The New York Knicks have had more than enough time to get their organization back on track. After the fallout from the Isiah Thomas era, Carmelo Anthony ushered in a new one. While the wins did come, there was still no NBA Championship to show for it. Fast forward to 2019 and the Knicks are in search of an identity, yet again.
With the firing of head coach David Fizdale just 22 games into the season, the Knicks must find a replacement fast. What the Knicks need is a throwback coach. Phil Jackson made his mistake going after his former players when all he wanted was someone willing to run things his way.
Steve Kerr was set to come to NYC but then changed his mind and took the Golden State Warriors job. Why? To be honest, the talent level there was much greater than what he would inherit with the Knicks. While Kerr didn't build that team, he took them where they needed to go. The true architect of that Warriors' roster is still jobless. Now is the time for the Knicks to reach out to Mark Jackson.
For years, Knicks' fans have waited for this moment and each time, the organization has gone in a different direction. What more must happen for the team to realize their leader has been waiting for the call since 2014.
Jackson runs an uptempo style offense but he also teaches the fundamentals of defense. As great as the Warriors were during their run offensively, they were always a top 10 defensive team. Jackson's playing days taught him that. This is a lesson this current roster needs a crash course on. The Knicks are currently 17th in points allowed and 30th in points scored.
While there may not be a Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson calling the Garden home now, please remember that Curry and Thompson had to get over their early career slumps as well. Jackson would be the right teacher to get these guys motivated. While the New York Knicks are still one of the top teams in attendance (4th), the fans are still looking for something or someone to rally around.
The state of basketball in NYC has left the Garden and hopped on the No. 2 Train Line and ventured down to Brooklyn to follow the Nets. Bringing in Mark Jackson would be the first step to regaining their throne. But the Knicks can't play games forever. Sooner or later, some team will reach out and offer Jackson his shot at redemption. It's good to want to go home but what do you do when home keeps looking the other way?
As far as their GM position goes, the Knicks have struck out just as many times as they have when it came to grabbing the right coach. While there haven't been any news conferences regarding the firing of Scott Perry, many believe he's next out the door. If so, then the Knicks should make one call and that should be to former Philadelphia 76ers GM Sam Hinkie.
The reason for that is, the New York Knicks must find a way to rid themselves of the terrible offseason they had in 2019. Perry is only two years in on the job but his track record while in New York has been spotty at best. He has not brought in the talent the Knicks need to become winners and his drafting has been average at best.
Is Hinkie the best option out there? Probably not but he's exactly what the Knicks need. The “Trust The Process” in Philadelphia did take some time but Hinkiewas able to take a playoff team, break them down, and then rebuild. He's simply one of the best in terms of getting value for players and draft picks. The Knicks are stuck with a roster of players vying for time instead of a roster of players competing for wins.
Perry went into the offseason loaded with cash and high hopes for landing at least two of the top free agents this past summer. He missed out on Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant who took their talents to Brooklyn. Perry then panicked and signed frontcourt players such as Julius Randle, Taj Gibson, Bobby Portis, and Marcus Morris. In addition to that, he also loaded up on backcourt talents such as Wayne Ellington, Elfrid Payton, and Reggie Bullock.
The only name that really deserves respect is Randle. The rest of those signings were just position-fillers. In the 2019 NBA Draft, Perry added RJ Barrett and Kyle Guy who he later traded to the Kings. The tear before, Perry selected Mitchell Robinson and Kevin Knox. While Knox and Mitchell have shown promise, they're still fighting for time behind veterans.
Perry, in the past, has made a few good choices from the draft in other places but for the Knicks, he still hasn't figured out what identity he wants this team to have. This is why Hinkie is so valuable. He understands that a rebuild is necessary and he's not afraid to hold on to money or grab expiring contracts while taking teams to the bank for future draft picks. The Knicks will have to look no further than the 76ers for proof of that.
Hinkie can take the Knicks' current roster and dispose of players like Frank Ntilikina, Dennis Smith, Gibson, and Portis and flip them into 2020 or 2021 picks. This is what Hinkie does. The Knicks will not be contending for a playoff berth this season, so why not do a complete rebuild?
In order for the New York Knicks to right their ship, they must let go of the past, any hard feelings, and do what's right for the future. James Dolan has not done right by the team. His bottom line has always been selling out Madison Square Garden and that will happen with a winner or not. So, why not give the fans something to cheer for? Fizdale is out which means the coaching search should start and end with Mark Jackson.
Scott Perry has not been able to bring the same magic he had with him in Seattle, Orlando, or Sacramento where he drafted Durant, Aaron Gordon and then De'Aaron Fox. A proper rebuild begins with a new everything. It's time to bring in some new faces and let them mold the Knicks the right way. Jackson has a proven track record and so does Hinkie.
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