New York Knicks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Latest On Jeff Hornacek, Knicks

May 20th, 2016 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks president Phil Jackson was “blown away” by Jeff Hornacek in Monday’s job interview, but only after Jackson couldn’t sell anyone on keeping interim coach Kurt Rambis, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Berman reports Jackson made the final decision to hire Hornacek, who is still finalizing contract details with the team.

In selecting Hornacek, Jackson ignored cries from the media and fans to pick up former Indiana coach Frank Vogel, who was hired Thursday by Orlando, or ex-Cleveland coach David Blatt, who was the preferred choice of GM Steve Mills. Hornacek reportedly got a strong recommendation from Golden State coach Steve Kerr, who is close with Jackson.

Berman says Jackson was influenced by criticism of Rambis from inside and outside the organization. Mills wasn’t sold on Rambis, nor were Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis, with Anthony expressing his views through the media. Other players also voiced reservations in their exit interviews about keeping Rambis. Owner James Dolan wasn’t on board either, though he was letting Jackson make the final choice, and Jackson reportedly had his own questions about Rambis’ leadership skills.

Anthony supports the hiring of Hornacek and likes the move away from the triangle, Berman writes in a separate piece. Anthony believes Porzingis will have a larger role in the new offense and thinks that will benefit the Knicks in the long run. He would have also been happy with Blatt, according to Berman.

Berman speculates that Rambis could be retained as an assistant coach with Hornacek, who was his former teammate in Phoenix, or he could join Jackson in the front office.

Jackson has liked Hornacek since his playing days, but didn’t contact his representatives until two weeks after the search began. Jackson’s first choice, according to Berman, was new Lakers coach Luke Walton, whom he talked with two days after launching the search.

In bypassing Rambis, Berman believes Jackson may have paved the way for an easier exit from the Knicks. Jackson has an opt-out clause to leave the organization after next season, and many believe he will head back to the Lakers to reunite with fiancee Jeanie Buss. Berman writes that Jackson might have felt an obligation to stay in New York and oversee Rambis if he had been the choice, but that pressure is now gone.

Atlantic Rumors: Hornacek, Brown, Hinkie, Embiid

May 18th, 2016 at 10:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

Running the triangle may not be a job requirement for Jeff Hornacek if he becomes the next coach of the Knicks, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Hornacek’s teams in Phoenix were at their best when he was using a two point guard approach and playing at a fast pace. During an appearance tonight on Sirius XM Radio, former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said team president Phil Jackson is willing to be flexible with his favorite offense. “The things I’ve heard is that he’s not going to be required to run the triangle,” Van Gundy said. “Which is smart from the standpoint that he’s never taught it before. So you don’t want to come in trying what you’ve never played in or taught. I’m interested in that. But I think it’s an inspired choice.” Bondy notes that Jackson has been a fan of Hornacek for some time, as he tried to acquire him as a player for the Bulls in 1994.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Sixers coach Brett Brown told Chris Mannix of The Vertical that he expects to see former GM Sam Hinkie back in the NBA soon. Appearing on The Chris Mannix Show podcast, Brown credited Hinkie with helping to build a bright future in Philadelphia. Brown said Joel Embiid is “doing great” both from an attitude and a physical perspective, and the Sixers are optimistic that he can play next season, although no decision has been made about summer league.
GM Bryan Colangelo turned down the Sixers when they first asked him about taking the job, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN.com. He didn’t change his mind until six weeks later, when team owners explained the different direction they were hoping to take.
If getting the No. 3 pick in the draft gives the Celtics an opportunity to trade for Sixers center Jahlil Okafor, they should jump at the chance, contends Gary Tanguay of CSNNE. Tanguay commented on a rumor that Philadelphia would be willing to give up Okafor in exchange for the pick so it can take Providence point guard Kris Dunn. The writer thinks Okafor would improve dramatically in Boston because the Celtics have a better coach in Brad Stevens and players who would do a better job of getting him the ball in the low post.

And-Ones: Dunn, Sanders, Calipari, Blatt

May 18th, 2016 at 5:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

Representatives for Providence’s Kris Dunn don’t want him to go to a team with a young point guard already in place and may refuse to release his medical records to the Celtics and Suns, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Speaking on a draft lottery special, Wojnarowski said Dunn’s agents did not submit him for a physical at last week’s draft combine, which would have made his records accessible to everyone. Dunn has undergone two surgical procedures on his right shoulder, and teams may be reluctant to draft him if they are unsure of his current physical status. Dunn has been projected as a possible No. 3 pick, but his camp apparently doesn’t want him to compete for playing time with Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Smart in Boston or Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight in Phoenix. The Celtics own the third selection in next month’s draft, while the Suns pick fourth.

There’s more news from around the basketball world:

Rutgers freshman point guard Corey Sanders will withdraw from the draft and return to school, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. There’s little chance that Sanders would have been drafted, as Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress has him ranked 73rd among NCAA freshmen and ESPN’s Chad Ford doesn’t have him listed among his top 100 prospects.
Kentucky coach John Calipari, whose name has been floated for several NBA openings, plans to stay with the Wildcats for the rest of his career, he said in a message on his website. Calipari was considered a candidate for the Nets job after they fired Lionel Hollins in January, and the Kings reportedly spoke to him about taking over for George Karl last summer.
Spanish power FC Barcelona is interested in former Cavaliers coach David Blatt, according to El Mundo Deportivo (hat tip to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). Blatt recently talked with the Rockets, Kings, Knicks and Lakers about their coaching jobs.
Twenty-four teams will compete in the Las Vegas Summer League July 8th-18th, the NBA announced today in a press release. The Spurs, coached by Becky Hammon, are the defending champions.

Community Shootaround: Phil Jackson

May 17th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Knicks’ hiring of Phil Jackson as team president in March of 2014 was met with much initial excitement because of his Hall-of-Fame credentials as a coach. But there was some skepticism regarding how well he would fare as an executive, a role in which he had no prior experience. Team owner James Dolan certainly went all-in on the Zen Master, inking Jackson to a five-year, $60MM contract, a record salary for an executive.

New York has gone 49-115 under Jackson’s watch, and the fanbase, as well as star forward Carmelo Anthony, are growing increasingly restless. Jackson has often appeared aloof and on occasion, disinterested, which calls into question his commitment to the franchise. The executive didn’t help matters last week by failing to attend the annual college scouting combine last week in Chicago, though he may have done so in order to interview head coaching candidate Frank Vogel in Los Angeles.

Despite the Knicks not owning a pick in this year’s draft, the team could potentially purchase or acquire one via trade. By not attending the combine, Jackson may have missed an important opportunity to observe first-hand some of the talent that may be available. Even if the team is unable to snag a pick this June, Jackson declining to travel to Chicago — whatever the reason, doesn’t inspire confidence from the team’s fans, nor prospective free agents, many of whom will make their decisions based on what organization will give them the best opportunity to win.

This brings me to today’s topic: Should James Dolan, regardless of the money still owed Phil Jackson, part ways with the team president?

This offseason will be a defining one for Jackson as an executive. If he fails to make some significant additions to the roster this summer, it could usher in a complete rebuild of the team, as well as make it all the likelier that Jackson will opt out of his deal after the 2016/17 campaign. But should Dolan entrust such a critical task to Jackson, or should the owner step in and find someone new to lead the team into the future? If you believe Jackson should go, who should the team target to replace him. Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

Knicks Trying To Acquire Second-Round Picks

May 17th, 2016 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks don’t currently own any 2016 draft picks, but multiple sources tell Mark Berman of the New York Post that the team is being aggressive in looking to acquire at least one – and possibly two – second-rounders. When a similar report surfaced over the weekend, we noted that New York has been meeting with prospects, so the team is clearly preparing for the possibility of participating in the draft.

Knicks Interview Jeff Hornacek

May 16th, 2016 at 2:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Another candidate has emerged for the Knicks’ head coaching job, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, who reports that Jeff Hornacek has interviewed for the position. Hornacek joins Kurt Rambis, David Blatt, and Frank Vogel as contenders for the coaching opening in New York.

Hornacek, who was fired by the Suns earlier this year, has been linked to a handful of other head coaching jobs around the league since the regular season ended. The Magic and Grizzlies are rumored to have interest in the 53-year-old, who has also spoken to the Rockets about their coaching vacancy.

If Hornacek is unable to land any of the available head coaching jobs around the league, he may have an opportunity to land in Golden State as a lead assistant. Stein writes that the Warriors have “strong interest” in having Hornacek join their bench for the 2016/17 season.

Hornacek has a career regular season mark of 101-112 as an NBA head coach, which includes a dismal 14-35 mark in 2015/16. He failed to guide the Suns to the postseason during his tenure with the franchise. Hornacek was also mentioned as a potential head coaching candidate for the Pacers, Kings, and Lakers before those teams went in different directions.

If the Knicks do opt for an outside candidate for their head coaching job, Rambis is still expected to remain with the team as an assistant capacity, at Phil Jackson‘s behest, says Stein.

Knicks Hope To Hire Coach Soon

May 15th, 2016 at 8:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks are hoping to hire a coach in the next week or so, writes Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal. Frank Vogel, who met with team president Phil Jackson and GM Steve Mills Wednesday in Los Angeles, is apparently a finalist for the job, along with David Blatt and interim coach Kurt Rambis. Vogel reportedly spent much of his interview making the case that the understands the triangle and would incorporate it into his offense.

Knicks Meet With Frank Vogel

May 15th, 2016 at 3:21pm CST by Will Joseph

Knicks team president Phil Jackson met last week with former Pacers coach Frank Vogel, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reports. Knicks GM Steve Mills was also present in the meeting, Isola adds. Mills contacted Vogel’s agent the day after Vogel was let go, according to Isola.

Vogel, who was recently dismissed by the Pacers, is reportedly the front-runner to take over for Dave Joerger with the Grizzlies and is also under consideration for the head coaching slots of the Rockets and Magic. Vogel is one of three candidates that seem to be in the running for the Knicks coaching job. Interim coach Kurt Rambis remains an option and former Cavs coach David Blatt met with Jackson and Mills last month.

Both Blatt and Rambis have ties to the Knicks’ front office. Rambis is a close ally of Jackson, who wants the Knicks to continue to use the triangle offense, as Isola writes. Blatt and Mills have a deep connection that dates to their days as teammates at Princeton. Blatt was an usher at Mills’ wedding. Vogel spent one season as a scout under Jackson, but the two did not work closely together, Isola writes. Jackson did not attend the annual college scouting combine last week in Chicago, and considering his meeting with Vogel took place in Los Angeles, per Isola, there is a strong chance that could be the reason why.

Knicks Notes: Hernangomez, Draft, Jackson

May 15th, 2016 at 2:01pm CST by Will Joseph

Knicks draft-and-stash prospect Guillermo “Willy” Hernangomez was an ideal long-term buy because of size (he is 6-foot-11 and 255 pounds) and because he is regarded as strong, agile and a solid rebounder, Brian Lewis of The New York Post details in an analysis piece. The Knicks have a reported four-year, $4.5MM offer in the works for Hernangomez, who turns 22 on May 27th. Kristaps Porzingis is expected to visit with Hernangomez during his offseason European trip, Lewis writes. The two players are former teammates overseas. It would require the mid-level exception or cap space to ink Hernangomez for a deal for more than two years, as Lewis notes.

Here’s more out of New York:

The Knicks are trying to obtain a late first round pick or an early second round pick in next month’s draft,    Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv reports.  , citing sources. That makes sense, considering the Knicks have interviewed a Syracuse shooting guard Malachi Richardson, Syracuse point guard Michael Gbinije, Seton Hall point guard Isaiah Whitehead, Villanova small forward Josh Hart, Maryland point guard Melo Trimble and Florida forward Dorian Finney-Smith among others, who are all projected to be late first-rounders, according to Zagoria.
Phil Jackson was not in attendance at the combine and if that was because he was interviewing coaching candidates, that’s understandable, but if not, then he missed an important chance to help the Knicks, Ian Begley of ESPN. com relays (ESPN Now link). In addition to missing out on speaking with draft prospects, Jackson also missed an opportunity to speak informally with agents and executives about the free agent market, Begley adds.

Phil Jackson Still Not In Attendence At Combine

May 13th, 2016 at 10:21pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Knicks team president Phil Jackson is still not among those representing New York at the combine, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv tweets. Assistant GM Allan Houston and interim coach Kurt Rambis have been observing workouts and speaking with players in Jackson’s absence.
The Knicks interviewed Kansas junior shooting guard Wayne Selden, Zagoria tweets. The interview was conducted by Houston, the scribe notes.