Despite a weekend report that the Knicks had reached out to Jeff Van Gundy‘s representatives, the latest word on Monday suggested that the former Knicks head coach isn’t a candidate for the club’s current opening on the bench. As Marc Berman of The New York Post explains, the contact between the two sides was “more along the lines” of Van Gundy’s side inquiring about the position.
As for the Knicks, they had internal discussions about the possibility of bringing back the current ESPN/ABC analyst, but Berman suggests that Van Gundy’s “old-school” approach and his time away from coaching – among other factors – may have worked against him.
While Van Gundy seemingly won’t get an interview for the Knicks’ coaching job, the team is meeting with one of its former coaches in Mike Woodson. According to Berman, that interview will take place on Wednesday, the same day that Mark Jackson‘s meeting with the club will reportedly happen.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- In the wake of the Sixers‘ Game 2 loss to Miami on Monday, Joel Embiid wrote in an Instagram story that he’s “sick and tired of being babied.” As he explained to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Embiid is simply frustrated that health concerns have prevented him from being out there with his teammates so far in the postseason. “I wish more than anything that I was out there. I just want the green light to play,” Embiid said. According to Ian Begley in the same ESPN.com story, there’s internal optimism that Embiid will return during the first round, but it’s unclear if he’ll be ready for Game 3.
- As the Sixers battle Miami in the first round of the postseason, rumors about Philadelphia’s top offseason target continue to swirl. Ken Berger of Bleacher Report recently spoke to several executives around the league who acknowledged they don’t know what LeBron James will do this summer, but believe he could give the 76ers a real look. Asked last week by ESPN’s Chris Haynes about the possibility of recruiting James, Ben Simmons admitted that “we wouldn’t mind having LeBron our team,” but said he hasn’t spoken to the four-time MVP about the possibility.
- Al Horford and Terry Rozier were among the key contributors in the Celtics‘ Game 1 win over Milwaukee on Sunday. In separate pieces for NBC Sports Boston, A. Sherrod Blakely explores how the franchise is getting its money’s worth out of its investment in Horford, and examines how Rozier has become an integral part of the Celtics’ roster. Rozier will be extension-eligible for the first time this offseason.
If Lebron joins Ben Simmons I’m officially no longer a fan of the dude. I can’t respect him joining the player who might surpass him someday.
Why?
He is trying to be the GOAT and that is not a GOAT move, he did it twice already joining all stars. The first time he left because No one wanted to come to Cleveland to play with him so cool he goes to Miami and bad his run. Then he left again to bring Cleveland the title he promised, ok so that’s accomplished now. Why should he leave again? Because the reason he won’t win this season it’s because of himself, if he plays with the desire to win and quite focusing on getting stats he would have even won the 2017 Finals or at least took it to 7 games but that’s not what he did. His defense was atrocious and he let Durant run loose on him, I’m just done with the excuses if you are the best you show the world that period no excuses.
Ben Simmons is a young LeBron-type player. 76ers don’t need him. He will stay in Cleveland. Too old for a rebuild and self aware enough to not further tarnish his rep by leaving AGAIN
i think philly will target kahwi.
Poor fit. But LeBron has never been a good GM in constructing a team around him, so who knows? Then again, he wants the ball all the time and he doesn’t like to play with young players generally. KI was the perfect young complement to him (with a devastating offensive game with or without the ball) and he drove the guy away. Simmons is the opposite, a poor fit with LeBron, and even younger.
Consistently incorrect. No foolin around
LeBron and PG13 only cost money. Kawhi costs players and picks.
Not that I think he’ll go there, but I dont know how anyone can think he makes no sense there. You guys know that Ben Simmons is great at cutting off the ball, and LeBron can play down in the post…When LeBron played in Miami, Wade was one of the best in the league at that those cuts…put shooters around them, and they’re lethal, and the rest of that roster fits already, especially if they can keep Reddick and Belinelli…Simmons, Reddick, Covington, LeBron, Embiid is crazy good, and they’d still have good depth around them
We need someone who can bang as well. Miami knocked us around last night