It comes as little surprise that the Knicks have fired coach Jeff Hornacek, who compiled a 60-104 record in his two years with the team and was not brought in by the current front office. That’s usually a recipe for a pink slip.
But where do the Knicks go for a coach from here? And, more important, does anyone really want this job?
Here are a few candidates Knicks president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry should consider...
Mark Jackson
Jackson would be the low-hanging fruit in the Knicks’ coaching search, and he makes some sense. He’s a Brooklyn guy who went to St. John’s and started his NBA career in New York. He also has a 121-109 record in three years as coach of the Warriors, a team he helped set on the path to an NBA championship.
Of course, he was axed in Golden State because of his utter inability to work within the organization and forge the needed relationships in the front office. If he were to do that with the Knicks, disaster would ensue.
Jerry Stackhouse
At 42, he does not have a heap of coaching experience, but Stackhouse has gained traction as an up-and-coming coach based on his performance as an assistant with Toronto and as the head coach of Toronto’s G-League team. He is, after all, a 19-year NBA veteran.
He’d be a good low-risk, high-reward gamble for the Knicks as they sort themselves out in the next couple of seasons.
David Blatt
Blatt has made no secret about wanting back into the NBA, and he interviewed for the Knicks job when the team hired Hornacek. He’s gone through the NBA grind, leading the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2015 before he was ousted in favor of Tyronn Lue.
The fact that Blatt didn’t get the full backing of his players in Cleveland could be cause for concern, but that was a team of hard-headed veterans. Blatt has a sharp basketball mind and could do better with a rebuilding young team.
Monty Williams
Most NBA execs expect that Williams will be back on an NBA bench by the start of next season after spending time in the Spurs’ front office. He led New Orleans to two playoff appearances under some tough circumstances, and went on to coach with the Thunder before leaving the team following the tragic death of his wife in 2016.
Williams has made it clear he wants another crack at head coaching, but whether New York is the job for him is questionable.
Doc Rivers
If Rivers is let go by the Clippers, the Knicks would very much like to lure him back to New York, where he played for two seasons. The team probably would not be Rivers’ first choice, though it could afford to give him a hefty salary and a long contract as incentive.
David Fizdale
There is the strong possibility that the new Knicks front office will look at the state of the franchise and, rather than chase the big name or the splashiest candidate, will instead go for a competent, promising young coach who would be ideal for the Knicks’ rebuilding reality. Fizdale would be that guy.
If you wonder whether he has the fortitude to stand up to the media and fan pressure, we refer you to his famed "Take that for data!" postgame speech during last year’s playoffs.
Jeff Van Gundy
It’ll be out there. It’ll be discussed. But there’s little-to-no chance it’ll happen.
Van Gundy would consider coming back to coaching, but he would want a ready-made winner, not a rebuilding job. He’s content calling games for ESPN.
Sam Cassell
It’d be a gamble, but it would be fun. Cassell has made his bones as an assistant coach in the league, and he has drawn consideration as a head coach in recent years. He’d be a good tutor for young point guard Frank Ntilikina — the Wizards’ John Wall gives Cassell a lot of credit for his development — and he’d always be an entertaining quote.