The New York Knicks have fired head coach Derek Fisher in the middle of his second season with the team. ESPN first reported the news about Fisher, which came after the Knicks lost their fifth game in a row and none out of 20 overall.
The Knicks have been improved since last season, going 23-31 this year after finishing 17-65, but that progress was not enough for Fisher to keep his job. According to ESPN, the losing streak was one of the main factors in the decision, but sources also said that "the team was already convinced Fisher was not transitioning from the role of player to coach effectively."
Fisher was hired by Phil Jackson as head coach after he took over as team president and now Kurt Rambis will take over as the interim head coach for the rest of the season. Jackson and Fisher had a past relationship dating back to Jackson's time with the Lakers and he brought in Fisher despite the fact that Fisher did not have any previous head coaching experience. Fisher won five championships with Jackson while with the Lakers and Jackson brought in Fisher to try and turn around the rebuilding Knicks.
Rambis has previous head coaching experience after going 56-145 with the Timberwolves and he also coached for 37 games with the Lakers in the 1998-99 season. Fisher also dealt with an issue off the court this season. Fisher was involved in an altercation with Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes, as he reportedly was was involved with Barnes's ex-wife. Jackson said that the situation "had nothing to do with what happened here today."
The Knicks now will start a search to find a coach to take over full-time after the season. According to ESPN sources, Luke Walton and Brian Shaw both are candidates for the job. Both Walton and Shaw played under Jackson and could be favorites to land the job. Marc Stein at ESPN reports that Walton plans on staying with the Golden State Warriors through this season after starting off as the coach with Steve Kerr recovering from back surgery. Walton went 39-4 while coaching the Warriors to open the season.
The Knicks also may consider Tom Thibodeau as a head coach option, as Mike Vaccaro at the New York Post writes that the former Bulls coach has connections to the franchise. Thibodeau previously worked under Jeff Van Gundy and Ian O'Connor reports that a source close to the coach said that the Knicks "are the job he's always wanted. He would crawl to Madison Square Garden." Ohm Youngmisuk at ESPN New York writes that Thibodeau, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson and Scott Brooks all have past connections to the Knicks and also could be potential targets.
