his plate to carry.

With injuries to Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and OG Anunoby (acquired pre-trade deadlines for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley), Brunson was forced to put the Knicks on his back for the second half of the season. For Brunson, he has delivered in his role. However, this isn't a 'Jalen Brunson fan page' article. This is an article meant to highlight the Knicks limitations because of their head coach, Tom Thibodeau.

Other NBA players don't seem to want play for Tom Thibodeau.

One of the best coaches in the NBA, Thibodeau's philosophy for winning has always been to win with defense, grittiness, toughness, and heavy usage of his starters. However, a recent NBA player poll revealed that Thibodeau is the coach players would least want to play for). Let's take a deep dive into why Thibodeau is the Knicks problem.

As mentioned previously, Thibodeau's winning philosophy is much more traditional, 'old school caliber'. He relies on his players to be versatile, two-way players who are willing to be gritty and show toughness.

However, Thibodeau comes off as someone who's not necessarily relatable to his players as a personable figure. Additionally, Thibodeau plays his starters heavy minutes, usually 36 more per game. This causes more injuries than usual; examples include Randle, Anunoby, Robinson, and others.

Lastly, with an increasingly more offensively driven league, Thibodeau's reliance on what works for him instead of fully adapting to today's game causes tension for certain players who may love New York, but not their fit with the Knicks or their play style.

Many players want the ball in their hands, with transition and fast-paced offense becoming the trend in today's NBA. However, for Thibodeau and the Knicks, that's not the case. Sure, the Knicks landed Brunson. But he's not a superstar just yet.

Ultimately, the Knicks are a very good team. With 50 wins as the number two seed this season, they have a chance to reach the NBA Finals, even with All-NBA caliber Julius Randle sidelined with injury. However, for the Knicks to truly reach 'championship contender' status, they may have to chase a superstar. That is, a superstar unwilling to come due to the marketability of their head coach. In the short term, New York is ecstatic. But in the long-term, just relevancy may not be enough.