Commentary

5 candidates if Knicks dump Hornacek

Mark Jackson, Doc Rivers, David Blatt, Jerry Stackhouse and Dave Fizdale all have something in common besides NBA head coaching experience and being candidates in New York should the Knicks make a change on the bench this offseason.

In one way or another, good and bad, the five men have a connection to, yes, LeBron James.

And don't think the Knicks front office hasn't at least considered/fantasized how one move could potentially lead to the other. Does it mean LeBron is coming to New York? No, not really. With Kristaps Porzingis out and the Knicks capped out, it wouldn't be wise for James to risk the last years of his prime on a franchise that has been rebuilding since 2001.

However, as recently as two months ago rival executives were floating the idea of a Rivers-LeBron partnership at Madison Square Garden. For what it's worth, that talk has died down considerably while Mark Jackson, as the Daily News identified as a leading candidate in October, is gaining traction.

If the Knicks decide to honor the final year of Jeff Hornacek's contract or make a coaching change the club is realistic about its immediate future. They are (and should) be in this for the long haul and understand this won't happen overnight. The idea is to find a coach who can gradually improve the team to where it is in the playoffs again and eventually a championship contender.

Maybe that coach is Hornacek. If not, there are several obvious candidates out there, including a few with ties to the Knicks' winning past.

Jackson took over a young Golden State Warriors team and over three seasons won 23, 47 and then 51 games. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson both began to develop under Jackson, which should mean something to the rebuilding Knicks. And if the Knicks were to draft Oklahoma point guard Trae Young, well, you already how that narrative will go.

According to a source, Jackson is no longer represented by the agency headed by Rich Paul, who happens to be LeBron's agent. The reasons are unclear but the source stressed that Jackson and Paul did not have a falling out over philosophical differences and that the split was amicable. Perhaps Jackson didn't want to set unrealistic expectations that any team that hires him has an edge to get LeBron, which is admirable.

Fizdale's connection to LeBron goes back to their days together in Miami when Fizdale was an assistant coach under Erik Spoelstra. LeBron and Fizdale have been linked to a potential reunion in Los Angeles with the Lakers.

When Fizdale was fired by the Memphis Grizzlies following a 7-12 start, James rushed to his defense. Unfortunately, not many of the current Grizzlies did. The last straw appeared to be Fizdale benching Marc Gasol in the fourth quarter of an eighth consecutive loss. It would be fascinating if the Knicks turned to a Pat Riley disciple for help.

The longshot candidate is Stackhouse, LeBron's former teammate in Miami, who is making a name for himself coaching Toronto's G-League affiliate. Stackhouse is ready to be an NBA head coach and there is talk of him potentially landing in Orlando. Tough, confident and demanding, Stackhouse and Scott Perry go back nearly 20 years with the Detroit Pistons.

Steve Mills' relationship with Blatt goes back to their playing days at Princeton. Blatt was successful in his one and only NBA stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In fact, he was fired midseason despite the Cavs owning the best record in the Eastern Conference. A few months later, Blatt's replacement Tyronn Lue guided Cleveland to its first NBA title. The odds of winning Powerball are better than a Blatt-LeBron reunion in NYC.

Rivers not only coached the Boston Celtics to an NBA title but he also has experience rebuilding in Orlando and this season with the Clippers. He's also a big personality with front office experience. The current regime may think of Rivers as too ambitious.

The last coach to guide the Knicks to an NBA Finals is Jeff Van Gundy. His appointment as head coach for the U.S. national team during World Cup qualifiers is a way for Van Gundy to show NBA teams that he's serious about returning to the bench. His roster is all G-League players.

Sound familiar?

Sports on 03/24/2018

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