The NBA Cup champion Milwaukee Bucks will open defense of their in-season tournament title with pool play beginning Oct. 31. Milwaukee will be in East Group C with New York, Chicago, Miami and Charlotte.

The New York Knicks' decision to fire head coach Tom Thibodeau came as a bit of a surprise. Whether it was due to the team finally finding some success and advancing further than they had in many years, or the fact that the Knicks lacked a clear plan when they fired Thibodeau, everything seemed to be a question mark.

Of course, the Knicks are coming off their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000 last season, though they started off the summer by making a shocking decision as they fired head coach Tom Thibodeau.

Rose, who shared his MVP run with Thibodeau in Chicago and later reunited with him in Minnesota and New York, called the firing a win-win situation for all involved. Thibodeau walks away with financial security. The Knicks retain a loaded roster led by All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson and remain poised to contend in a wide-open Eastern Conference.