While the NBA’s playoff teams opened their respective series over the weekend, the Knicks moved forward with their search for a new head coach, lining up interviews with a list of candidates that includes David Fizdale, David Blatt, Jerry Stackhouse, Mark Jackson, and Mike Woodson.
For Fizdale to become a serious candidate for the Knicks, the former Grizzlies coach will have to explain what happened with Marc Gasol in Memphis, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. The relationship between the Grizzlies’ star center and head coach fell apart by the end of Fizdale’s tenure with the team, and the Knicks can’t afford to have a similar situation happen in New York — after multiple players clashed with Jeff Hornacek, hiring a coach who has “connectivity with the locker room” is a top priority for the Knicks, Berman says.
As for Blatt, he was a former Princeton teammate of Steve Mills, and the Knicks president is the one pushing Blatt’s candidacy in the club’s search process, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. According to Bondy, it’s “hard to imagine” that GM Scott Perry is as bullish on Blatt, so if the former Cavs coach gets the job, it will be “entirely on Mills.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Mills and Perry spoke recently about being approached by Knicks fans who want them to be patient with the rebuilding process, and the front office duo insists owner James Dolan is on board with that approach too (link via Ian Begley of ESPN.com). “Jim has given us the room to be patient, which – again – is not something that’s been common in this organization,” Mills said. “Patience hasn’t been one of our biggest attributes here. … I don’t have any doubt that he’s comfortable with the plan we’re on and (that he) wants us to be patient and not do things that are just, you know, for the quick hit.”
- Perry was hired the Knicks after many of last year’s offseason moves had already been made, so what he does with the roster this summer will tell us a lot about his plan for the franchise going forward, says Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders.
- Al Iannazzone of Newsday takes an in-depth look at what’s next for the Knicks as the offseason gets underway, and examines which of this year’s players will – or won’t – be back for the 2018/19 season.
Fiz would have no problem with Porzingis and the problem with Fiz and Marc was Marc did not want the weight of the offense on his shoulders and that’s why they had trouble. Porzingis is a score first player unlike Marc so it should be different.
Anyone but Woodson please!
Woodson never did anything to warrant his dismissal. The team was in disarray and Woodson was the scapegoat. The man was a phenomenal coach during his tenure and I would have no problem seeing him back on the sidelines for the Knicks.
Woodson is clueless. He was embarrassingly out coached in the playoffs while he was with the Knicks. Management needs to watch those tapes again.
I take woodson or mark Jackson to come save the knicks
Why does anyone care, the next coach is another sacrificial lamb waiting to be butchered.
Agreed Z-A, until Dolan gets the heck out of the way and lets Perry do what he thinks will make the team better, I don’t know if Pop could win here.
That said, please not Woodson, just want something different.
Perry is no better. His track record in Orlando and limited time in Sacramento speak for itself.
The Knicks need a coach that is able to develop young players into assets. That’s not Woodson or Fizdale. Mark Jackson has but there way too many rumors of his paranoia (assistant coach at best). So the Knicks best options are Stackhouse and Wright. Wright doesn’t seem like he’s leaving Nova, so Stackhouse it is.
Bingo. Agreed.