Hornacek: Triangle made us squares with free agents
It is no secret a lot of Knicks were not sold on the triangle offense in previous seasons. Coach Jeff Hornacek, who had been tasked with implementing the antiquated system under Phil Jackson, suspects the dislike went beyond the team — like to free agents who saw the offense as a negative.
“I think it probably was,” Hornacek said after practice Friday in Tarrytown. “We truly believed that we could blend it and we found out that probably wasn’t great.”
He could have just asked his own players.
“If you look around the league, most of the teams play the same way. There’s not a lot of difference in how teams play,” Hornacek said, insisting better days await the Knicks — and that’s whether he is part of them or not.
“If you look at down the road, I don’t think it’s that far off. You have a cornerstone piece in KP [Kristaps Porzingis], you have some other really good players already on the team,” said Hornacek, using the Timberwolves as an example of a team that made a quantum jump adding pieces to in-house studs Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. “You add Jimmy Butler, [Taj] Gibson and a couple veterans, and now all of a sudden they’re really good. So sometimes it’s just that one or two pieces that kind of ties everything together.”
And despite all the losing, Hornacek insists New York has appeal.
“There were some things out last year. But now they see the style of play. It’s still a big market, I don’t think it’s changed that way. They know they have to deal with you [media] guys,” Hornacek said laughing. “They want a chance to win. If they see there is chance to win, money is always out there. if they get more money from one team, they probably go there.”
Enes Kanter, who took a hard fall against the 76ers in Philadelphia on Wednesday, did not practice Friday because of soreness in his lower back and wrist. He is doubtful to play against the Pistons on Saturday. Frank Ntilikina missed practice with an illness. He is questionable. Kyle O’Quinn, who missed three games with a sore hip, and Courtney Lee, who missed one with a bum foot, are expected to play.
Hornacek said management has not dictated who starts and plays at point guard, but they have decreed all three — Ntilikina, Trey Burke and Emmanuel Mudiay — should play and gain experience.
“All we ever talked about was get all these guys some minutes,” Hornacek said. “They said, ‘Play guys who are playing well, trying to find them all some minutes and get them experience and get them in games.’ ”
Hornacek has mixed and matched. And of the possible combinations, he admits the Burke and Ntilikina backcourt seems to have impressed most.
“Overall it seems when Frank and Trey have been in, it’s been the best combinations,” Hornacek said.