The Knicks have contacted the agents for Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson in their search for a head coach to replace Jeff Hornacek, according to Frank Isola of The New York Daily News.
The partners on ABC/ESPN broadcasts are part of a growing list of candidates that includes David Fizdale, who confirmed that he will interview with the team next week, and Jerry Stackhouse, who could have an interview date in place by Monday. Isola couldn’t confirm whether the Knicks have spoken to Villanova coach Jay Wright, who was in Italy today for an audience with the Pope.
The Knicks contacted Fizdale more than two weeks ago, Isola adds, and some league officials consider him the early favorite to land the job. He led the Grizzlies to the playoffs last season before being fired after 19 games this year in the wake of frequent clashes with Marc Gasol.
Van Gundy is the only one of the current candidates who has a coaching history in New York. He guided the Knicks for five full seasons and parts of two others, including a trip to the 1999 NBA Finals. He hasn’t coached at the NBA level for more than a decade after being fired by the Rockets in 2007, but has worked with USA Basketball and won a gold medal at the 2017 FIBA AmeriCup.
Jackson is also popular in New York, where he played for seven seasons. He coached the Warriors to back-to-back playoff appearances before being let go in 2014. Knicks president Steve Mills recently talked to Warriors GM Bob Myers about coaching attributes, Isola adds, and Jackson’s name probably came up.
Mark can make Ntilikina into the best 2 way point guard in the game. He did phenomenal things with Golden State’s defense, if the Knicks can add a Mikal Bridges I like what they can build with Frank,Kristaps, and Mikal at the helm.
I want what you’re smoking. He didn’t do anything for Golden State besides hold them back from 2 deep playoff runs.
Are you serious? He took them from a 23 win team to 47 and then 51 win team. Mark made the cake in Golden State and Kerr just added frosting.
Problem is the media around the Knicks, they have a terrible roster. No one is resurrecting this team in 1, 2, or 3 years. Bad drafting like French Frank. Overpaying guys like Hardaway and Noah. There’s no quick fix, figure out how to get assets.
God I hope they don’t select Jackson. Wright, Budenholzer, even Van Gundy before Jackson.
Agreed. Jackson is a terrible coach and a spiteful person makes a spiteful coach.
The best thing for the knicks to sign van Gundy for head job.
The Knicks should view themselves in rebuilding mode for the next 1-2 years, and their coaching decision should reflect that. Right now, our future roster quality projections are better they’ve been at any time in this century (considering controllable young talent and having all our 1st round picks). We need more elite young talent to compete with the Celts and Sixers (and maybe others) over the next cycle. We don’t need a celebrity coach.