NBA house cleaning is well underway
The New York Knicks will open their off-season with a coaching search. The team fired coach Jeff Hornacek Thursday, making the decision shortly after beating Cleveland Wednesday to finish a 29-53 season.
They lost more than 50 games and missed the playoffs both seasons under Hornacek. Associate head coach Kurt Rambis also was fired. Hornacek, who went 60-104 and had a year left on his contract, became the first coaching change after the NBA regular season finished, sending the Knicks in search of their 11th different head coach since Jeff Van Gundy resigned in the 2001-02 season.
Team president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry said they didn’t see enough progress on the court and enough communication and accountability off it. They informed Hornacek of their decision on the flight home.
Mills said he and Perry were evaluating Hornacek and the Knicks this season on 10-game intervals and saw progress in some areas, but not in others. They met with Hornacek a couple of weeks ago to discuss where things stood, so Mills said he didn’t think the decision was a complete shock to the coach.
“Jeff is a positive person and I think he was hopeful that there would be another opportunity, but he’s a pro,” Mills said. “He’s a good man and he took it well.”
Mills and Perry declined to identify candidates. Perry said the Knicks were looking for a skilled communicator and effective leader who connects well with today’s players and has a strong defensive mindset. He said there is no timetable to find that person.
Magic sack Vogel: Frank Vogel was brought to Orlando two years ago with hopes he could get the Magic back to the playoffs and stop the revolving door to the coaches’ office from spinning. Neither of those things happened. Vogel was fired by the Magic Thursday about 10 hours after the team wrapped up a 25-57 season, its sixth consecutive losing year. Vogel, who had one year left on his contract, went 54110 in his two years with Orlando. The Magic used 27 starting lineups this season, none of them for more than 11 games. There was no continuity to the lineup and only three players appeared in 70 games. In all, injuries and illness robbed the Magic of 227 player games this season — thwarting some key parts of Vogel’s plan.