Tuesday was an uncharacteristically quiet day for the New York Knicks. The coaching search continues, but this will take time.
Yet another day has passed with little movement on the coaching search for the New York Knicks. The search for the new head coach continues and there is no indication that anyone on the current list has been taken off the list.
Here is the current list of candidates:
- David Blatt
- Mark Jackson
- David Fizdale
- Jerry Stackhouse
- James Borrego
- Mike Budenholzer
- Kenny Smith
- Mike Woodson
I’m sure for some fans, this coaching search feels like it is dragging on—but it’s really not. Although it feels like it happened forever ago, Jeff Hornacek was let go less than two weeks ago.
The best thing Steve Mills and Scott Perry can do is take their time. It’s a phrase that gets overused way too much this time of year, but the team is doing their “due diligence” in their coaching search.
They likely won’t make any big decisions for at least another week or two. They will have to wait and see if any quality coaches get fired for not being able to win a playoff series. That’s unlikely—but that patience is necessary when you’re doing your due diligence.
And even putting the waiting game aside, the process of hiring a head coach can be a grueling process for a front office. Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic wrote a very insightful piece detailing some of the ins and outs of a head coaching search from inside the front office.
Any time an organization is hiring a new head coach, they hope they are finding a Gregg Popovich or a Steve Kerr, that can guide the franchise to multiple championships. They really want to get to know the guy they’re hiring and make sure he is the guy and not just some guy.
And it might not be a guy at all. Justin Birnbaum of ESNY proposed the idea of the organization going after Spurs assistant coach, Becky Hammon. A female head coach is coming sooner or later, but at least for now, it doesn’t look like Hammon is on the short list.
