DING, DONG: THE TRIANGLE’S DEAD!
If Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek plans on installing any leftover triangle principles from the failed Phil Jackson regime, it hasn’t happened yet.
Jarrett Jack, the Knicks’ newly signed veteran point guard, said at a Tuesday press conference that during voluntary workouts the past two weeks Hornacek hasn’t mentioned the T-word and has only talked up the high-speed offense that he ran in Phoenix. (Coaches aren’t supposed to be instructing players until training camp officially begins Monday).
During July’s summer league in Orlando, days after Jackson was canned as team president, Hornacek indicated he could keep some triangle principles going into the coming season, but said he wanted the offense to be high tempo.
The summer-league team ran mostly triangle since there was no time to adjust. However, during the joint press conference for president Steve Mills and Scott Perry in mid-July, there was no mention of Jackson’s beloved offensive system. When Mills wrote a blog for the club website recently, the triangle was not addressed.
“If there are, he hasn’t imple- mented them yet,’’ Jack said regarding whether Hornacek has mentioned the triangle. “So far, it’s a lot of much more fast-paced offense, moving, cutting, more ball movement. From what I understand, that’s the crux of it for now.’’
Jack, who signed a nonguaranteed pact last week partly to help rookie point guard Frank Ntilikina’s development, said he’s “having all sorts of conversations’’ with Hornacek on “what he expects from the team now.’’
“[It’s] the transition from not playing in the triangle to this new offense he’s putting in, so all of that has been real fun, real enlightening, So I’m waiting for one of these Jerry Sloan training camps, from what I understand,’’ Jack said.
New Knick Michael Beasley had his best year with Kurt Rambis in Minnesota in 2010-11 when the current Knicks assistant ran Jackson’s triangle. But he likes Hornacek’s style better. Hornacek blended the two offenses last season, but the results were disastrous. A week before the All-Star break, Jackson ordered a movement back toward the triangle.
“I love the way Hornacek coaches,’’ Beasley said. “I love his fast-paced style of play. As far as how I fit, as far as who’s here, I can play with anybody.” With Jack’s signing, the Knicks now have four point guards on the roster. Coming off a series of knee problems, Jack, 33, doesn’t appear a mortal lock for the 15man roster. Veteran Ramon Sessions was signed in late July to join Ntilikina and Ron Baker, resigned to a lucrative deal for the $4 million room exception.
However, Sessions has yet to report to Tarrytown to be with the 19-year-old Ntilikina, the Knicks’ lottery pick, for voluntary workouts. Jack said at least 15 players have arrived. Kristaps Porzingis, Mindaugas Kuzminskas and Willy Hernangomez have yet to return following the European Championships and on-the-block Carmelo Anthony is hosting his own scrimmages in Manhattan.
If Jack is healthy and Sessions doesn’t recover well from last year’s season-ending knee injury, he could vault into the starting lineup. However, Jack has appeared in 34 games combined the past two seasons — with just two last year in New Orleans — because of a torn ACL and torn meniscus. There is a distinct possibility the Knicks’ point-guard situation could turn into a mess.
“Whatever job capacity they need, I feel I’ve been in all of them and done well in all of them,’’ Jack said. “If that’s what it is, that’s cool. If it’s not, that’s cool too. There’s a lot of ways to make a significant impact on a team. It’s a long season, long journey. Who knows how it shakes out when all’s said and done. I think I’m a wellrounded player.”