The New York Knicks are playing their hand slowly thus far, but out of the numerous candidates, a few are receiving endorsements.
There has been little movement on the coaching search for the New York Knicks. The team is still interviewing candidates, and it doesn’t appear that they are in a rush to make their pick.
Here is the current list of candidates:
- David Blatt
- Mark Jackson
- David Fizdale
- Jerry Stackhouse
- James Borrego
- Mike Budenholzer
- Kenny Smith
- Mike Woodson
A couple former Knicks are giving their two cents on the matter. Former head coach Larry Brown is giving Mike Woodson his endorsement. Marc Berman of the New York Post spoke with Brown who feels that Woodson is the best candidate for the job. Brown told Berman:
“I’ve read a whole lot of qualified candidates, but I can’t imagine anyone being more qualified than Mike.”
The former Knicks coaches are sticking together on this one. While Woodson would be a competent coach who has already had success in New York, it certainly wouldn’t be the big time move that fans are expecting.
Signing Mark Jackson would be the big move that many Knicks fans expect, but is Jackson really the guy that this team needs? Former Knick and Jackson’s former player in Golden State, David Lee, seems to think so. Lee discussed the possibility of Jackson coaching in New York with Marc Berman. Lee told Berman:
“Coaching and playing in New York is different than any city. You see it in baseball — superstars play for the Yankees either thrive or shy away from the situation. Mark understands the difference in New York basketball. He’s from there. He understands the politics, the fans, things involved unique to the Knicks. That’s an advantage he has.’’
That is all true, but there are a lot more question marks surrounding Jackson. We all know that he knows New York, but that should not be the only prerequisite for the job. Lee discussed some of the baggage with Jackson and some of the issues that surfaced in Golden State.
Other Knicks News, Stories:
- Joakim Noah is finding his center and connecting with Mother Nature.
- With the coaching search in full-swing, it’s easy to forget about Jeff Hornacek. ESNY’s Geoffrey Campbell chronicles the text messages Hornacek received after his firing.
- Michael Dolan of ESNY has the “perfect” offseason for the Knicks all mapped out.
