The New York Knicks head coaching position is suddenly vacant following the team's recent firing of head coach Derek Fisher and former Chicago Bulls boss Tom Thibodeau reportedly wants the job.

NJ Advance Media, citing ESPN's Ian O'Connor, reported that the 58-year-old bench tactician has "always wanted" to coach the Knicks and that "he would crawl to Madison Square Garden" just to land the post.

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The report continued that "with an NBA title as an assistant, Coach of the Year award as a head coach and 255-139 career record leading the Chicago Bulls, the Knicks likely won't find many more accomplished coaches available when a search truly begins".

Indeed, after being ditched by the Bulls in May of last year, Thibodeau surprisingly remains as a free agent coach while at the same time attracting a lot of interest from other NBA teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, and Brooklyn Nets.

Knicks President Phil Jackson fired his former player and Knicks head coach Fisher on Monday after New York lost in nine out of its last ten games, burying the team to 12th place in the East standings with a 23-31 slate.

"I think Derek is relieved to not have this on his shoulders," Jackson said, via the New York Post's Mike Vaccaro, after the 11-time champion coach announced that he had "relieved" Fisher as New York's chief bench strategist.

Vaccaro also mentioned in his article that a "professional friend" of Thibodeau told him that Thibs "would kill for that job". The "friend" went on to say that "there are some coaches who think the 'New York basketball' stuff is so much overblown hype but Tom saw what it was like there. He experienced it. He wants in."

However, it will all come down to Jackson's decision ultimately. When reporters asked him about the qualities he is looking for in the Knicks next head coach, he says "It's always good to have a relationship, but it's not paramount. At some point I'll have to have a relationship with someone who coaches this team. The system of basketball is what's important, and this happens to be the system we're familiar with, but it's not paramount. Someone has to match the style of the way we do things."

When asked if he is considering Thibodeau to land the job, Jackson answered in a reportedly cranky tone.

"I respect Tom as a coach, he's a very good coach," said Jackson. "Have I said I'm soliciting coaches right now?"

TagsNBA News & Rumors, NBA News & Rumors 2016, new york knicks, Phil Jackson, Tom Thibodeau