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| Photo: New York Post |
Peter Solari Follow @4PeteSakeNY
Now that the New York Knicks finally have a coach in place, not named Rambis, there is a ton of chatter in the media, that team president, Phil Jackson, may finally be ready to abandon his years-long goal of installing the triangle offense in New York, with some even suggesting that this is all part of a larger exit strategy by the zen master.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, Jackson will not require new Knicks' coach Jeff Hornacek, to run his signature offense.
This news is most likely welcomed by a majority of Knicks' fans. Many, if not most, were skeptical when Jackson was hired to his current role. Regardless of what he accomplished as a coach, Jackson had never been an NBA executive, and had never been tasked with building a championship team, from the ground up, and to be fair, he hasn't given the fans a reason to come around over the past couple of seasons. For many of the fans, Jackson's failures are a direct result of his insistence on running an outdated offense, so his willingness to go another direction, is music to the fans' ears. However, at the same time, it brings up more questions about Jackson's ability to handle this job.
Jackson only discussed the Knicks' coaching vacancy with a handful of candidates. The reason Jackson's list of prospective coaches was so short, was because he was looking for someone to teach the triangle, and those guys are few and far between. But then Jackson threw a curve ball.
There is no doubting that Jackson surprised most when he went out on a limb and tapped Hornacek to lead his struggling team. Maybe Hornacek is exactly what the Knicks need, and maybe he'll bring them to the promised land. We don't really know enough yet, to seriously speculate. However, it isn't easy to overlook the fact that a number of qualified coaches, some with strong ties to New York, weren't even contacted, because they didn't coach to triangle.
I've got to believe that more Knicks fans and players, would have been satisfied with a Tom Thibodeau, Jeff Van Gundy, or Mark Jackson hire, over a Hornacek one...But overtime Jackson does something to bring you to his side, he does something else that leaves you completely baffled, and that's why the Knicks continue to be the NBA's doormat.
Rumors of Jackson's preference to be in Los Angeles, and his desire to exercise an out in his contract allowing him to leave New York at the end of next season, continue to surround the team. Perhaps this is all part of Jackson's plan to cede control of basketball operations to general manager Steve Mills, and wave goodbye. He's been adamant that he was brought to New York to install the triangle, and he's given that up, so it would make sense.
Two things we know sure about Jackson's future with the Knicks are: one, this won't be resolved without a ton of drama. And two, it will end painfully for the Knicks and their fans. The beat goes on...
Rumors of Jackson's preference to be in Los Angeles, and his desire to exercise an out in his contract allowing him to leave New York at the end of next season, continue to surround the team. Perhaps this is all part of Jackson's plan to cede control of basketball operations to general manager Steve Mills, and wave goodbye. He's been adamant that he was brought to New York to install the triangle, and he's given that up, so it would make sense.
Two things we know sure about Jackson's future with the Knicks are: one, this won't be resolved without a ton of drama. And two, it will end painfully for the Knicks and their fans. The beat goes on...
