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Phil Jackson Unhappy With Knicks’ Offense

November 8th, 2016 at 9:51am CST by Luke Adams

The new-look Knicks are off to a slow start this season, having won just two of their first six games, and according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com, team president Phil Jackson has been unhappy with his club’s performance on offense. Specifically, Jackson isn’t pleased with the numbers of times the Knicks have run the triangle offense, says Begley.

Although new head coach Jeff Hornacek has vowed to implement “principles of the triangle” offense into New York’s half-court sets, he has also made an effort to speed things up in the early going, writes Begley. One Eastern Conference scout tells Begley that during the Knicks’ Friday win over the Bulls, New York ran a play out of a triangle set just a handful of times.

While Jackson isn’t happy about the lack of triangle sets in the offense, some Knicks players aren’t thrilled about using it at all. Sources tell Begley that a few of the Knicks players have suggested that the triangle offense doesn’t suit the club’s personnel, including point guard Derrick Rose, who is more effective in pick-and-roll sets.

Although the offense may be a point of contention during the first two weeks of the season for the Knicks, their defensive performance has been of greater concern. The club entered play on Monday ranked dead last in points allowed per 100 possessions, and hasn’t allowed fewer than 102 points in any of its six games so far.

Jackson, a former head coach, is a little more hands-on in his approach than most team presidents around the NBA. And with a new head coach on the bench in New York, there will likely be some growing pains during the first few weeks of the season as Hornacek and Jackson look to find common ground on the best approach for the team going forward.

Atlantic Notes: Olynyk, J. Young, Nets, Knicks

November 2nd, 2016 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics made a pair of interesting decisions on October 31, opting not to exercise James Young‘s fourth-year option for 2017/18, and letting Kelly Olynyk‘s extension deadline pass without a new deal. The moves will put Young on track for unrestricted free agency in 2017 and Olynyk on track for restricted free agency. As general manager Danny Ainge explains, per Adam Himmselbach of The Boston Globe, retaining future cap flexibility was a factor in the Olynyk decision.

“If we didn’t have max cap flexibility next summer and the possibility to land a superstar-type player, an All-Star-caliber player, it might have been different in our negotiations,” the Celtics GM said. “But because we still are there, with where we are in cap management, there was no reason to rush into it.”

As for Young, Ainge suggested that the Celtics really like where he is at the moment, but want to wait to see “how he progresses” this season. The GM also observed that the third-year veteran can take solace in the fact that it has been a “great blessing” for a handful of players to have that option declined. Solomon Hill is one recent example — he inked a four-year, $48MM contract this past summer with the Pelicans after the Pacers declined his fourth-year option a year ago.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic division:

The Nets overhauled their point guard spot this offseason, and though Jeremy Lin has been solid as the team’s starter so far, the team’s second and third options at the position are off to slow starts. As Brian Lewis of The New York Post details, veteran Greivis Vasquez has struggled to produce and has been nagged by an ankle injury, while rookie Isaiah Whitehead doesn’t look ready for significant minutes quite yet.
The other notable new point guard in New York, Derrick Rose, only has six assists in his first three games with the Knicks, but his scoring and shooting numbers are solid. Fred Kerber of The New York Post suggests Rose is poised to make a strong impression this season in New York, given the team’s recent point guard history — the team has gone through 21 players at the position since Rose entered the NBA in 2008.
As Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News outlines, former head coach and current ESPN analyst Byron Scott questioned Phil Jackson‘s role in New York, where the Zen Master has been attending Knicks’ coaches meetings and giving input to players. “You hired [Jeff Hornacek] to be your coach, let him be your coach,” Scott said. “Kind of stay out a little bit. If you want to coach, fire him and take over like you did Derek Fisher. It’s really that simple. I think right now if I was Jeff, I would feel a little uncomfortable. I would feel some flames underneath my feet.”

Knicks Notes: Jackson, Rose, Noah, Anthony

October 30th, 2016 at 10:46am CST by Arthur Hill

The season isn’t a week old, but Knicks president Phil Jackson already felt it was necessary to meet with players to discuss their comments to the media, writes Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. There were complaints about the offense and defense following a lopsided opening-night loss in Cleveland, but Jackson’s meeting and Saturday’s win over the Grizzlies may have quieted things down for now. New point guard Derrick Rose was advocating more pick-and-rolls over Jackson’s traditional triangle approach. Rose, as Isola points out, missed most of the preseason because of a civil trial over sexual assault allegations in Los Angeles.

There’s more this morning out of New York:

The trade for Rose and the offseason signing of Brandon Jennings has made the Knicks a far more interesting team, contends Newsday’s Neil Best. New York now has scoring threats at the point guard position that it lacked last season. “Man, I’m happy I got it out of the way,” Rose said of his first home game at Madison Square Garden. “The crowd was great, energetic, they were in it from the jump.”
Joakim Noah showed Saturday that he hasn’t lost the emotional intensity that defined his game in Chicago, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. The Knicks’ new starting center, who joined the team on a four-year, $72MM contract this summer, pounded his chest a few times, yelled at Zach Randolph and was serenaded by the crowd in his home debut. “It’s really special to play at home, just trying to stay in the moment because it’s real easy to get caught up in everything that’s going on around you,” Noah said. “This building means so much to me. There were a couple of times, it was very emotional for me. I was very nervous. But it was the best, it was the best feeling.”
Carmelo Anthony said again Saturday that he enjoys having high-profile teammates like Rose, Noah and Kristaps Porzingis to share the scoring load, relays Ian Begley of ESPN. Anthony had 20 points against Memphis but suffered through a poor shooting night, making just 5 of 15 from the field. “You don’t see me complaining about it,” Anthony said. “You didn’t see me out there making a face. [It’s] something that I embrace. I look forward to just being out there with guys who can control the game and make plays, and when it’s my time, it’s my time.”

Eastern Notes: Bayless, Kelly, Young

October 24th, 2016 at 10:28pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Jerryd Bayless was penciled in as the Sixers‘ opening night starter at point guard, but he’ll be in street clothes for at least the first month of the season while he recovers from a torn ligament in his left wrist, team sources told Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. The team announced last week that Bayless would not have surgery on his wrist, but did not put a timetable on his return to action, Goodman notes. Bayless signed a three-year deal with Philly this summer after averaging 10.4 points and 3.1 assists with Milwaukee in 2015/16.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Hornets forward Frank Kaminsky is out of the walking boot he was required to wear after straining his right foot during Charlotte’s final preseason contest on Friday, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes. His status for the team’s regular season opener is still undetermined, Bonnell adds. “He said he felt a lot better,” coach Steve Clifford said of Kaminsky. “He did a ton [of rehabilitation] Sunday and then he was back in here this morning. I guess you’d call him questionable [for the season-opener], but he’s making lots of progress.”
Celtics executive Danny Ainge confirmed that Ryan Kelly, who was waived by the team on Saturday, will be joining the Maine Red Claws, Boston’s D-League affiliate, Goodman tweets.
Ainge also weighed in on James Young, who barely made the Celtics‘ regular season roster this season by edging out R.J. Hunter for the 15th and final spot. The executive told Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com, “I told him [Young] this morning that I think this is the first time he’s earned anything in his life. He earned this by his play, day in and day out, and he just has to keep earning it. He was given a lot as a young kid, with a lot of promise and a lot of potential and … he had to come out and win a spot with some good competition, and he did. So he just needs to keep doing what he’s been doing.“
Pistons shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is eligible to sign an extension prior to this season’s deadline, but all signs point to him playing out the season and hitting restricted free agency next summer, as Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press explains.
Entering his third season in New York, this may be team president Phil Jackson‘s last chance to turn around the team, which is no lock, given the multiple roster and health questions surrounding the Knicks, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes.
The Hawks enter the season with just two point guards on the roster, a move the team made because of injuries suffered in the frontcourt, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. “With the injuries, the few nagging things on the front line, at the end of the day you are probably going to be a little short on the bigs or a little short on the point guard,” coach/executive Mike Budenholzer said. “We are going with an extra big, more cover on the bigs.”

Lawyer: Jackson Didn’t Investigate Rose Case

September 14th, 2016 at 8:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

The attorney for the woman accusing Derrick Rose of rape in a civil lawsuit suspects the Bulls traded him because of the legal action and says Knicks president Phil Jackson didn’t investigate the case, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News.

Brandon Anand, who is representing the unidentified woman in a $21.5MM suit, says the Knicks made no attempt to contact her before completing the deal.

“My first reaction was maybe [the Bulls are] hiding this from the Knicks and passed him off without giving full disclosures,” Anand said, “but it seems to me like the Knicks should’ve done their own investigation.”

Jackson responded that he was “aware” of the suit before making the trade, but didn’t see a need to investigate it further, adding that, “Investigation is a big word.”

“I think [the Knicks] should’ve conducted that big word [and called me],” Anand said. “I think I would’ve shown them the documents that were public, that were fair game, and I think it all speaks for itself. [Rose’s] testimony certainly revealed a lot. Just showing them the evidence that’s already out, they would’ve gotten a very clear idea about what actually happened.”

Rose admits that he and two friends drove to the woman’s home in the early morning hours of August 27th, 2013. He also said in a deposition just before the trade that “you can assume” that the men had sex with her.

An October 4th trial date has been set, meaning Rose would probably miss at least two preseason games and several practices if a settlement is not reached by then.

Rambis Suggested Hornacek As Knicks’ Head Coach

September 9th, 2016 at 2:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks president Phil Jackson says interim coach Kurt Rambis first suggested hiring Jeff Hornacek as the team’s head coach, according to Charley Rosen of TodaysFastBreak.com. In the latest installment of “The Phil Jackson Chronicles,” Jackson states that Rambis and Hornacek had a working relationship that began when they both played for the Suns.

“It was Kurt Rambis who first suggested Jeff,” Jackson recalled. “They had played together in Phoenix for several seasons so Kurt had a good read on Jeff. The Suns’ coach was Cotton Fitzsimmons who had been an assistant at Kansas State under Tex Winter. So Cotton knew the triangle, ran pieces of it and believed in system basketball. It was there that Jeff teamed up with Kevin Johnson in a two-guard offense, which is how the triangle is formatted.”

Jackson had been impressed by the job Hornacek did in his two and a half years as head coach in Phoenix. In mid-May, Jackson held a six-hour meeting with Hornacek in Los Angeles, diagramming plays and discussing offensive and defensive philosophies.

“I liked the way he saw the whole game and how every part was interrelated,” Jackson said. “Jeff also said that he believes in visualization, that a shooter should visualize the ball going through the hoop every time he shoots. I could easily visualize him coaching the Knicks, and I was sold.”

Jackson and Hornacek flew back to New York for a private dinner with GM Steve Mills, but the media learned about the meeting and reported Hornacek’s hiring well before it occurred. Jackson says he wishes that hadn’t happened because the story broke before he could inform the other candidates who interviewed for the job.

New York Notes: Wroten, Hernangomez, Bennett

August 19th, 2016 at 12:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks had long-term plans for point guard Tony Wroten when they signed him in mid-March, Charley Rosen of Today’s Fastbreak reveals in the latest installment of “The Phil Jackson Chronicles.” Wroten, who was waived in June after New York traded for Derrick Rose, was originally set to get an extended audition this offseason. Jackson, the team president, said the Knicks signed Wroten during the season rather than waiting for free agency because it wanted to have him available for summer league play.

“Signing Tony now also gives us more time to evaluate him,” Jackson said in March about Wroten, who was recovering from surgery on a partially torn ACL in his right knee. “Can he make it all the way back? Can he grasp our philosophy? Tony is only 22 and, if everything does work out, he certainly fits the description of the type of point guard that we’re looking for. It’s a futuristic move for us. A move that gives us another choice. And it’s one of the things we have to do to find suitable talent.” Wroten never appeared in a game for the Knicks. The Grizzlies claimed him off waivers, then released and later re-signed him.

There’s more news from the Atlantic Division:

Willy Hernangomez, a Spanish center who will face Team USA at the Olympics today, has a chance to be part of the Knicks‘ rotation next season, writes Fred Kerber of The New York Post. That’s the opinion of ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla, who is considered an expert on international basketball. “He does not have ‘starter’ or ‘stardom’ written all over him yet, but he has a chance because of his youth, mobility and size to develop into a good player in time,” Fraschilla said. “If you could find a 6-11 second-round pick who’s only 22 years old and is beginning to prove himself both at the Olympics and in the second-best league in the world in Spain, you’d say it is a bonus for the Knicks.”
Former overall No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett says he likes the “brand new vibe” in Brooklyn as he tries to resurrect his career with the Nets, relays NetsDaily.com. “For the most part, [I’m] going in here with an open mind, no pressure, just going out there and playing,” Bennett says in a new video posted on YouTube. Bennett signed a two-year deal that will pay him a guaranteed $1,015,696 this season and $1,087,745 if he’s on the roster for opening night in 2017.

Atlantic Notes: Calderon, Jackson, Sullinger, Bennett

July 15th, 2016 at 10:18am CST by Arthur Hill

Former Knicks point guard Jose Calderon believes he would have been better off as a backup in New York, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. Calderon, who will turn 35 in September, was shipped to the Bulls last month in the trade that brought back Derrick Rose. Calderon says team president Phil Jackson made the right move in acquiring Rose and thinks he would have performed better with fewer minutes. “Like I said, I was ready for a different role and I was ready for a different role the last couple of years,” Calderon said. “Maybe there wasn’t the player to put ahead of me. I always said I wasn’t the one putting me in the starting role or playing me 35 minutes. It could’ve been a guy like a Derrick Rose and I would’ve been the backup point guard. It’s a tough position to play. You have to know your strengths and weaknesses. I’ve been in the league 12 years and I know what I do best or not do as well. It’s nothing personal. It’s what the team needed. Hopefully it will work better.’’

Calderon, who was later traded from the Bulls to the Lakers, will get his wish to be a reserve in L.A., where he will back up second-year point guard D’Angelo Russell. Currently training for the Olympics with the Spanish National Team, Calderon has one year left on his contract at $7.6MM, and said he hopes to play three more seasons in the NBA.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Jackson issued a challenge to his rebuilt team Thursday on social media, Berman writes in a separate piece. In a pair of tweets, Jackson wrote, “Here’s what: We have brought change to the Knicks team. The real dimension of change is how much the players what to unite in this change” and “It’s not about bonding and being friends, it’s about joining in the effort of playing HARD on every effort. #respect“ (Twitter links). Nine of the 14 players the Knicks currently have under contract weren’t with the team last season.
The chance to win an NBA title meant more than money to Jared Sullinger when he chose the Raptors, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. Sullinger, who became an unrestricted free agent this week when the Celtics pulled their qualifying offer, signed a one-year, $6MM deal with Toronto on Thursday. “Money is great but when it comes to certain situations, money can’t buy you happiness,” Sullinger said. “I think winning keeps you happy when you’re playing an 82-game season. I’ve been through a season where we lost a lot and it’s not a lot of fun.” The Raptors won 56 games this year and reached the Eastern Conference finals.
The Nets will try to get more out of Anthony Bennett than he produced in his first three NBA stops, writes Bud Shaw of Cleveland.com. Shaw contends that former Cavaliers GM Chris Grant’s decision to take Bennett, who reached an agreement Thursday on a deal with Brooklyn, first overall in 2013 was the biggest mistake in the Cavs’ draft history.

Knicks Notes: Thomas, Durant, Jackson, Jennings

July 9th, 2016 at 8:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Lance Thomas decided to re-sign with the Knicks because he didn’t want to be known as a “loser” in New York, relays Ian Begley of ESPN.com. Thomas, a restricted free agent, agreed to a four-year deal worth about $27.3MM. The fifth-year combo forward was born in Brooklyn and was concerned about his legacy after the Knicks finished far out of the playoff race during his two seasons with the team. “I grew up a Knicks fan; this is the team I grew up watching,” Thomas said. “Me being from the area and planning on being in the area for the majority of my life, I didn’t want my legacy as a Knick to be a loser.”

There’s more news out of New York:

The Knicks were hoping to meet with Kevin Durant to establish a relationship in case he tried free agency again next summer, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. Durant can still opt out of his new contract with the Warriors in 2017, but he indicated this week that he expects to stay in Golden State for a long time. New York wasn’t one of the five teams that Durant met with last weekend, but GM Steve Mills said he was encouraged by the process. “We knew KD wanted to pick a team that had a chance to win a championship this upcoming season,” Mills said. “We didn’t fit that bill. We know if he made a decision to do a 1-and-1, we would’ve had a meeting with him. The idea he did a 1-and-1 with Golden State, my assumption is he’ll stay there.”
“Super teams” like the one created with Durant’s move to the Warriors, are an inevitable consequence of the sudden rise in the salary cap, Knicks president Phil Jackson says in the same story. “That’s the way it’s going to be for a while — players allowed this to go forward instead of smoothing it, so there’s tons of money,” Jackson said. “There’s an opportunity to do major moves in the NBA.”
Jackson expects newly signed guard Brandon Jennings to be Sixth Man of the Year next season, Begley writes in a separate piece. Jennings, who spent this season with the Pistons and Magic, inked a one-year deal with the Knicks this week for $5MM. He doesn’t mind taking on a reserve role and said he will try to live up to Jackson’s expectations. “I’m definitely gonna embrace that role,” Jennings said. “I don’t see why I can’t be in that conversation, and I’m fine with it. I’m definitely fine with it.”

Knicks Sign Joakim Noah To Four-Year Deal

July 8th, 2016 at 12:34pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 8, 12:34pm: The Knicks have officially signed Noah, the team announced today (via Twitter).

JULY 1, 9:41pm: As expected, the Knicks and Noah have agree to a four-year, $72MM deal after their meeting today, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. It will be a fully guaranteed contract with no options, per Michael Scotto of The Associated Press (Twitter link).

2:42pm: Noah has posted a photo on Instagram that shows him wearing a Knicks cap, which is a pretty strong signal that he’ll sign with the team when the moratorium ends next week.

JUNE 30, 11:58pm: Noah and the Knicks are nearing an agreement on a four-year deal worth around $72MM, sources tells Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

11:11pm: With free agency now open, the Knicks are discussing the framework of a deal that would be in the four-year, $70MM range, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter links). The two sides will continue negotiations during their Friday afternoon meeting, per Charania.

7:05am: The Knicks are the strong favorites to land longtime Bulls big man Joakim Noah when the free agent period opens in July, according to multiple reports. Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post, ESPN’s Marc Stein and Ian Begley, Shams Charania of The Vertical, and Sam Amick of USA Today all independently reported late on Wednesday night that the Knicks are in the driver’s seat in the Noah sweepstakes.

According to Charania and Amick, Noah has a meeting set up with Phil Jackson and the Knicks after free agency formally gets underway at 12:00am on July 1st. Marc Berman of The New York Post clarifies that the meeting between the two sides is expected to happen during the day on Friday, rather than late at night, but he also suggests that the Knicks are the prohibitive favorites for Noah. There’s belief on both sides that an agreement could come quickly, says Charnia.

Amick indicates within his report that Noah is still expected to consider multiple teams besides the Knicks, but those clubs have yet to line up a formal meeting with the 31-year-old. Sources tell Stein and Begley that a few teams with interest in Noah have “all but conceded” that the Knicks are No. 1 on his wish list by a sizable margin — the two-time All-Star has expressed strong interest in signing in New York in recent days, since teammate Derrick Rose was traded to the club, per the ESPN duo.

Assuming Noah and the Knicks do indeed work something out, his starting salary may end up in the range of $18MM, according to Bontemps. That would be a significant investment from the Knicks, who are expected to have over $30MM in cap room, and would likely take the team out of the running for some mid-tier free agents, in addition to max-salary players.

Noah underwent surgery on his separated left shoulder back in January, and while he should be ready to go for the 2016/17 campaign, he hasn’t played a game since that procedure. In 2015/16, he appeared in just 29 games, averaging 4.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 21.9 minutes per contest.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.