- Kenny Smith confirmed on TNT on Thursday night that he will indeed be interviewing with the Knicks for their head coaching job on Friday. As Marc Berman of The New York Post relays, his fellow TNT broadcasters gave him a few friendly pieces of advice, including making sure that he knows how to pronounce “Kristaps Porzingis.”
Following up on Wednesday’s report that the Knicks will interview Kenny Smith for their head coaching position, Marc Berman of The New York Post classifies the TNT analyst as a long shot, suggesting that it may simply be a “courtesy interview,” unless Smith has interest in joining the coaching staff as an assistant.
A job as an assistant is also a possibility for Mike Woodson, according to Berman, who writes that there has been speculation about a scenario in which the Knicks hire Mark Jackson as their new head coach and bring aboard Woodson as Jackson’s top assistant.
The Knicks continue to go through the interview process, so it’s probably too early to suggest that the team is leaning toward a single candidate, but it still seems as if Jackson, David Fizdale, and David Blatt represent the top options for the club. Jerry Stackhouse was reported to be a part of the Knicks’ “top tier” of candidates too, but Berman’s sources suggest Stackhouse may be the top choice for the Magic.
Kristaps Porzingis‘ recovery timeline following his ACL surgery remains somewhat unclear, but he almost certainly won’t be ready to start the 2018/19 season, and his absence could extend far beyond opening night. Speaking to Larry Brooks of The New York Post, Knicks owner James Dolan admitted that he still doesn’t have a clear idea of when Porzingis might be ready to return.
“I’ve been told everything from December to him being out for the season, so I don’t know what to expect on that,” Dolan said. “But we can’t just sit on our ass while he’s away. We need to develop a team and then integrate him into it when he comes back.”
With the Knicks facing a big offseason that will see them name a new head coach and make the necessary roster moves to move forward in their rebuilding process, Dolan spoke to Brooks about a number of topics. While he touched on the team’s plan going forward, the Knicks owner also revisited the past, discussing a pair of former Knicks employees in Phil Jackson and Jeff Hornacek.
Here are a few of the most notable comments from Dolan:
On hiring – and eventually firing – Jackson as president of basketball operations:
“The entire market wanted to me to hire him and when I did, the entire market said it was a great move. The only thing was, everyone said that I shouldn’t interfere with him. Three years later, everyone wanted to know when I was going to do something about Phil. The same people who told me not to interfere wanted me to interfere. But that’s OK. I just think that Phil underestimated the job.”
On why Hornacek was fired:
“I think Hornacek had the same kind of issue that Phil did in that he didn’t grasp how different the players are now in the way they think and deal with management and the coaches. I think he was way behind on that. But I think Jeff is a good coach and he’ll do well when he’s hired by another team.”
On the Knicks’ current coaching search:
“The coaching search for the Knicks is similar in a lot of ways to the (NHL’s New York) Rangers. I think the teams are in similar spots. We’re looking for people to develop players and to create a winning team. We have our lists of candidates, but the lists are still open.”
The Knicks aren’t afraid to take their time as they look for their next coach, according to Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. Today was Mark Jackson‘s turn to interview with team president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry in Los Angeles, one day after Jerry Stackhouse. News broke tonight that TNT analyst Kenny Smith will be interviewed Friday. Sessions are also scheduled for David Fizdale, Mike Woodson and David Blatt, and Isola states that more candidates could emerge.
Fizdale had an interview today with the Suns and seems to have emerged as the most popular coach on the market. He has a connection with James Jones, a former Heat player who now works in the Phoenix front office and is reportedly a strong advocate for Fizdale. The Knicks are attracted to Fizdale because he has experience with a winning organization in Miami and he has a strong connection to LeBron James, whom the Knicks haven’t given up hope of someday acquiring, Isola adds.
There’s more tonight from New York:
- Jackson’s aversion to analytics may doom his chances with the Knicks, writes Gary Peterson of The San Jose Mercury News. Jackson had a reputation as an old-school coach with the Warriors and was often dismissive of modern techniques. “The [Golden State] analytics staff encountered more resistance than they anticipated,” said Erik Malinowski, author of a book on the building of the Warriors.
- Backup center Kyle O’Quinn isn’t ready to make a decision on his player option, relays Jordan Lauterbach of Newsday. O’Quinn, who recently changed agents, will earn $4.26MM if he decides to opt in for next season. “I came into the season, I don’t want to say without a role, but knowing that anything can happen,” he said. “Whether it be trade talks or things like that, I think I handled it well by putting myself in a solid position where I could display what I could do.”
- The Knicks should resist the temptation to stretch Joakim Noah‘s contract over the next five seasons, advises Bobby Marks of ESPN. Marks points to Deron Williams in Brooklyn and Josh Smith in Detroit as instances where teams have regretted compromising their long-term flexibility. Marks also recommends delaying an extension for Kristaps Porzingis to create more cap room for next summer.
Kenny Smith is the latest addition to the Knicks’ coaching search, according to an ESPN report. The TNT analyst, who has no NBA coaching experience, will reportedly interview with the team Friday. Smith played in the league for 10 seasons and joined Turner Sports in 1998.
The Knicks have already held interviews with Mark Jackson and Jerry Stackhouse and plan to bring in David Fizdale later this week. That will be followed next week by a session with David Blatt.
They have also received permission from the Clippers to talk to assistant coach Mike Woodson, but he’s not in the top tier of candidates, according to ESPN.
APRIL 17, 10:52pm: Marc Stein of The New York Times tweets that Fizdale will interview with the Suns tomorrow.
APRIL 14th, 1:00pm: Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic has confirmed that Phoenix plans to interview Fizdale sometime this week.
APRIL 14th, 10:14am: Former Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale plans to interview with the Knicks and Suns next week, tweets Mark Medina of the Mercury News.
Fizdale coached the Grizzlies to a 43-39 record during the 2016/17 season but the team was eliminated in the first round of the postseason. He was relieved of his duties after just 19 games this season as Memphis struggled to win and Fizdale’s relationship with Marc Gasol reportedly deteriorated.
However, Fizdale has been a popular name for many teams with head coaching vacancies. As we relayed this week, Heat guard Dwyane Wade — who played in Miami when Fizdale was an assistant coach — advocated for him as a potential target for the Knicks.
The Suns were granted permission to interview Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer, and are also set to meet with interim head coach Jay Triano and Fizdale.
Before his tenure with the Grizzlies, Fizdale served as an assistant coach with the Heat, winning two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013.
After a period of virtually unprecedented stability in the NBA’s head coaching ranks, the coaching carousel started spinning again during the 2017/18 league year. Three teams made in-season coaching changes, installing interim replacements, and six more clubs have parted ways with their head coaches since the regular season ended.
In the space below, we’ll provide daily updates on the head coaching searches for each club that has yet to give anyone the permanent title. Some of these searches could extend well into the spring, so be sure to check back each day for the latest updates.
Updated 6-12-18 (10:32am CT)
Active Searches:
None
Completed Searches:
Atlanta Hawks
- Out: Mike Budenholzer (story)
- In: Lloyd Pierce (story)
- After initially giving Budenholzer permission to interview with other teams seeking a new head coach, the Hawks and Budenholzer reached an agreement to mutually part ways, leaving Atlanta on the lookout for a new coach of its own. After three meetings with him, the Hawks made Pierce their man.
- Interviewed: Nate Tibbetts (story), Stephen Silas (story), Jay Larranaga (story), Jarron Collins (story), Darvin Ham (story), David Fizdale (hired by Knicks)
Charlotte Hornets
- Out: Steve Clifford (story)
- In: James Borrego (story)
- In addition to firing Clifford, the Hornets made a change in their front office this offseason, hiring Mitch Kupchak as their new president of basketball operations and general manager. Kupchak led the search for a new head coach, and Borrego was the team’s choice.
- Interviewed: Jay Larranaga (story; second interview), Jerry Stackhouse (story), Ettore Messina (story), David Fizdale (story), Ime Udoka (story), David Vanterpool (story), Jim Boylen (story), Nick Nurse (story)
Detroit Pistons
- Out: Stan Van Gundy (story)
- In: Dwane Casey (story)
- The Pistons were said to like Ime Udoka, John Beilein, and Kenny Smith, but Casey always appeared to be the frontrunner. The team finalized a deal with him before hiring a new general manager.
- Interviewed or will interview: Kenny Smith (story), Juwan Howard (story), Ime Udoka (story), John Beilein (story), Jason Kidd (story), Nick Nurse (story)
- Rumored target before he was hired by another team: Mike Budenholzer (story)
Memphis Grizzlies
- Out: David Fizdale (in-season change)
- In: J.B. Bickerstaff (story)
- J.B. Bickerstaff, who finished the 2017/18 season as the Grizzlies’ interim head coach, was elevated to the permanent role after Robert Pera retained control of the franchise. Bickerstaff and the Grizzlies agreed to a new three-year contract that includes a team option in year three.
Milwaukee Bucks
- Out: Jason Kidd (in-season change); Joe Prunty (interim coach)
- In: Mike Budenholzer (story)
- Even before he parted ways with the Hawks, Budenholzer was rumored to have interest in the Bucks’ head coaching job. The Bucks considered other candidates – including finalist Ettore Messina – and Budenholzer received interest from other teams, but the two sides ultimately came together, agreeing to a four-year deal.
- Interviewed: Joe Prunty (story), Ettore Messina (story), Steve Clifford (story), Monty Williams (story), David Blatt (story), Becky Hammon (story), Jay Larranaga (story)
- Informal conversation: Jim Cleamons (story)
- Had planned to interview: James Borrego (story)
New York Knicks
- Out: Jeff Hornacek (story)
- In: David Fizdale (story)
- The Knicks cast a wide net as they searched for a new head coach, meeting with current and former head coaches, assistants, and even a TV analyst with no previous coaching experience. In total, they interviewed 11 candidates, ultimately landing on Fizdale, who agreed to a four-year contract with the club.
- Interviewed: Jerry Stackhouse (story), Mark Jackson (story), Mike Woodson (story), Kenny Smith (story), Mike Budenholzer (story), David Blatt (story; second meeting), James Borrego (story), Jay Larranaga (story), Juwan Howard (story), Mike Brown (story)
Orlando Magic
- Out: Frank Vogel (story)
- In: Steve Clifford (story)
- The Magic said after firing Vogel that they planned to take their time with their search, and they made good on that promise, taking nearly seven weeks to pick a replacement. Ultimately, it was Clifford, a former Orlando assistant on Stan Van Gundy‘s staff, who emerged as the choice, reaching a four-year deal to join the Magic.
- Interviewed: David Vanterpool (story), Ime Udoka (story), Kelvin Sampson (story), David Fizdale (story; hired by Knicks)
Phoenix Suns
- Out: Earl Watson (in-season change); Jay Triano (interim coach)
- In: Igor Kokoskov (story)
- The Suns talked about conducting a “wide-ranging” head coaching search, and they delivered on that promise, talking to at least at least 10 candidates. Ultimately, they decided on Jazz assistant Igor Kokoskov, who becomes the first European-born NBA head coach.
- Interviewed: David Fizdale (story), Frank Vogel (story), Steve Clifford (story), Vinny Del Negro (story), James Borrego (story), Nick Nurse (story), Chris Finch (story), Jason Kidd (story), Mike Budenholzer (interviewed; withdrew from consideration)
Toronto Raptors
- Out: Dwane Casey (story)
- In: Nick Nurse (story)
- Setting a franchise record for wins in a season (59) and winning the Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year award didn’t save Casey’s job, with the Raptors dismissing him in what Masai Ujiri called “a very difficult but necessary step.” Nurse, a top assistant who was credited for revamping Toronto’s offense last season, received a promotion to the top job.
- Interviewed: Rex Kalamian (story), Jerry Stackhouse (story), Ettore Messina (story), Ime Udoka (story), Sarunas Jasikevicius (story), Mike Budenholzer (story; hired by Bucks)
Despite a weekend report that the Knicks had reached out to Jeff Van Gundy‘s representatives, the latest word on Monday suggested that the former Knicks head coach isn’t a candidate for the club’s current opening on the bench. As Marc Berman of The New York Post explains, the contact between the two sides was “more along the lines” of Van Gundy’s side inquiring about the position.
As for the Knicks, they had internal discussions about the possibility of bringing back the current ESPN/ABC analyst, but Berman suggests that Van Gundy’s “old-school” approach and his time away from coaching – among other factors – may have worked against him.
While Van Gundy seemingly won’t get an interview for the Knicks’ coaching job, the team is meeting with one of its former coaches in Mike Woodson. According to Berman, that interview will take place on Wednesday, the same day that Mark Jackson‘s meeting with the club will reportedly happen.
Mark Jackson will interview for the Knicks head coaching job on Wednesday, Chris Haynes of ESPN tweets.
The former Knicks point guard and Warriors head coach has already been named a candidate for the job and this confirms the Knicks’ interest. New York’s brass interviewed Jerry Stackhouse on Tuesday. Stackhouse has been coaching the Raptors’ G League team, Raptors 905, after a long playing career.
Ex-Grizzlies coach David Fizdale, former Cavs coach David Blatt and ex-Knicks coach Mike Woodson are among the other known candidates for the position.
Jackson, an analyst on ABC’s top NBA broadcasting team, compiled a 121-109 record with the Warriors from 2011-14 and took them to the playoffs in two of his three seasons.
APRIL 16th, 4:19pm: Stackhouse is interviewing with the Knicks this afternoon, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets.
APRIL 15th, 2:13pm: New York is planning to meet with David Fizdale, Mark Jackson, and Jerry Stackhouse for the organization’s head coaching gig, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com. All three are expected to be in high demand this hiring season.
Mike Woodson is also on the Knicks’ radar, as they have received permission from the Clippers to talk to their former head coach. However, Woodson is not considered to be in the “top tier” of the organization’s initial candidates.
The Knicks have also set up a meeting with David Blatt, Wojnarowski adds (Twitter link). Blatt, who is considered one of the most successful coaches in European basketball history, took the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals during his only full season with the club.
The team fired coach Jeff Hornacek last week after just two seasons with the franchise. He finished his stint with a record of 60-104.