THE TRIsNGLE

Hornacek: It’ll be Jax’s way with or

SALT LAKE CITY — You’re either in Phil Jackson’s “Triangle of Trust” next season or you’re not. There is no in between.

That was essentially the message on Wednesday from Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek when asked whether the core of Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick Rose can work.

“Obviously, if we go into it like we did this year, no,” Hornacek said.

It marked the first time that Hornacek raised the possibility that one or more of the Knicks’ big three won’t be on the roster next season. Rose is a free agent while Anthony, who was the subject of trade talks last month, is under contract through next season but has a player option for the 2018-19 season at $28 million. Anthony also has a no-trade clause.

“We just got to make sure that however the team is next year that we continue to get guys that play as hard as they can every play,” Hornacek said without referring to any one player. “The defensive intensity needs to be picked up next year. Scoring the basketball, we have guys that can do that. But do we have the right fit of guys running the system.

“If we think that we can somehow with a fresh start of training camp and go to it right off the bat, if that helps us and Phil and Steve (Mills) we think maybe the same guys on this team could have a different outlook on it then we’ll stay the same. If not they’ll look at other guys.

Hornacek hinted that unlike last October he intends to make a full commitment to running the triangle offense, which is a system not favored by most of the Knicks, including Anthony and Rose. Hornacek said “it’s possible” that Anthony, Rose and Porzingis can all be on the roster if they’re willing to embrace whatever system the team runs.

“If we turned around and had a different way with maybe we start and go right at however we’re going to run it next year, full triangle or whatever we’re going to do, it’s possible,” he added. “You never know how those things will fit.

“Maybe a second year is helpful for us. I thought we got off to a decent start this year and then we had little injuries here and there. And then we lost some close games we shouldn’t have lost we lost and then it kind of piled with our confidence it snowballed out of control. I don’t know. It’s something we’re really going to look at.”

Hornacek, at the urging of Jackson, renewed his commitment to the triangle following the All-Star break much to the chagrin of the locker room. Two weeks ago, Jackson ran a brief triangle clinic for a handful of Knicks, including Rose, which suggests that Jackson hasn’t ruled out re-signing the former MVP.

“Most teams in this league they all kind of play the same way,” Hornacek said. “I don’t know if it’s a necessarily easier way or more fun way to play like all the other teams do. But there is something with the knowledge of when you can execute and pick teams apart if you can get to that stage it probably gives you your best chance.

“Everybody coming into next year we got to buy into the one way that we do it. We probably tried to piece too many things together this year and we could never get it together quick enough. So we’ll look at everything next year.”

The Knicks enter Wednesday’s game against the Jazz at 27-43 and headed for a fourth straight season without a playoff appearance. While the players have been stubborn about embracing the offense, Hornacek was just as stubborn at the start of training camp. He wanted to run a more free flowing offense and use the triangle on dead ball situations and after made free throws. On Wednesday, Hornacek said that was probably a mistake on his part.

“We were trying to find a balance,” he said. “We were trying to open the game up so the current players could run some of that stuff and still have the triangle set where we can get into some stuff. As it turns out it, looking back, it probably wasn’t the greatest thing to do because you’re not focused on one or the other. You’re not getting enough of the same repetition of the same play and they can make reads off it. It’s something we have to make a decision on and just go with it.”