The Knicks continue to cast a wide net in their search for a new head coach, with Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporting (via Twitter) that the club intends to talk to current Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer.
Budenholzer, who has two years and more than $13MM remaining on his contract with the Hawks, has already met with the Suns about their head coaching vacancy. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Thursday night that Budenholzer withdrew from consideration for that Phoenix job, but it appears he’s not yet a lock to return to the Hawks.
If the Knicks want to hire Budenholzer, they’d almost certainly have to send the Hawks some sort of compensation to let him out of his current deal. The most notable example in recent years was the Celtics acquiring a first-round pick from the Clippers when Boston let Doc Rivers out of a contract with three years left on it in 2013.
As our head coaching search tracker shows, the Knicks have put together an extensive list of potential candidates to become Jeff Hornacek‘s replacement. Jerry Stackhouse, Mark Jackson, and Mike Woodson have reportedly interviewed with the team, and Kenny Smith was set to do so today. New York is also expected to meet with David Fizdale and David Blatt.
This is almost a no-win job. You have a mediocre roster, and a very scrutinizing fan base/media. You have Kristaps a legitimate All-Start caliber player, albeit missing 60 games over 3 years. He’s played more than Embiid, but its all wasted playing time tbh b/c of the remaining roster. There isn’t a special player other than KP on that roster. They need to make a move w/a team in complete re-build like the Hawks who have cap space and take advantage of this year’s draft being perceived as very deep.
Haws get Noah + Ntilikina + 9th Overall
Knicks get Schroder + Dorsey
The next best scenario would be Baker, O’Quinn, and Kanter all opting out. freeing up 32.25M if they pull off the Noah trade. Then you make the decision is KP going to play the 5 or 4? If he’s the 5 you can pursue Favors (26) Parker (23) Randle (23) Gordon (22) Cousins (27)
C – KP (22)
PF – [insert here]
SF – Thomas (29) or re-up Beasley (29)
SG – Hardaway (25)
PG – Schroder (24)
Schroder is notorious around the league for his polarizing locker room presence and off-court issues. Trading away your young pg prospect and a 1st, even while also trading away Noah’s awful contract, makes little sense. Porzingis also cannot physically play the center position a majority of the time; he’ll just end up injured again. Plus, he’s stated that he doesn’t like playing center too much.
Cousins, Favors, and Randle make the most sense for free agent targets for their ability to play center full-time. However, after NOP’s run in the playoffs, I don’t see why Cousins would leave, especially for the Knicks. Also, LAL will likely retain Randle.
That leaves a likely lineup of Schroder, Lee, Hardaway, KP, and Favors. It’s a solid short-term lineup but has no long-term championship aspirations
Knicks might be the only team willing to offer Cousins multiple years at the Max. Also, Schroder is signed for 3 more years at 15.5M, which however polarizing is a steal compared to a Jeff Teague and George Hill at 19M. 3 of your core team would be under contract for at least 3 years.
Schroeder is still useless. Three years on his contract is three years too long.
As currently constructed they wont even have a competitive team for 3 years. And they aren’t even tanking.
What’s another 3 years. They haven’t been competitive since the turn of the century.
Pass on Schroeder – he’s a head case and they can draft a cheaper and probably better player. And pass on moving Porzingus to center. He’s too thin to play the position and gets banged around by thicker players. He’s a Nowitski type of player.
Who are they drafting that is better than Schroder? And they just drafted Ntilikina, so if they keep him on the roster, its unlikely they’ll draft PG even if Trae Young and Collin Sexton are better than Ntilikina. So basically you’re bringing back the same going no-where lineup b/c they have no cap space.
Budenholzer – now that’s the right direction.
budenholzer! hell nahh, that kid is like ice cream on a hot summer day, SOFT! he will wilt away in new york!
Where do I start?
First…… I understand most of you are Knick’s fans! That being said, you are not getting the Hawks to take the downside of the trade when they have the wanted comidity in Coach Bud! While I have no doubts the Hawks would take on bad contracts to get young players or desired draft picks, I don’t think they’d take Noah’s contract without multiple draft picks attached.
2) they’re is almost no doubt the Hawks would part with Schroder in the right package. However he is the Hawks most desired player and getting that with Coach Bud would be a higher price than I think NY would be willing to pay.
In my opinion Coach Bud has proven to be an exceltcoachbof Bigs ( Horford, Milsap, Dedmon,) and point guards ( Teague, Schroder l), and he has a knack for getting his wings ( Hardaway, Carrol, Prince, Bazemore) to play good defense and knock down open 3’s. He’s proven these things without a player with the talent of K.P. Fair compensation would be similar to what Bos got for Doc Rivers. That was an unprotected 1rst. That being said, I don’t think NY will give an unprotected pick next year. So I would propose this years pick ( 8 or 9 I think) and NY taking plumlee’s bad contract.