Blatt backers say he’s right fit for Knicks
The one area Knicks brass failed to mention during their recent press conference on what they will seek in a new coach was ... “A winner.” That just happens to be David Blatt’s top attribute. It is a strength Knicks president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry may want to ponder as they reduce the field of nine candidates — with one interview left, Spurs assistant James Borrego, over the weekend.
As The Post reported, Mills and Perry interviewed Blatt on Thursday in Europe, where he is coaching Darussafaka Istanbul, which just won the prestigious EuroCup tournament.
“He’s a winner and a teacher of solid basketball — be it NBA, Euroleague, Israeli league or the Russian national team in the Olympics,’’ said former Knicks European scout Tim Shea, an NBA consultant on overseas players. “KP [Kristaps Porzingis] and Frank Nitti [Ntilikina] need him as he is the most qualified to finally make international players that arrive in New York comfortable and productive. He’d be a godsend.”
Cleveland is where Blatt spent 1 ½ seasons, compiling a 83-40 record (67.5 winning percentage) and advancing to the 2015 Finals in his lone full season.
Along the way, Blatt’s injury-riddled Cavaliers, playing without Kevin Love and a hobbled Kyrie Irving, swept Mike Budenholzer’s Hawks in four games.
In the Finals against Golden State, the Cavaliers couldn’t overcome not having both Love and Irving, who went down for good with a broken kneecap late in Game 1.
Blatt is viewed as either supremely successful or a complete disaster, depending upon the tint of your glasses.
The book about LeBron James, “Return of The King,’’ performed a hatchet job on Blatt as being an arrogant/out-of-touch coach “afraid” of the superstar’s shadow. It depicted an unsupportive James as preferring to consult with Tyronn Lue.
In his second season in Cleveland, Blatt was fired at 30-11. Lue took over, won the 2016 NBA Finals in rallying from a 1-3 hole against Golden State. Lue’s regularseason record with Cleveland is now 128-77 — a 62.4 winning percentage and worse than Blatt’s. Mills and Perry have prioritized connectivity with players as No. 1 on their list, but winning is what Blatt knows. He’s only the second coach to capture the Euroleague, EuroCup, and Eurobasket and he guided Russia to a surprise 2012 Olympic bronze medal.
“He’s won everywhere he is, won everywhere in Europe,’’ an NBA source close to Blatt said. “This year was supposed to be rebuilding year in Istanbul and he wins the EuroCup. His résumé is impeccable.”
The Istanbul GM Mithat Demirel gushed to The Athletic recently, saying, “Everything what I always wanted from a coach, we got from him. He has great knowledge, great personality, great leadership.”
Shea said he believes Blatt needs a second chance.
“I know of no players, clubs or directors that have nothing but praise for David,’’ Shea said. “Nobody underestimates his communication skills, his strategic capacities or enthusiasm. His record speaks for itself and it speaks very loudly.’’