New York Knickerbockers

[Guiness]

Just because he's skinny doesn't mean he would be bounced off by Jordan or Drummond. Do you have clips to prove this? Or is this another baseless speculation just like when you said that Larry Bird could not back up MJ because MJ is too strong for Larry Bird?

 

I watch basketball so i know that he wouldn't be able to body up those guys. THat's why he is currently doing some work to get some weight in the training room. I read their reports and there are clips on youtube. Its not a baseless speculation. If you have a guy like drummond who weighs 280 or dwight who weighs 265 way heavier and bulkier than porzingis who only weighs 240. Then he's at a disadvantage. He gets beat by these guys down low. THat's why Porzingis said he needs to get at least to 260 in order to match up against the heftier guys in the league. THis ain't speculation. geez, i wouldn't say it if i didn't read or watch it. Don't ever question me when it comes the posting stuff because i read.

 

 

Larry bird weighed 220 when he played and MJ was listed at 216 not that big of a difference. That's what i base it on not speculation.

 

Anyway this is a knicks thread stop diverting everyone's attention just so you can segue Larry Bird into this. He's retired he's done. We're not talking about him. You sound like some obsesses stalker fan guy im not calling you a fan boy coz clearly you ain't a boy anymore, old definitely. LOL

 

You will answer back because and i know you will. But I'm done going at some die hard old fan like you. No need for me to waste my time explaining stuff to some dude who just posts "what if" scenarios. One definitive statement ill make is this, its good that you're not running the Celtics organization with what you've been posting. You would have run them to the ground. haha marinate on that statement you old dog haha

Edited February 9, 2016 by hahnz

[Guiness]

Could next Knicks coach be Tom Thibodeau? Luke Walton? Patrick Ewing? A look at potential candidates

BY Stefan Bondy, Bernie Augustine

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Updated: Tuesday, February 9, 2016, 7:28 AM

 

Now that Derek Fisher has been shown the door at Madison Square Garden, the time for speculation on who will take over the always-hot seat at the end of the Knicks bench has begun.

 

TOM THIBODEAU

The 58-year-old is the best available coach by a mile. He squeezed more out of the Bulls than anybody else in the post-Jordan era, developing Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler and Joakim Noah into stars while going 255-139 in five seasons. He served as an assistant in New York and Boston during the most successful times those franchises had in the last 20 years.

His involvement with USA Basketball also establishes the all-important link to Kevin Durant.

Thibodeau is part of the Jeff Van Gundy coaching tree, which has often worked in direct competition with Jackson and, for some reason, hasn’t endeared itself to James Dolan. Let’s just say Jackson’s interest was lukewarm, at best, when asked specifically about reaching out to Thibodeau.

 

KURT RAMBIS

He’s getting an audition now and has been at Phil Jackson’s side for years. He hasn’t shown himself to be a winner as a head coach — 56-145 — but he also hasn’t exactly been blessed with talent (though he did go 24-13 leading the Lakers as a bridge coach between Del Harris and Phil Jackson).

 

He also checks the necessary boxes from the Zen Master, who portrayed Rambis as the anti-Derek Fisher for having a relaxed personality. Rambis’ connection to Jackson extends to their respective significant others, Jeanie Buss and Linda Rambis are close.

 

LUKE WALTON

While technically 0-0 as a head coach, he was at the helm when the Warriors got off to a 39-4 start while Steve Kerr was sidelined with back problems. Jackson loved Walton as a player in his system with the Lakers — a gifted passing forward who could move the ball in the triangle offense — winning two titles in Los Angeles, so he understands the offense Phil wants to run, which is nothing like what the Warriors are doing as they run roughshod over the NBA.

 

PATRICK EWING

The Knicks have never shown an inclination to bring Ewing aboard — save for a token offer to coach their D-League team in 2012 — as they’ve changed coaches 10 times since he retired in 2002.

 

It’s not like he lacks experience, either. Ewing has built up a resume as an assistant coach and is currently working for Michael Jordan’s Hornets in Charlotte.

He expressed interest in the Knicks job when it was open in 2014 — “I’d love to bo back to New York,” he said then — and lamented what he percieved as a big man bias as Mark Jackson, Jason Kidd, Steve Kerr and Fisher, all guards, all made the jump from playing straight into coaching.

 

BRIAN SHAW

He worked and played under Jackson and owns a strong grasp of the triangle, so he delivers on a level of familiarity with the boss. Shaw had a rough stint in his one go-around as head coach with the Nuggets recently, lasting less than two seasons with a 56-85 record.

Shaw was a flop in Denver (56-85 in parts of two seasons), and his big idea as head coach was to cancel morning shootarounds because NBA players don’t like to wake up early for them, a plan he stuck with even after his point guard, Ty Lawson, was busted for drunk driving.

But previous to that disappointment Shaw was lauded for his work as an assistant with the Pacers and Lakers, becoming a favorite among players like Kobe Bryant and David West.

 

DAVID BLATT

He was fired while the Cavs were 30-11 in what looks from the outside as a LeBron James-led uprising. That’s a bad look for Blatt, since Carmelo Anthony and James are tight and star players certainly have input, if not influence, on coaching maneuvers.

Blatt came up in the Princeton offense — playing with Knicks GM Steve Mills at the Ivy League school in the 1970s — which the triangle is an offshoot of, but the principles aren’t exactly interchangeable (Ask Mike Brown how the triangle-to-Princeton switch worked with the Lakers in 2012).

Maybe Mills can put in a good word for his old teammate.

 

SCOTT BROOKS

The former Thunder coach is widely credited for his work with young players, as his supporters point to the development of Durant (a check in his favor), Russell Westbrook and James Harden under him after OKC fired P.J. Carlesimo and promoted Brooks. Serge Ibaka and Steven Adams also made strides under the former Knicks backup guard. With Kristaps Porzingis the centerpiece of the Knicks' future, Brooks' track record with youngsters is another mark in his favor.

But his critics will say that while he had a hand in developing those All-Star players, he didn't grow as a coach. The Thunder's offense lacked innovation and one trip to the NBA Finals in parts of seven seasons, with the talent he had available, is seen as a shortcoming

 

VINNY DEL NEGRO

Certainly not a “wow” candidate, but he’s 26 games over .500 as a head coach (210-184) with the Bulls and Clippers and guys with a record like that generally get a second shot.

He never played for Jackson or in a triangle system, so those are marks against him, and if Anthony asks Chris Paul about him, it’s probably not good for Vinny. They clashed in L.A. and Del Negro has come thisclose to saying that Paul got him fired after a 56-win season.

 

MARK JACKSON

He has ties to New York as a Brooklynite and former Knicks point guard in the 80s, but his last coaching stint didn’t end well in Golden State amid riffs with assistants and ownership — most of it centered on Jackson’s inflexibility. The Warriors’ unprecedented success after Jackson’s departure doesn’t reflect well on him either. Jackson’s been working as an ESPN analyst for the last two seasons.

 

ISIAH THOMAS

The owner loves him.

 

 

- i laughed at the isiah statement

Edited February 9, 2016 by hahnz

[Guiness]

So why didn't Kerr sign with the Knicks?

 

You want the real skinny? Money. Steve was offerred less initially before the Warriors came into the picture with a better deal. THe Knicks initially had the offer for a week until the Warriors came in.

[Guiness]

No, I am not making a joke. I am stating an observation and based on our arguments, I know of basketball more than you. I will give you an example of an ignorant statement you made: Larry Bird can't back up MJ because MJ is strong. Statements like these prove you don't know what you're talking about. I don't give a rat's ass if you played for Duke or UNC. What I know is you are an ignorant poster trying to prove that he knows his basketball. You're getting pwned in our arguments, The more you post, the more you are embarrassing yourself.

 

 

You can't even counter the weight difference i mentioned. ohhh kayyy. Mr couch potato, keep sitting and make your so called what if statements in front of the Tv while eating your pork rind chips lol.

[Mad Damian]

Steve is very lucky he didnt take the knicks job

[Guiness]

Steve is very lucky he didnt take the knicks job

 

Kerr was offered 13.2M for 3 years while Golden State later went with an offer of 22M for 5 years. The one mistake the Knicks did was they initially offered him the 13.2M, they were doing a see and wait approach if Steve was going to bite. Golden State then entered after a 1 week with the 22M offer so that made up Kerr's mind. The warriors actually were interested in Stan Van Gundy but when Stan signed with Detroit. The Warriors decided to go with Steve. If the Knicks offered Steve straight up the 22M which they could afford by the way, he would have ended up coaching the Knicks. It is what it is, James Dolan putting his damn hands on the cookie jar.

http://nypost.com/2014/05/16/whyd-the-knicks-miss-out-on-steve-kerr-jax-was-cheap/

[Guiness]

Carmelo made the top 100 of

 

ESPN NBA All Time Ranking

 

59: Carmelo Anthony

Position
Small forward

Teams
Denver Nuggets (2003-2011), New York Knicks (2011-present)

Honors
Nine-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection, NBA scoring champion (2012-13)

Championships
None

Career stats
25.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.1 APG, .454 FG%

Nickname
Melo

Did you know?
Of the 13 players in NBA history to average at least 25 points for their career, Anthony's three playoff series wins are tied with George Gervin for the fewest. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

 

- If he gets to win a championship his ranking might go up

[meloA7]

ako

[*kalel*]

i am not a fan of the triangle....obviously me binabagayan to... volume shooter si melo, kailangan nya ng buwelo na hawaak ang bola... kaya di baggy sa kanya triangle

[Guiness]

Knicks giving Jimmer Fredette an NBA shot

The Knicks will finally give Jimmer Fredette a chance.

After going silent at the trade deadline, the Knicks will fill their open roster spot by signing the upstate Glens Falls sharpshooter to a 10-day contract.

 

Fredette is likely to sign Monday and be ready for that night’s home game against the Raptors.

Fredette, who has been playing for the D-League Westchester Knicks since November, would make two more appearances for that club, rather than being available for the Knicks’ games Friday in Brooklyn and Saturday in Minnesota.

ESPN.com first reported the agreement.

 

A former lottery pick, Fredette has played on five NBA teams, including a brief November stay with the Pelicans. The Knicks need a boost offensively from the backcourt, but league scouts are forever concerned with his defense and leadership capabilities.

 

“I feel I’ve definitely proven I can still play and provide something for a team out there,’’ Fredette told The Post in a phone interview Tuesday morning. “I’ve shown that. And I’m definitely confident if I do get an opportunity, I’ll be able to produce. The D-League has helped me to get better and develop as a basketball player. I hope there’ll be a team that takes notice and gives me a chance.’’

Knicks interim coach Kurt Rambis said Thursday they would probably take a look at a D-League player and see how he fits in at practice — even if he didn’t play.

 

“There’s players we‘ve kept our eye on we might bring in,” Rambis said. “We’re looking at guys who can possibly come in and help us out or take a better look at in practice and see how they fit in with everybody else — whether they play or not.’’

Fredette won the MVP of last weekend’s D-League All-Star Game with 35 points, eight assists and six rebounds. In 28 games for Westchester, he’s averaging 22.6 points and 4.8 assists and shooting 48 percent (42 percent from 3-point range). He’s seen a lot of friends and family descend on the Westchester County Center for games.

[Guiness]

New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony Searching for Answers

 

Carmelo Anthony acknowledged that he’s stuck in a rough patch. He’s looking to his peers, including NBA superstars LeBron James and Chris Paul, for answers on how to get out of it.

When the New York Knicks traded to acquire perennial All-Star and revered scorer Carmelo Anthony, the general population believed that the sky was the limit. He and Amar’e Stoudemire were expected to save the organization, and the arrival of NBA champion Tyson Chandler only fueled the hype.

 

Five years later, Anthony is closing in on a third consecutive season without a postseason appearance.

Anthony is averaging a career-best 4.2 assists per game, and has committed to playing at a high level defensively. Unfortunately, his selfless and team-oriented approach hasn’t translated to many wins, as New York trails the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference by 6.5 games.

 

According to Frank Isola of The New York Daily News, Anthony acknowledged that he’s not necessarily envious of friends LeBron James and Chris Paul, but is seeking answer for how he can reach their level of success.

The question is, will Anthony find answers soon enough that he can save the Knicks in 2015-16?

 

“I don’t think envy is kind of the right word,” Anthony said Friday morning. “I do look at my peers and say, ‘Damn, what am I doing wrong? I should be there.’ There was one point in time where they were looking at me like that. Made (the playoffs) 10, 11 years straight.

“Right now it’s kind of a rough patch for me. I’m trying to figure out a way to get out of it.”

 

New York is 25-37 with 20 games remaining on the schedule and 6.5 games separating it from the No. 8 seed. Since Anthony led the team to an improbable record of 22-22, it’s lost 15 of its past 18 games and fallen further and further out of the postseason picture.

One simply can’t help but wonder when Anthony and the Knicks will find the answers they’re searching for.

[Guiness]

Detroit Pistons tap out early in 103-89 submission to New York Knicks

 

NEW YORK -- Marcus Morris sat at his locker with a towel covering his head. Stan Van Gundy blasted the Detroit Pistons for a lethargic effort with words like "ridiculous," "embarrassing" and "terrible."

On a night when two mixed martial arts submissions grabbed sports headlines, the Pistons tapped out much earlier Saturday evening.

Some losses are excusable.

Some, like the Pistons' 102-89 loss to the New York Knicks, are more the type a team reflects on ruefully when it finishes just out of the NBA playoffs.

 

That's where the Pistons (31-31) would be if the season ended today, though they have 20 games to do something about it.

A big one of those is tonight against Portland, followed by a critical four-game road trip, after the Pistons slipped percentage points behind the Chicago Bulls for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

 

Seasons ending in mid-April are the norm for the Pistons this decade and if they continue to play like they did here, they will make it seven in a row.

 

"It's a tough loss for us right now. We needed this one," said Steve Blake, one of few Pistons to play well with a season-high 13 points. "We didn't bring the energy that we needed. We needed the 100-percent focus to get this win but it didn't happen. We've got to move on to the next one. We've got a big game tomorrow. We've got to get back on track."

The Knicks (26-38) proved that even an offense perceived as archaic, like the triangle, can shred a defense when executed ideally.

That chore is a lot easier when a team defends like the Pistons, who have allowed their last two opponents to shoot better than 50 percent from the field, including a Knicks team missing rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis with a leg contusion.

No matter. The Knicks ran Arron Afflalo into the post against Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in a physical mismatch, then Robin Lopez against Andre Drummond, and finally their centerpiece Carmelo Anthony against whoever was available to try.

All three had 20-plus-point nights.

 

"They dominated us. Our starters on the perimeter were obviously horrendous," Van Gundy said.

The players he referred to were point guard Reggie Jackson, shooting guard Caldwell-Pope and small forward Morris, who were a combined 8 of 37 from the field and 1 of 13 on 3-pointers.

 

It started with ex-Piston Afflalo cooking Caldwell-Pope on early post moves.

"I was shooting a lot of shots close to the basket," Afflalo said. "That is my bread and butter. Whenever I can get good looks and have a good rhythm I will be good."

Morris, the one player who might have done something about the defensive malaise, particularly against Anthony, got two quick fouls early in both halves and was ineffective and limited.

New York's 20-point scorers were a combined 29 of 43 on field goals.

"I think they were trying to get the ball in the sweet spot of the triangle," Jackson said. "So I think they did a good job of that. But we talked about all the concepts they had this morning, we just didn't execute them at all. And then even when we started to do it later in the second half, they were already hot, so it was difficult to slow them down."

 

Tobias Harris credited the Knicks for their post and isolation moves, which was appropriate. The Knicks passed efficiently but not particularly creatively. They only assisted 19 of 42 field goals, though that was a better percentage than Detroit's 13 assists on 36 field goals in a ball-movement regression for the visitors.

Morris' foul trouble left Anthony to target Harris, which he did with efficient execution.

"In the triangle offense, they get into the post and they've got good iso players so they went to their stuff," Harris said. "Obviously, in the beginning, Afflalo had it going a little bit and they kept feeding him, and 'Melo got it going a little bit and they got it to him. So yeah, they did a pretty good job of that."

The Pistons shot 39.1 percent to New York's 53.2.

That offensive deficiency could have been a contributing factor to the poor defense, Harris acknowledged.

"It shouldn't be but the nature of the game now, yeah," Harris said. "But as a team that can't be our mindset that we're going to miss some shots and now we're going to give a half-effort on defense. We still have to come back on defense and play as hard as we can."

Shot selection also was a problem.

The Pistons were 6 of 26 on 3-pointers, several of them ill-advised either because of location or shot-clock situation.

Asked about that, a wry smile creased the corner of Jackson's mouth.

"We had some quick ones, some tough ones, that didn't go in," he said. "Some poor shots -- we felt like we took quite a few on our attempts. We really just felt like there was a lid on the basket tonight and things like that. But you definitely have to defend to give yourself a chance."

 

For all their offensive woes, there is little question the Pistons' bigger problem was defense.

The triangle may be outdated and the New York media may run a daily slash-and-burn attack on Knicks president Phil Jackson for still adhering to it and building a team around it, but with the right offensive threats and execution, it can work.

 

"It's a lot of just reads, a read-and-react kind of offense to an extent," Blake said. "But there's ways to manipulate it to get the ball to the guys you want to have it. Obviously Kobe (Bryant) was the master at that. You could see the Knicks are starting to figure that out and they did that well tonight and they took advantage of it."

 

Reggie Bullock only recently has become part of the Pistons' rotation after spending most of the season buried in the bench.

Bullock easily grasped the problems on a night the bench outplayed the starters at three of five positions. Only Andre Drummond (21 points, 16 rebounds) and Harris (18 points, eight rebounds) were productive among the starters, though they had plenty of defensive problems.

 

"It's pretty much everybody on their team was trying to post on our smaller guards," Bullock said. "The matchups that they saw, they just kept milking them. They just kept making shots. We weren't tough enough defensively and they kept knocking shots down over us."

 

The closest the Pistons got in the second half was 81-77 after a Bullock 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter.

Kyle O'Quinn made a 20-foot jumper, then Caldwell-Pope lost the ball on a driving layup attempt and it sailed over the rim, then five consecutive points by Afflalo pushed the lead back to 88-77.

"We got it to six and then Pope lost the ball going for the layup," Van Gundy said. "We got a few stops and got out in transition but that was it. We made one run in the entire game. I'm not impressed."

[Guiness]

What's Phil Jackson's free agent strategy and can Melo help?

 

Will Carmelo Anthony's presence help the Knicks in free agency?

It should. Having a star player on hand to push a franchise's selling points can only enhance the pitch.

But the most important guy in the room for the Knicks this summer will be Phil Jackson. It will ultimately be on Jackson to convince an elite free agent to come to New York. And it won't be an easy sell.

 

The Knicks will likely miss the playoffs this season, which would mark the third straight year without a playoff game for the franchise. Entering Tuesday's game against the Denver Nuggets, the Knicks are 12 games under .500. That makes them a combined 60 games under .500 since the beginning of the 2014-15 season.

So Jackson will be asking 2016 free agents to take a leap of faith -- and a pay cut -- to join him in New York.

How will the Zen Master make his pitch?

 

 

If last summer is any indication, Jackson will try to accomplish the following:

1. Get to know the player a bit by discussing some off-court topics

2. Reveal some details about his vision for the Knicks

3. Get into a conversation on the club's triangle offense.

That's how it went for Greg Monroe, DeAndre Jordan and Robin Lopez in July.

"For the longest time, nothing really basketball-related was discussed," Lopez said of his 2015 dinner meeting with Jackson and the Knicks in Los Angeles. "We talked a little bit about culture. He discussed some books he'd been reading, I talked about some movies I'd watched. ... It was nice and it was a little intimidating, because it was Phil Jackson."

The conversation with Lopez then turned to the triangle offense. Jackson, GM Steve Mills and then-head coach Derek Fisher showed Lopez about 10-15 slides of the offense.

"He knew I had an idea of what to expect because I played against the Lakers when I was in Phoenix," Lopez said. "I think this was just to kind of give me a refresher."

 

"Phil was great, it was one of my best meetings. He's such a smart man, such a deep thinker, that you want to be a part of that. He's won, he proven it.... He made it tough to say no."

DeAndre Jordan on Phil Jackson

 

Jordan received a similar pitch during his meeting with the Knicks.

"They showed me some things, how I'd fit in in that offense and what I would do to excel as a player and what we'd do to excel as a team," he said. "The message [from Jackson] was just for me to be an all-around player and improve my game as much as I could."

Jordan came away impressed with the presentation.

"Phil was great; it was one of my best meetings," he said. "He's such a smart man, such a deep thinker, that you want to be a part of that. He's won, he proven it. ... He made it tough to say no."

But he did. So did Monroe and Aldridge and any other big names in the free agent class of 2015.

Jackson landed Lopez, Arron Afflalo, Derrick Williams, Kyle O'Quinn and Kevin Seraphin in free agency last summer. At the time, it was considered a solid but unspectacular haul.

Jackson's biggest addition came in late June, of course, when he selected Kristaps Porzingis with the fourth overall pick of the draft.

The Knicks president will have no such luxury in his second true foray into free agency. The club is sending its first-round pick to Toronto to complete the 2013 Andrea Bargnani trade.

So this summer's free agency is a pivotal one for Jackson.

 

 

The Knicks will have at least $18 million to spend this offseason on a class that includes Kevin Durant and Al Horford. They will have to spend wisely, because other teams will have more space to use thanks to the rising salary cap.

The big question is whether the Knicks, under Jackson, have a chance at landing one of the elite players on the market.

Along those lines, one name to keep in mind this summer is Dwight Howard.

Some of Howard's friends have let it be known recently that the center would be interested in coming to New York as a free agent if he opts out of his current contract, league sources say.

Whether Jackson and the Knicks would be interested in a player like Howard is another question entirely.

Whoever the Knicks decide to meet with this summer shouldn't expect any theatrics from Jackson.

"He was real laid back," Monroe said of Jackson during his Washington, D.C., meeting with the Knicks. "He was just talking to me as a person, mostly. It was pretty normal. He was just trying to get to know me a little bit. He told me some stuff about him, how he got to this point."

Jackson arrived at this point, of course, by winning 11 titles as an NBA head coach. If he wants to guide the Knicks in that direction, he'll have to make an impact this summer in free agency.

As nice as it is to have Carmelo Anthony at the table, it will ultimately be up to Jackson to attract some talent to New York.

[Guiness]

Phil Jackson may suggest only coaching Knicks home games next season, per report

 

There has reportedly been "talk" of a radical scenario where Jackson is on the bench at home and someone else (likely Kurt Rambis) coaches the team on the road.

 

The New York Knicks are expected to be in the market for a new head coach in the offseason, although the possibility remains that Knicks president Phil Jackson tabs current interim Kurt Rambis to be the long-term coach. However, a more radical option may be on the table. ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reports that there's "talk" of a scenario that involves Jackson coaching home games and Rambis coaching road games next season.

Jackson reportedly suggested this same setup when he was with the Los Angeles Lakers, but late owner Jerry Buss "flatly rejected" the idea. Would Knicks owner James Dolan be willing to accept something like this as a compromise to get one of the best coaches ever on the sidelines, even if it's for only half the games? Jackson and Rambis share many of the same philosophies, but having two coaches would be a bit of a circus for this rebuilding team.

Going the traditional route would be better and remains the more likely choice, and Golden State Warriors assistant coach Luke Walton will be one of the hottest names on the coaching market. Walton, who played for Jackson in Los Angeles, "will get a long look" this summer, but there will be competition for his services and there are still no guarantees he leaves his cushy gig by the Bay right away.

And while Walton seems like a much safer bet than Derek Fisher was, Jackson could have some apprehension when it comes to hiring another one of his recent former players given how Fisher's tenure played out. Jackson wanted to give Fisher more autonomy to make his own decisions, but that led to a communication breakdown between the two men:

 

Jackson's first Knicks head coach, Derek Fisher, was supposed to be the vessel who articulated Jackson's vision to the Knicks' players.

Instead, Fisher was more like a glass wall. Jackson could see the team, but nothing was getting through.

Jackson would text Fisher observations and suggestions, and Fisher would respond in one-word answers. When the Knicks held a coaches' retreat at The Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey at the end of summer, a meeting that sources said was meant for bonding and philosophical discussion about the team, Fisher was unable to attend.

That freedom Jackson gave Fisher may also have played a role in the secret getaway to Los Angeles in early October that turned disastrous due to the Matt Barnes incident. Jackson has admitted fault in not having enough communication with Fisher, and he's made it a point to be more involved with Rambis, a longtime confidant and associate head coach.

It's that trusting relationship that could lead to Rambis staying on for the long-term despite a horrible head coaching record, but if Jackson prefers to take matters into his own hands, perhaps he does indeed try to convince Dolan to go along with the dual head coaching scenario.

And if that failed miserably? There's always that opt-out clause in Jackson's contract after next season that could give him an escape to either Los Angeles with fiancée Jeanie Buss or even retirement. While returning to the sidelines or the Lakers seems unlikely at this point, nothing can ever be ruled out.

[Guiness]

Knicks introduce Jeff Hornacek as head coach

 

The NBA's New York Knicks announced Thursday that Jeff Hornacek would take over as head coach.

The former Cyclone stand out had previous assistant coaching and head coaching experience. He was an assistant for the Utah Jazz from 2011-2013.

Hornacek played for the Jazz from 1994-2000. His numbered was later retired by the team.

 

After his assistant coaching stint, the Phoenix Suns hired him as their head coach in 2013. He was the runner-up in the Coach of the Year voting in his first year, losing to longtime Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

Hornacek was fired as the Suns coach February 1, 2016.

On Friday, the Knicks franchise officially introduced the former Iowa State guard as its coach.

 

 

Hornacek played for the Cyclones from 1981-1986. He redshirted his first season at Iowa State, but eventually he became an All Big 8 player.

He was drafted with the 46 overall pick by the Phoenix Suns in the 1986 NBA Draft.