CARRY ON SEARCHING — FOR COACH:
As Knicks’ wild search for coach comes to an end, only a couple ways to view it
THERE ARE TWO ways of looking at the Knicks’ extensive — I prefer excessive — head coaching search; either the front office doesn’t know what they’re doing or they made their choice long ago and this three-week casting call is just a dog-and-pony show disguised as a factfinding mission. To recap, Steve Mills and Scott Perry interviewed assistants from some of the elite NBA franchises; Boston, San Antonio and Golden State. The former Knicks coach they interviewed was Mike Woodson, not Jeff Van Gundy. They interviewed a former Knick, Mark Jackson, but apparently never considered Monty Williams. Even TNT’s Kenny Smith was interviewed but not before being mocked by his studio co-hosts on live television the day before his big sit down. Charles Barkley summed it up well when he asked Smith “Have you seen the Knicks play?”
By interviewing nearly a dozen candidates it gives off the impression that Mills and Perry are working around the clock. I get it, due diligence. Everybody likes to be viewed as a tireless worker with the notable exception being Phil Jackson, who in the middle of the last Knicks coaching search went on vacation. What a guy, no?
Mills and Perry did get a trip to Europe out of this to interview David Blatt. Very cheeky but it wasn’t a vacation. If Mills believes Blatt is the best coach available, hire him. No one is stopping him except for maybe self-doubt. Blatt is definitely in the running and because of his relationship with Mills, his former teammate at Princeton.
“Steve has tried to hire Blatt twice,” says one Knicks source. “He really likes him as a coach. The question is will Steve hire him now? If it’s Blatt, that’s Steve’s choice. I don’t know if he’d want to put himself out there.”
From all indications, Blatt, David Fizdale and Jerry Stackhouse are the leading candidates. Mark
Jackson, the fan favorite, appears to be among that next wave of candidates. That also appears to be the case with Mike Budenholzer, who would be a great choice.
Fizdale, the former Memphis head coach and one-time Miami Heat assistant coach, has been a top candidate for months. It’s awfully telling that the Knicks reached out to Fizdale weeks ago, even before Jeff Hornacek was fired. You don’t do that unless you’re seriously interested in the guy.
Fizdale has some drawbacks, particularly his high profile falling out with Grizzlies center Marc Gasol. Just because he feuded with the team’s best player, who happens to be European, doesn’t mean he’s going to clash with Kristaps Porzingis, but it has to be a concern.
And you never really know if an outsider can handle New York until they’re actually on the job. Derek Fisher, an intelligent guy and sharp dresser, looked the part, but for a rookie head coach he was a tad cocky, a little arrogant and that worked against him. Fizdale should take note.
Mills and Perry like that Fizdale grew as a coach with the Miami Heat and that he has a connection to LeBron James. If Fizdale is the guy you’ll be hearing a lot about his special relationship with James, who can become a free agent on July 1st. Forget about signing LeBron, If the Knicks get a free agent meeting with him they just might throw themselves a parade. That LeBron factor would work against Blatt, obviously.
Stackhouse is an intriguing choice who has worked as a Toronto Raptors assistant coach and most recently was the head coach of their G-League affiliate. He’s young, talented, prepared and very demanding. Thr fact that he’s been in a player development role is a huge plus.
The Knicks could make an announcement this week and end all the suspense. But just know this; Mills and Perry won’t reach that conclusion this week. They reached it weeks ago.