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Latest On Knicks Coaching Situation

April 12th, 2016 at 8:58am CST by Chuck Myron

David Blatt is a long shot for the Knicks head coaching job unless team president Phil Jackson defers to GM Steve Mills, a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com reported Monday that the Knicks are considering the former Cavaliers coach and that Jackson views him favorably. Kurt Rambis, the interim head coach, remains a strong candidate to secure the job on a long-term basis, Begley wrote, but even if he doesn’t, he’ll remain with the Knicks as either the top offensive assistant or assistant GM, sources tell Berman.

That’s despite the general feeling in the locker room that Rambis talks down to the players, as one Knicks player told Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Sources previously indicated to Berman that Rambis doesn’t have the same level of respect from the players that former coach Derek Fisher did. Carmelo Anthony has said he’d like for the Knicks to at least listen to candidates aside from Rambis, though Anthony delivered praise for the interim boss Sunday, as Begley chronicles (ESPN Now link).

“He was kind of a big-time influence in what we had going on early in the season and even last year, being the associate head coach,” Anthony said. “But just the way that he was able to jump right in there [after taking over], get guys’ attention and get guys to play — usually in that situation it takes time. Most people put in a new system, a new offense, a new defensive scheme. He jumped right in there because it was the same system.”

Rambis has close ties to Jackson, sharing the same agents, as Berman points out, but renewed speculation emerged Sunday that Jackson, who can opt out after next season, will remain team president for no more than another year, Isola relays. Berman suggests that hiring Blatt would represent a transition of sorts to Mills, who played college ball with Blatt at Princeton. Blatt was an usher at Mills’ wedding, according to Berman. Isola advocates for the Knicks to hire Tom Thibodeau, but Jackson, who remains in contact with Bulls executive John Paxson, isn’t impressed with the ex-Bulls coach, as Berman pointed out recently.

Knicks Consider David Blatt For Coaching Job

April 11th, 2016 at 4:11pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks are giving David Blatt consideration for their head coaching job, sources tell Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Team president Phil Jackson has a favorable view of the former Cavaliers coach who played with Knicks GM Steve Mills at Princeton, according to Begley. Interim head coach Kurt Rambis remains a strong candidate to win the removal of his interim tag, but Jackson plans to do his due diligence and consider others, league sources tell Begley.

Jackson has reportedly been pulling for Rambis from the start of his interim gig, and Begley and ESPN colleague Marc Stein reported just last week that Jackson was pushing for Rambis to get a long-term deal as head coach. However, owner James Dolan is reportedly researching potential front office replacements for Jackson, and Rambis hasn’t distinguished himself with a 9-18 mark since taking over on the bench.

A wide-ranging search would seemingly be the preference of Carmelo Anthony, who’s said he’d like Jackson to at least listen to other candidates for the head coaching job. Sources recently indicated to Marc Berman of the New York Post that former head coach Derek Fisher drew more respect from Knicks players than Rambis does.

Blatt didn’t always have command of the locker room in Cleveland, where his relationship with LeBron James was a matter of close scrutiny. Blatt’s camp believes James was the sole catalyst for the team’s coaching change from Blatt to Tyronn Lue earlier this season, as TNT’s David Aldridge reported.

In any case, Blatt comes to the table with a much more impressive record than Rambis has. The Cavs made the finals last summer under Blatt’s watch and went 83-40 overall during his tenure. Rambis is 65-163 all-time as an NBA head coach, though with decidedly less talent on his rosters. Blatt, the former Russian national team coach, also figures to be a candidate for the head coaching job of the Russian-owned Nets, who have an interim coach of their own in Tony Brown.

DeRozan Unsure If He'll Consider Knicks In Free Agency

April 11th, 2016 at 9:59am CST by Chuck Myron

GM Masai Ujiri‘s contract with the Raptors is believed to be worth $15MM, according to Sportsnet’s Michael Grange, so it appears the executive is seeing an average of $3MM annually on the five-year deal. Grange wonders whether the Raptors will explore restructuring the pact, which has two years left on it, now that the Knicks are reportedly eyeing him.
DeMar DeRozan admitted Sunday to a fondness for playing in Madison Square Garden, but he said he didn’t know whether he would consider the Knicks in free agency this summer, notes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Of course, it’s par for the course that a soon-to-be free agent would praise the Garden, and all indications are DeRozan will re-sign with the Raptors, as Grange points out, given the shooting guard’s consistent praise for Toronto and the organization.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 4/10/16

April 10th, 2016 at 9:35pm CST by Arthur Hill

Multiple reports suggest that Knicks president Phil Jackson is pushing hard for interim coach Kurt Rambis to get the job on a long-term basis. They have a close working relationship that gives Jackson the level of day-to-day input into the coaching staff he has long wanted.

The Knicks have an opportunity to bring a big-name coach to New York, but Marc Berman of the New York Post wrote this week that Jackson isn’t impressed by several of the available candidates. The organization doesn’t believe Golden State assistant Luke Walton will leave the Warriors this summer, and Jackson doesn’t like what he hears from the Bulls’ front office about ex-Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau. Jackson also doesn’t plan a spirited run at former Nuggets coach Brian Shaw, who like Rambis was schooled on the triangle offense during his days with the Lakers.

Rambis has brief experience and little success as an NBA head coach. He guided the Lakers to a 24-13 record and the second round of the playoffs after taking over for the fired Del Harris midway through the 1998/99 season. His next opportunity didn’t come until the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons with the Timberwolves, where he led the team to 15-67 and 17-65 records.

Rambis is 9-17 since taking over for Derek Fisher in February, and the Knicks quickly dropped out of the playoff race under his tutelage. Berman reported that players don’t have the respect for Rambis that they did for Fisher. Carmelo Anthony stated this week that he likes Rambis, but he didn’t go as far as endorsing the idea of making him the long-term coach.

Rambis defended his performance with the Knicks to Ian Begley of ESPN.com (ESPN Now link), saying the franchise is in a rebuilding stage. “We’re looking at it from a standpoint of new management, new coaching staff so last year was a year that I calculate as Year Zero, just trying to clean things up and move forward,” Rambis told Begley. “This is our first year of really trying to move forward and seeing what we have and the direction that we want to go and adding pieces. This is a natural process of what happens in the NBA.”

That brings us to tonight’s topic: Should the Knicks keep Rambis as their coach or are they better off looking elsewhere? And how much influence should Jackson have over the decision, considering reports in February that the Knicks organization believes he will eventually rejoin fiancee Jeanie Buss with the Lakers?

Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.

Knicks Notes: Anthony, Afflalo, Williams, Lopez

April 10th, 2016 at 1:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Despite Carmelo Anthony‘s plea for continuity, the Knicks could be looking at another offseason of change, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. “I would love to see guys come back and be together for another year and establish something we already created,” Anthony said after Friday’s game. But Arron Afflalo and Derrick Williams both have opt-out clauses and could test the free agent market. Afflalo had a public dispute with interim coach Kurt Rambis after losing his starting role and seems likely to turn to down his $8MM option. Williams has a $4.598MM option, but could be aiming for a raise after a productive season. Also headed toward free agency are Lance Thomas, Langston Galloway and Kevin Seraphin.

The Knicks are expected to be major players in the free agent market, particularly with an eye toward improving their backcourt, and Berman mentions Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan as a possible target. “If you have the opportunity to make additions in free agency, you should take advantage of that,’’ Anthony said. “That’s why you have salary cap money in the offseason.”

There’s more news out of New York:

Center Robin Lopez, one of the team’s free agent additions last summer, has excelled in the triangle offense, Berman writes in a separate story. Lopez is averaging 10.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game after signing a four-year deal worth about $55MM. After a slow start in New York, he began to adapt quickly after Rambis replaced coach Derek Fisher in February. “To see him blossom, to see what he’s done, he’s a smart basketball player, high basketball IQ,’’ Rambis said. “We’re encouraging him to do a lot offensively. In the past he wasn’t asked to do those things. He just had to gain confidence and his teammates had to gain confidence in him.’’
Fisher was fired partly because he wanted to make adjustments to the triangle, tweets Frank Isola of The New York Daily News.
Anthony’s future in New York will overshadow the Knicks’ offseason, according to Keith P. Smith of RealGM. Anthony is under contract for three more seasons, but a no-trade clause gives him some say in his future. If Anthony decides he wants out of New York, Smith said the team will start rebuilding around Kristaps Porzingis. If Anthony stays with the Knicks, team president Phil Jackson will try to create a contender as quickly as possible.

Knicks Notes: Anthony, Triangle, Free Agents

April 9th, 2016 at 9:34pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Carmelo Anthony would like the Knicks to have more roster continuity from season to season, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “I think that’s the most important part, just having some type of consistency, just a group of guys being together for a period of time and not just rotating in and out each year,” Anthony said. Bondy pointed out that Anthony has had over 70 different teammates and four different coaches since coming to New York.

Here’s more from the city that never sleeps:

Anthony believes the triangle won’t work in New York unless there is more continuity on the Knicks‘ roster, Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes. “I don’t think guys can learn the [triangle] system right away being here for only a couple of months and then we rotate guys in and out,” Anthony said. “Guys need to be together for a long period of time in order for us to learn the system, master the system.”
Anthony wants to be involved in courting free agents this summer and sees free agency as a huge opportunity for the Knicks, Iannazzone passes along in the same piece. “If you have an opportunity to make additions in free agency you should take advantage of that,” Anthony said. “I think every team wants to better themselves during free agency.”

Anthony Wants To Be Involved In Free Agent Recruiting

April 8th, 2016 at 8:50pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Carmelo Anthony is adamant about being part of the Knicks‘ free agent recruiting efforts this summer after being excluded from the process by team president Phil Jackson last offseason, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. The Post scribe also notes that if New York strikes out in free agency this summer, all bets are off regarding Anthony’s willingness to remain with the team through another season of rebuilding.

Knicks Notes: Fisher, Jackson, Wroten

April 8th, 2016 at 7:41pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Former Knicks coach Derek Fisher took some digs at team president Phil Jackson this week, saying that the Zen Master still has much to learn about being an executive, Marc Berman of The New York Post relays. “I think a lot of people forget about Phil because of history within the game of basketball — one of the greatest basketball minds, coaches we’ve ever seen — there’s an assumption that he’s supposed to know what to do in every situation,” Fisher said during an appearance on NBA TV. “He’s also still learning as an executive, as a president of an organization, which is completely different than coaching. My assumption, without assuming, is there was a lot of learning he had to do and we all had to do while working together. … I think Phil is still settling in, but organization-wide, they are still settling in as to who the Knicks are in their DNA.’’

Fisher also noted that Carmelo Anthony is on board with being part of the team’s rebuilding process, Berman adds. “From what I learned from coaching and being with Carmelo is that he wants to win, but he’s also willing to work with younger players and allow the development process to happen,’’ Fisher said. “He was happy with Kristaps Porzingis’ development.”

Here’s more from New York:

Interim coach Kurt Rambis told reporters that Fisher was lax in teaching Knicks players the triangle offense and that he and the other coaches are playing catch-up in implementing the system, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “If you want to learn something and truly learn something, you have to immerse yourself in it. That probably goes for about anything,” Rambis said. “We didn’t fully immerse ourselves into practicing it, developing it, learning how to work with it, going through the breakdown drills to execute it properly. We kind of skirted over things. So the real learning process of it didn’t have enough time to take place. We also didn’t allow the players the kind of time that it needs to allow them to get comfortable with it.“
Tony Wroten won’t suit up for the Knicks this season, but he asserts that he will be the team’s starting point guard in 2016/17, Berman relays in a separate piece. “Without a doubt, without a doubt,’’ Wroten told Berman when asked if he believes he will start next season. “I’m working hard. That’s what I want to be. That’s my mindset from here on out. I want to help my team, and I feel I can help them and learn from them in practice now. [I can learn from] watching Carmelo [Anthony], Jose Calderon, Langston Galloway, Kevin Seraphin. They brought me in like family. I’m already comfortable with the team and I haven’t played a game yet or practiced. So I’m definitely excited.”

Playing Time In Final Games Will Have Financial Consequences For Langston Galloway

April 8th, 2016 at 11:28am CST by Chuck Myron

Langston Galloway, Knicks — Galloway is 60 minutes shy of 2,000, the number he needs to hit the starter criteria and lift his qualifying offer from $1,180,431 to $2,725,003. The Knicks have three games left, and he’s averaged 22.5 minutes per game since the beginning of March, so this one could come down to the wire.

Carmelo Anthony Wants Input On Next Coach

April 7th, 2016 at 6:55pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Carmelo Anthony desires a say in the Knicks‘ future personnel decisions, including the selection of the next head coach, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com writes. “I think you have to. I think you have to have some type of input, whether it’s input or dialogue, whatever word that you want to use,” Anthony said. “I think you have to have that. I think at this point it needs to be some type of connection, some type of communication. Especially if we want to right this ship, there definitely needs to be some type of communication.” The small forward added that he hasn’t had any discussions with team president Phil Jackson or other members of the front office about who should coach the team next season, Begley notes.

Rambis, who is reportedly Jackson’s preferred choice to coach the Knicks in 2016/17, said he would relish the opportunity to have the interim tag removed from his title, Begley relays in the same piece. “It would be fantastic,” Rambis said. “I want to be a head coach in this league. This is a great franchise; it’s a terrific city, fan base. It would be a thrill beyond thrills in order to take this situation from where it was when we all first came here and turn it into a situation where it’s extremely promising and we have a chance to get in the playoffs and do well in the playoffs and get this city and this organization a potential championship. That’s a goal, and that would be a tremendous thrill.“