THURSDAY, 9:37am: Berman and Isola both refer to the meeting as an interview, and Mills was present, Berman writes. It was more than just a courtesy visit, according to Berman, who nonetheless maintains Blatt is a long shot for the job. A person close to Blatt believes a scenario is in play that would allow him to become the Knicks lead assistant under Rambis, Isola reports, postulating that such a move would make Rambis an easier sell to owner James Dolan. Still, Blatt and the Knicks discussed only the head coaching position Monday, a source told Berman. The Lakers reportedly plan to interview Blatt for their head coaching job, too.
WEDNESDAY, 10:09am: David Blatt met Monday with Knicks team president Phil Jackson about the team’s coaching job, league sources tell The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). It’s uncertain whether the visit was merely a perfunctory engagement, and it’s not entirely clear whether it constituted an interview, as the Knicks were involved in a back and forth over the definition of an interview in the wake of Jackson’s recent discussion with Luke Walton. Still, Marc Berman of the New York Post previously reported that the team had been in contact with the former Cavs coach, whom Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com first identified as a candidate the Knicks are considering.
Jackson met Tuesday with agents who represent both him and interim coach Kurt Rambis, according to Berman, who hears Rambis remains the favorite for the job. Still, Blatt’s adaptability holds appeal to Jackson, who respects the Princeton offense the coach has employed at times, as Berman previously wrote. Blatt would also be willing to run the triangle, one executive said to Berman. Blatt and Knicks GM Steve Mills have a deep connection that dates to their days as teammates at Princeton. Blatt was an usher at Mills’ wedding, according to Berman.
New York’s coaching search has been narrow, with little chatter about anyone beyond Rambis, Blatt and Walton. Carmelo Anthony has publicly called for the team to at least listen to candidates other than Rambis. Frank Isola of the New York Daily News heard Anthony preferred Tom Thibodeau, who’s since become the coach and chief front office executive for the Timberwolves. Jackson was nonetheless disinterested in Thibodeau, and the Knicks didn’t contact him, Begley reported.
We already know the Phil Jackson era is a disaster and will end badly. No one but the Knicks plays the triangle. Phil’s insistence on keeping a failed coach not respected by the players only shows his own incompetence. No big FA is going to sign with the Knicks with all this dysfunction at MSG. Why should they? If you’re a star with game are you coming to NY to learn the outdated triangle and get booed. Its ridiculous. Only Jimmy Guitar Dolan is too stupid to comprehend this. When Jackson flames out on the coach and FA’s this summer the bitching from Melo for a trade will only make the Knicks more dysfunctional. For the 2016-2017 season about 20-62 looks doable. Sorry Knicks fans.
So many ridiculous and false statements all in one posts, bravo for your ignorance!
Alphakira are you Rambis, Jackson or Dolan because only an idiot with his head buried in the sand would try to dispute any of my statement without citing facts to back up your own ignorance! Were you born under a rock or have you not seen the moribund Knicks the last 2 years? They are putrid both on the court and in management. You want to kiss the Zen Masters ring so be it but anyone with an ounce of intelligence knows this is a bad team without any direction, coaching or leadership. The fact Jackson won all his rings it was as a coach not a personnel director. It helped to have a few guys named Jordan, Pippen, Shaquille and Kobe running his ship. Have you seen the mess he put together with the current Knicks team? KP fell into his lap so please don’t give him credit for that. Jackson as an executive is as clueless as Dolan! Wake up!
Mind you, while I’m a huge critic of Phil’s and I cringe at the thought of Rambis having another season, one thing you can not say is that KP “fell into his lap”. Remember the reaction when the guy was drafted. Nobody saw this and the entier Knicks fanbase wanted either Winslow or Mudiay should the other obvious choices (top 3 picks) have been picked up by then. Hell, some even talked about drafting Cauley-Stein.
It is still bad that we should consider Porzingis as the only bright light of Jackson’s time as the Knicks president but, for now, at least that’s a home-run he had actually hit unexpectedly.
I agree… The Knicks under Phil have not had a season above .500.. I mean really? Yeah right blame it on the cap.. Come on .. Should have kept Mike Woodson instead going to Fisher..
Very fiasco team.. But I still hope we can rally something going in the “near future ” hopefully a good coach plus a better management
First of all Kurt is not the answer for the coaching position with the Knicks. Maybe a Mark Jackson or Blatt.