FIZ' A WHIZ
Wade endorses ex-coach, possible Horn’ replacement
Dwyane Wade believes the Knicks have a better shot at his former assistant coach, David Fizdale, than his former teammate, LeBron James, when those two become free agents this summer.
Back with the Heat after the Cavaliers traded him to Miami in February, Wade heard about a new billboard hanging from a building near the Garden daring James to choose the Knicks this summer. It has James and a No. 23 on the back of a white Knicks jersey with the text: “King of New York? Prove it. #KingJamesNYC18.”
When asked about the sign, Wade, before the Knicks beat the Heat, 122-98, at the Garden on Friday, smiled, shook his head and deadpanned: “Good luck.’’ The Knicks don’t have cap space this summer, so it’s all but a moot point — armed with the $8.6 million midlevel exception. James visits the Garden on Monday in what could be the final home game for Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek, who is on thin ice with just one season left on his contract. Knicks president Steve Mills has been silent on Hornacek since the season’s fourth game.
Wade and James were teammates when Fizdale was a prominent Heat assistant coach.
With as many as six coaching openings expected this offseason, Wade, who scored seven points in 19 minutes Friday, believes Fizdale will be back in the NBA and the Knicks’ new regime of Mills and general manager Scott Perry probably would be interested in interviewing him.
Fizdale was fired by the Grizzlies in early December after a reported feud with Marc Gasol. Heat sources said Fizdale’s strength was getting along well with players.
Wade gave Fizdale a strong endorsement, saying his acumen is on both sides of the ball.
“He’s a phenomenal coach — everyone has seen that in the job he was able to do in Memphis [last season],’’ Wade said. “I definitely think his name will be in the running for a lot of jobs. He’s going to bring to a team his work ethic, a great offensiveminded coach, but has defensive principles from Miami [president] Pat Riley has installed in every coach that’s come here.”
The downfall in Memphis was shocking. A Bleacher Report story stated Gasol considered Fizdale “a little bit of a [phony].’’ The Suns are said to have in Fizdale.
“He’s a good manager of personalities,’’ said Wade of the coach, who was part of the Heat’s three title teams. “The sky’s the limit for whatever organization will get him and give him the opportunity to really put his fingerprints on an organization.’’
Meanwhile, Wade is headed back to the playoffs after not being a fit in Cleveland earlier this season. And it looks as if the Heat will be face the Cavaliers in the first round. Cleveland has retooled with a younger cast since letting Wade, 33, return to Miami.
“They’re a very good team,’’ Wade said. “The playoffs are different than regular season. If we wind up matching up with them, we have a big task in front of us. He’s not the game’s best player for no reason. He doesn’t go out in the first round. We have to come up with an amazing, amazing game plan and play phenomenal to beat those guys. If that does happen, it’s great competition for these young guys to play against the Eastern Conference champions from last year. It’s good to see this franchise [Miami] back where it should be.