New Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek has said he’ll have final say on his assistant coaches, but it certainly sounds as if Phil Jackson expects to see former interim coach Kurt Rambis on Hornacek’s staff, as Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News details.
“Kurt fits, he fits in a number of ways,” Jackson told SNY.tv during a Knicks event in Chelsea. “He was a teammate of Jeff’s in Phoenix at one point in their careers. He’s also a team guy. He has a great idea of what we’re trying to get accomplished and I think he can help Jeff feel his way through this club and find a best way for them to play.”
In addition to speaking positively about Rambis, Jackson noted that while his Knicks don’t currently have a draft pick, “we think subsequently we might” (link via Brian Lewis of The New York Post). That comes as no surprise, considering multiple reports have indicated New York is pushing hard to land a pick in a trade.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- As Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders explains, Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan earned $850K in incentives in 2015/16 based on his free throw attempts, assists per game, and Toronto reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. Now that certain bonuses in his contract are considered “likely,” DeRozan’s cap number for his player option next season has increased to $10.35MM. However, that point ultimately figures to be moot, since DeRozan will turn down his option by next Wednesday’s deadline.
- NetsDaily.com (Twitter link) is hearing from an overseas source that Sergey Karasev is expected to return to Russia to play for his father Vasily Karasev in St. Petersburg. The coach of the year in the Russian league, Vasily was adamant last month that his son won’t be back with the Nets next season.
- Celtics director of player personnel Austin Ainge believes it’s “still too early” to get a real sense of how the trade market during the draft might play out, writes Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com. However, that doesn’t stop ESPN’s Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton (Insider link) from exploring potential trade options for Boston’s No. 3 overall pick and the team’s other seven selections.
- Meanwhile, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said the team has “seven or eight guys” targeted as potential options at No. 3, assuming Boston keeps the pick. Petraglia has the details and the quotes at WEEI.com.
The more I read about Bender the more I intriguing he is. Seems like a quality, hard working kid with big upside. I hope he falls to New Orleans at 6. A dream I know.
Rambis belongs on the West coast, not the East coast. He needs to get away from Jackson, being led on and getting bounced around like a ball. He knows the triangle days are long gone. Try telling that to Jackson. It’s not working in NY. The next to leave will be Anthony, he wants to win. It’ll never happen in NY
Melo to Cavs for Kyrie
How about this proposed trade? Anthony that old coach killer ballstopper himself along with Rambis, Jackson, and the Triangle offense to the Lakers for a broken basketball. Anthony is a cancer no matter what team he’s on. Jackson is living in the past with his outdated triangle nobody likes but him. As for Rambis he stunk as a player and even worse as a coach. Do you think he’s got photographs on Jackson. He must because no coach with his record could still be in the league.
Rambis did not suck as a player, anyone who lasts longer than 10 years in the NBA does not suck. I’m not a Melo fan but he can be successful in the right offense. But Jackson may be the worst executive in the NBA
How is Jackson the worst executive?!? I don’t get all the hate. Last year he made some good moves. Drafted porzingus, signed Robin Lopez to highlight a few. Year before he saw the writing on the wall sold off all his assets and tanked. This year hired Jeff Hornacek and is open to implementing a new offense. He done a good job with what he’s had to work with. There is no way he could have locked down a big free agent with the roster he has had. He has held a realistic approach and sign decent guys to good contracts. Rebuilding the Knicks was never going to be an over night thing. Jackson hasn’t done a bad job at all. They are in a better place now than they were before he took over.
Jackson’s problem is that he wants to run the triangle, without being the coach. That creates an awkward communication problem because is the coach or GM really leading the team? He has made good moves, but a GM should stick to creating a roster that fits the coach’s system (a system that the coach wants to run) and not force the coach (aka his “yes man”) to run a certain system.
If you actually watch a game, Anthony is not the ball hogging player he used to be. Also, outside of Porzingas, who else is he going to pass to…Calderon? Lopez? I bet you loved him a couple of years ago when he was carrying the team to the playoffs. The loyalty of NY sports fans never ceases to amaze me.