The NY Knicks need a new head coach and names like Steve Kerr, Billy Donovan, Tom Izzo, Jeff Van Gundy and George Karl have been the hot ones in rumors for teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves and other openings and now Phil Jackson must decide what the best course is for the Knicks to take after he fired Mike Woodson after the 2013-14 season and the decision likely will factor into whether Carmelo Anthony leaves for the Chicago Bulls or Houston Rockets.
The Knicks had a terrible season by any stretch of the imagination and it came after they won the division and over 50 games last season. Anthony missed the playoffs for the first time in his career and Mike Woodson was fired and now the next coaching hire could have a big effect on whether Melo stays or not.
Woodson did a solid job with the Knicks over the past few years, but last season was a mess and the team took a huge step back from where they were the year before. Jackson coming in also made the move necessary, as he is looking to put his stamp on the team and that will start with the head coaching position, as many expect Jackson to bring the Triangle offense to the Knicks and likely want a coach that knows how to run it. According to ESPN.com, the Knicks opted to fire Woodson and the coaching staff after going 37-45 this season and that came after the team won over 50 games and the Atlantic division in 2012-13.
Jackson announced that he has respect for Mike Woodson and the coaching staff, but that it's time to move on for the team and now they are going to look for a new head coach to take over. Woodson had one year left on his deal and he was signed to a three year contract and now he will be looking for a new job. The change could have to do with Carmelo Anthony, as the Knicks want to put themselves in a situation where he decides to stay in NY, while Jackson also wants to bring in one of "his" guys, as he is putting his legacy on the line and has the right to select his own head coach now that he is making the basketball decisions.
The Knicks had a hard time coming out of the 3-13 start they had to the season and while they won all but three of 15 games down the stretch in March and April in the back end of the season, it wasn't enough to get the team into the playoffs. The report says that Steve Kerr could be an option for Jackson, with ESPN New York writing that Kerr is expecting to get an offer for the job now that Woodson has been fired. Kerr won championships with Jackson in Chicago and while he has never been a head coach, he previously served as general manager of the Phoenix Suns.
Van Gundy, Calipari and even Derek Fisher have come up as possible options, with Fisher still playing in the playoffs with the Thunder. If the Knicks wait to see if he retires he could pull a Jason Kidd and go from playing to coaching and he would fit in that Kerr model, as he won six championships with Jackson and the Lakers. The Knicks have the next two years to get right and they hope they can get Kevin Love into the mix as well and obviously they want to keep Anthony. The Knicks had some big struggles this season and while it wasn't all up to Woodson, it's much easier to fire the coach than the team and while changes are coming, the coaching staff change is all guaranteed now.