Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek appears likely to find out within the next few days whether or not he’ll be retained for the 2018/19 season. According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, Hornacek expects to have a sit-down with president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry on Friday to discuss his future.
As Berman writes, Hornacek sat in on players’ exit interviews with Mills and Phil Jackson a year ago, but remains uncertain whether he’ll do the same again this year with Mills and Perry, which sounds like a red flag. The Knicks’ brass has been mum on the subject, but until he hears otherwise, Hornacek anticipates being a part of those meetings on Thursday and Friday.
“I plan on it,” Hornacek said. “No one told me no.”
The possibility of Hornacek’s dismissal at season’s end has long been rumored, but speaking today to reporters, including Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News, the head coach sounded like a man making a case to keep his job.
“Obviously we started it and we’d like to continue it,” Hornacek said of his staff. “It’s very satisfying for coaches to take a team and build it and grow it. You can look around the league at some of the teams that are now some of the better teams in the league. They went through those same type of things. … Now all of a sudden have their teams four or five years later and maybe even home-court advantage for the playoffs. So sometimes people are wanting things to happen right away. But sometimes there’s patience. That’s what we’re looking for.
“You can’t expect a rebuilding situation and go out there and win 50 games,” Hornacek added. “That’s why they call it rebuilding.”
Already tasked with presiding over a rebuild, Hornacek hasn’t been given much to work with over the last two years, writes Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. Having been saddled with Jackson’s triangle offense in his first year with the club, Hornacek has seen the front office overhauled during his time in New York and neither regime has made a series of inspiring roster moves. The club has also been plagued by major injury woes, including Kristaps Porzingis‘ season-ending ACL tear.
Nonetheless, the writing seems to be on the wall for a coaching change. Although Hornacek spoke today about wanting to finish out the final year of his contract in 2018/19, expiring deals are rare for head coaches — with one year left, a coach can usually expect to sign an extension or receive his walking papers.
If the Knicks do part ways with Hornacek, expect Mark Jackson, Doc Rivers, David Fizdale, David Blatt, Jerry Stackhouse, and Jeff Van Gundy to be among the candidates on the club’s list of targets, according to Isola, who identifies current VP of player development Craig Robinson as a “long-shot candidate.” Robinson is a former college coach, Isola notes.
I like the possibility of Stack, think he deserves a shot after his excellent work with the 905.
The Knicks need more elite talent to compete over the next 5-8 years with the Sixers and Celtics. They don’t need a name or (another) savior coach. A player-development oriented coach who’s on the same page as the front office with energy/staying power through the balance of the rebuild. It might be JH, I don’t know, but the front office should by this point.
Agreed^^^^. The main thing this franchise needs is consistency. Too much turnover in the front office and on the roster never works. Sure the Knicks need better players but we still need someone to coordinate everything in the best possible way. Frankly, I’m not that impressed with the names that have been rumored. My dream coach would be Budenholzer if he comes available…
A Brad Stevens type would fit the need. The question…will Perry and Mills screw this up? Quite likely, yes.
I don’t know how I truly feel about Hornaceck. At first I was thrilled that Rambis didn’t get the job, but then Jackson forced Hornaceck to run the triangle while Jackson was actively trying to run Melo out of NY. So his first year was terrible but wasn’t his fault. The new season started and things were looking great. Unfortunately as the season progressed there were glaring problems with Hornacecks rotations, subs, and time outs. Plain and simple he was being out coached more often than not.
My point being, is that this sad ending to a season that had promise, was a collective learning experience for all involved. That being said, I think it will be bad if they let Hornaceck go but worse if they keep him.
I say bad because this merry go round of coaches will never attract players and will prolong the playoff drought in NY, all while hindering Porzingis’ and Ntilikinas growth. If Hornaceck is fired whomever takes over will be Porzingis’ fourth head coach in four years. It will be worse if the Knicks keep him for one more season just to fire him next season. All in all, the Knicks brass really need to perform spectacular due diligence before deciding to keep or fire Hornaceck.
He needs to go, The truck load of game issues are all on him. Front office is not going to look at the last 6 games and say Oh he improved the club The glaring issues re still there with him. He’s a horrible Talent evaluator, he’s terrible in late game situations, the team is never prepared after a time out, his rationale of playing veterans at the loss of developing new young talent was disgusting. Playing Jack over Burke for endless amounts of games reeks. had no idea how to handle, Noah has less of a relation ship with KP does not know what talent he even has in the g-league, the man is one of the worse coaches in this league and that tired ass excuse I lost KP, Woodson loss Melo and still had more wins than Hornacek, Woodson Lost Amare and still won! No fire him and be done with it he was never right for The New York Knicks
At the start of the season the fully healthy Knicks were expected to compete for the worst record in the NBA. No way this season is on JH. No way next season is on whoever is the coach. Time to end the merry-go-round and prepare for 2019-2020.