Nets blunder opens the door for Knicks
The Knicks should capitalize on the Nets’ mistake. Brooklyn didn’t appreciate Kenny Atkinson, the coach who created the “culture” the Nets like to laud as their hallmark, and now he’s a free agent. GM Sean Marks didn’t really explain why Atkinson was fired, deflecting and evading his way through a press conference. We all know that if Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant wanted Atkinson as the coach, he’d be the coach of the Brooklyn Nets. But he’s not. And now the Knicks have an opportunity to snatch up an elite coach.
Atkinson fits the profile of what the Knicks need at this moment.
He is a development specialist who transformed the likes of Spencer Dinwiddie (GLeague call-up), Joe Harris (Cavs trade dump) and D’Angelo Russell (Lakers castaway) into leaders of a playoff team. He resurrected careers like Jeff Teague. As an assistant with the Knicks, no coach was more responsible than Atkinson for developing Jeremy Lin from fringe player to a phenomenon.
Atkinson also has an established style of play, an identity of pace-and-space that he capably applied to the unappreciative Nets. In a season without three of his best players for much of the time (Durant, Irving and Caris LeVert), Atkinson has them strongly in a playoff position with victories this week against the Celtics and Spurs. Nothing about his firing made sense and Marks did a poor job explaining it. Just 10 days ago, Atkinson was lauding the front office and ownership for allowing him the opportunity to maintain his job despite struggles. Now we’re supposed to believe
Marks’ explanation that Atkinson wanted out and the players had nothing to do with it. Give me a break.
But again, Brooklyn’s botching should be New York’s blessing. The Knicks desperately need a coach like Atkinson in their current stage. They stink but have young prospects and draft picks galore. They have no identity, no culture, no purpose. In other words, they are precisely what Atkinson took over in Brooklyn a little more than four years ago. Of course, playing for James Dolan comes with unique perils, but Atkinson should be well aware of the Garden landmines after serving as Mike D’Antoni’s assistant with the Knicks. Atkinson is also from Long Island and happens to be a client of CAA, the agency associated with new Knicks president Leon Rose.
It makes too much sense. Hopefully that means the Knicks won’t avoid it.