Knicks coach David Fizdale is confident he can make New York a popular free agent destination again, but he knows it will take time and success, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. Fizdale isn’t addressing questions about the top free agent on the market, LeBron James, whom he worked with for four years as an assistant coach in Miami, but he knows the city can be a strong selling point if the Knicks get competitive again.
“[Free agents] are not just going to go there to live in New York City,’’ Fizdale said. “You’re going there to be in a culture. When you start showing that through action, players are going to come. New York is a special place.”
During a series of media appearances, Fizdale promised that once that culture is instilled, the team will be able to attract “the right players here to take us to another level.’’
There’s more tonight out of New York:
- During an appearance on MSG Network, Fizdale singled out Clippers assistant Mike Woodson as one of his most important influences, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN. Woodson, who hired Fizdale as an assistant in Atlanta, has expressed interest in joining Fizdale’s staff if Doc Rivers isn’t retained in L.A. “Mike Woodson was really the person who instilled a work ethic,” Fizdale said. “Understanding that no matter what’s going on around you, you have to bring a certain work ethic and really check your ego at the door because when you’re going through 13-win seasons, 26-win seasons [in Atlanta] and getting to places like that, there’s no room for ego.”
- Fizdale is excited to begin working with last year’s first-rounder, Frank Ntilikina, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Ntilikina saw time at both backcourt positions last season, which isn’t an issue for Fizdale, who envisions “positionless basketball” with Ntilikina possibly sharing the court with fellow point guards Emmanuel Mudiay and Trey Burke.
- Fizdale made a couple of eye-opening comparisons during an appearance today on WFAN, Bondy tweets. He said he coached players like Mudiay before, citing Dwyane Wade and Tyreke Evans as examples, then compared Lance Thomas with Draymond Green.
- Villanova’s Mikal Bridges would enjoy having Madison Square Garden as his home court if he gets drafted by the Knicks. In an interview tweeted by DraftExpressContent, Bridges says he enjoyed the surroundings during the Wildcats’ frequent trips to the Garden. “Great atmosphere, great venue, lot of great things happening here,” he said.
I’d shed a small tear for either Bridges that ends up as a NYK. Rather that unfortunate disaster happens to someone unlikable like Grayson Allen.
Fizdale will be out of New York within 2 years. The Knicks are building with the wrong players. Ntilikina and Porzingis yes but not Mudiay come on. Mikal would be a solid draft selection though.
As eye-opening and probably delusional as those statements are, I kind of see what he means – shooting guard stature without the ability to shoot the long ball and good ball handlers… I love Draymond’s intangibles, even though he looks like the evil kid from City of God, but I do think there are a fair few players who could fill his role. Maybe not Lance though… !!!
Comparing LT to Dray is just lunacy, and the Mundiay to Wade is not much better. I know you have to pick up your new guys, but come on. Would love to see Bridges in a Knicks uni though.
The comparison in Mudiay and Evans is a good one, great ball handler that can drive to the basket, not a great jumpshot but is improving..I don’t think he is saying LT is the same player as Green but can be used in the role that fits in small ball, I personally like Thomas,
Not great comparisons, for sure, but he’s not looking to be accurate, and fans/reporters aren’t his audience. Mudiay is (and he should be his first project). I interpret it as him saying to Mudiay that he doesn’t need to be a great distance shooter (or, at 22, even a good one) to play starter minutes, but, with his shot, he will need use his athleticism and size to get to the basket and finish to get those minutes. Watch two guys who did it at an elite level immediately upon coming into the league, without (for years) being a good shooter from distance. Then he threw in the LT comparison to let everyone know he was kidding.
Like coaches upbeat ways. He should praise the players at this point. If they don’t perform he will do what is prudent. He appears to be a good layers coach who can be fair and tough when he needs to.