With Steve Mills out and Leon Rose (eventually) coming in, good luck finding anyone around the league who thinks Mike Miller is going to lose the “interim” tag and win the Knicks coaching job. His 13-19 record in the big chair isn’t going to help (although, considering the roster, that’s a pretty good job.
Already speculation of the return of Jeff Van Gundy has started.
Van Gundy wants no part of this talk, as he said on SiriusXM NBA Radio to hosts Frank Isola and Mitch Lawrence.
"I find it unfortunate at times when people start circling...to get a job that's not even open"
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) February 12, 2020
Jeff Van Gundy addresses the #Knicks Head Coach rumors with @TheFrankIsola & @Mitch_Lawrence#NewYorkForever pic.twitter.com/DetscP3KZS
“Mike Miller, to me, deserves every opportunity to finish this season out and win the job, and I think anybody plotting as a coach to try to undermine that opportunity is doing it wrong. In a coaching situation, we should all root for each other to be successful because only the people that have manned the head coaching position understand how hard it is to win any single NBA game. And particularly those teams that are stuck in the middle, it is brutal to win games. I find it unfortunate at times when people start circling, trying to get a job that isn’t even open. Mike Miller deserves all of our support. He’s done a fantastic job.”
Rose needs to find a coach who fits his vision for the direction of the Knicks. That means if Rose wants to build an athletic, up-tempo roster, then he needs a coach who has a track record with that style of play. Or he can get a defensive-minded coach. Or a coach that runs a more motion style offense. The only real requirements are a coach who can set up a good player development system, and one who shares his vision of the Knicks culture.
Maybe that’s Jeff Van Gundy, who would be easy to sell to Knicks fans, but is a step back to the past the best way to the future?
Whatever it is, the Knicks search should be on hold until after the season.