As we outlined in an earlier Knicks post, Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News wrote today that it’s “hard to envision a scenario” in which head coach Jeff Hornacek is back next season. Hornacek is in his second year at the helm and the Knicks have struggled to a 54-87 record under his watch. The roster has been in a constant of flux, the front office has been at odds, and Hornacek has taken the brunt of the blame.
Since 2014, the New York has had four head coaches, with Mike Woodson, Derek Fisher, Kurt Rambis and Hornacek holding down the position. However, the Knicks have not enjoyed a winning campaign since the 2012/13 season and have seemingly been building for the future for half a decade.
The rest of this season is all but over as the Knicks sport the ninth-worst record in the NBA and are likely out of the playoff picture after franchise star Kristaps Porzingis went down with a season-ending torn ACL. With solid young long-term pieces such as Frank Ntilikina, Emmanuel Mudiay, and Tim Hardaway Jr. in place, the front office – along with Hornacek – has stressed that this year is designed to prepare for the future.
If that is the plan, is Hornacek the man to lead the Knicks into the future? Do you think the Knicks should move on from Hornacek? If the team does make a change, who do you feel would be the right coach for the current roster? Sound off in the comments below!
They should go after a veteran coach
They should go after mark Jackson!!! He would be a great fit!!!
I agree Hornacek Sucks as a head coach and Mark is a defensive coach that would know what to do with what he has on the roster, Ntikilina is not ready for the NBA game, you just could see this in his game, Trey Burke should be getting way more time on the floor Mudiay and him could be a good tag team they both are scorers and could learn from each other!
Y would u not play Frank when everyone knows playoffs won’t happen with out Porzingis? Let him learn
I don’t think it matters if the ghost of Dr. James Naismith coaches the Knicks, they aren’t winning any time soon. Porzingis may or may not be the franchise star. Who knows with an ACL injury whether or not he can come back. Those can be career endong or definitely career altering injuries. Look at Derrick Rose. One of the three “solid long-term pieces” you mentioned was unable to get off the end of the bench for the #6 seed in the West. If that is one of your 3 best long term pieces, you have a long way to go. Aside from maybe the Kings (and even they have more young talent), I don’t think there is a worse job in the NBA right now than the Knicks.
Hornacek is clueless about player development. Over plays old guys, doesn’t make adjustments, and can’t manage rotations. Purge the organization from this horrible Phil Jackson hire, and bring in Mark Jackson!
Hornacek sucks as a head coach. As a Knicks fan and watching games early in the season he waits to long to take out guys who are either struggling or fatigue.
Monty Williams!!!!! Pelicans haven’t been the same since he left.
David Blatt should coach the Knicks. Emmanuel Mudiay is the point guard to build with period, Frank is a bust, go back to France kid this is the NBA thats why Lebron punked you at MSG because he knows you reek.
Mudiay is a bust.
No he’s not very far from it, Frank is a bust.
Hornacek does need to go, his rotations are questionable, playing Jack as many minutes as he has this year is a prime example.
Player development has been almost non-existent, and his inability to make second half adjustments has lead to quite a few blown second half leads.
I like the idea of a more disciplined coach, like Mark Jackson or “Balky” JVG.
Highly doubt either of those guys inherits this type of roster. Only 3 players I keep are Kanter,Porzingis,Tim, and Emmanuel. Frank is garbage.
Do you need more time to narrow them down from 4 to 3?
You just messed my whole head up with that stupid comment or corny joke.
I’d start Mudiay, Hardaway, Frank, Beasley, Thomas, and Kanter while KP is out.
Why not start Burke as well? Add in a third point guard to the 4 forawrds.
That’s six players we would get a technical foul for that . Leave out Thomas he is as bad as Hornacek
Yeah, starting six should give them a better chance to win.
Lmao!!
I’m tired of every year playing for Ping Pong Balls!
We played for ping pong balls only once in the last five yrs and lost…
I’m not sure I know who the new coach should be but I think Dionis is correct in stating David Blatt. With him and Mills being old college teammates and friends, I think he has best shot.
I don’t get all the calls for Mark Jackson. I mean I knew when it said “Knicks” and “coaching” that he’d come up but I don’t feel he’s hte one to make it work.
If they want experienced HC to work with youth go Monty Williams. If they want up and coming guy to work with them look at assistants such as Jarron Collins in GS or Jerry Stackhouse in Toronto
Continually changing coaches, when you don’t have the players, is a bad practice. Team should evaluate player development of the younger bunch, understanding that Mills (not Hornacek) saddled the team with THJ. Mudiay and Ntilikina should both start with Lee for the balance of the year, and bring “baby Melo” off the bench with Burke. If Mills insists on THJ starting to justify the ridiculous salary and trade kicker, then how is that JH’s fault. A streaky volume shooter with tunnel vision, who’s an even defender, hurts development of the ball movement team JH is trying to create. Fire him, fine, but you can’t keep installing a new system and expect young players to develop.
A good coach can takeaverage players and make them better. A goodGM can find talent to make a team better knowing they wanted to improve at point guard position. Frank should have been traded for a Wing at the trade deadline . They just keep creating log jams at different positions and didn’t get any better . Getting Kanter was terrific he works just as hard as anyone in league
Not in sound bites. They help in their development, mostly by discipline and putting them in roles they may not like, but are best for them and the team. A coach can’t do this unless empowered by the front office, and and has some job security year to year.
Trading FN at this point would be the stupidest thing the franchise can do. Let me guess, you like Dolan and his crown jewel, the Melo trade? FN is doing fine for a 19 year old rookie PG. It’s Knick fans that need to learn a little about how teams are built and developed.
So Embid said trust the process and that seemed to work. I’ll go further back though.
Don Nelson told fans and media they would need patience and let a young 19 year old who didn’t look NBA ready right develop. Today Dirk Nowitzki is considered one of the greatest shooters/scorers of all time and most likely greatest team player ever. Knicks need to give Frank time and not throw in the towel.
That said I like Hornacek as the type of coach who could lead a veteran team on deep runs, but he’s not quite a coach for a young developing team. That is why I think guys like Monty Williams or Jerry Stackhouse would work
spot on
Agreed. Nowitzki, Kobe and most teen rookies in the NBA were all basket cases as rookies. Nelson in particular was reamed for taking Dirk over Paul Pierce (who, older, had a great rookie year). There’s a time to evaluate your young players and prune the tree, but way too soon on FN. He’s not even a basket case. He’s already a plus defender, and has his 3 pt % up higher than our 71 mm SG. I don’t particularly like JH and don’t particularly care if he gets fired. New regime, so if JH isn’t their guy, make a change. But JH is really in his first year free of the triangle, and has installed his systems. Fire him, a new guy and new system come in. For vets, no biggie. For young guys, it can hurt development. The Philly coach, to me, is nothing much, BUT he did provide stability (sometimes with a rebuilding team, the coach is the only thing that is stable).
Hornacek is fair game for criticism but context gentlemen. At the start of the season, the team was expected to compete for the worst record. Jack hasn’t been great but the other options have been worse. Would it have made sense to “go young” when KP was pleading to be competitive. The talent just isn’t there. Getting one of Frank/Mundiay/Burke to be a solid average starter one day would be a good outcome. Right now, you need big games from Kanter, THJ, and Beasley on the same night to compete. 2 out of 3 is a loss as the last few games have shown. There is not enough talent. The coach is not one the top 5 things to fix.
Maybe for once just stick with a coach. If he does get sacked JH should only be replaced with a highly reputable and experienced coach. The new additions appear to be towards JH’s strengths – fast, young and athletic guards so I would at least see how that works in the next two years. I believe Scott Perry is the right person for the job. I can’t say anything positive about Steve Mills and let’s not forget the owner. Somehow we tend to forget who is at the top and I believe the dysfunctional name our basketball club rightly took on is as a result of actions done by the two. We still have at least two years to get our selves to an even playing field with the top clubs after stupid contracts were made. Let that take it’s natural course without giving up any future pics and just focus on young talent.
A great coach that has experience with some of these guys; Phil Jackson.
I hear Phil Jackson is available. Stellar head coaching record.
:D