If you want to know why the New York Knicks showed almost no interest in hiring the top head coach on the market, look no further than the Chicago Bulls.

According to Frank Isola of The New York Daily News, the Bulls refused to give a positive recommendation of Thibodeau to Phil Jackson for the Knicks’ head coaching vacancy:

“It gets better. Apparently, Jackson called the Chicago Bulls front office and – surprise, surprise – they didn’t give Thibodeau a glowing recommendation. That would be the same front office that promised their fans that Thibodeau was the problem and that Fred Hoiberg is the solution. How’s that working out?”

Under Tom Thibodeau’s watch, the Bulls were a perennial Eastern Conference contender. They finished with the best record in the conference twice and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals during his first season with the organization.

While his tenure in Chicago began well, it didn’t end as great. Tension between management and Thibodeau grew as the organization portrayed him as an uncooperative malcontent. Following last year’s second-round playoff loss, the Bulls fired Thibodeau.

Although management was quick to wash their hands of the former Coach of the Year, they have failed to replicate that same type of success with Fred Hoiberg.

While no one knows if the Knicks had serious interest in hiring Thibodeau, it’s pretty clear his former team didn’t exactly give him a ringing endorsement.