The biggest surprise and news across the NBA this
week, has been the presumed hiring of Jeff Hornacek with the New York Knicks.
Nobody across basketball seen this coming, as Knicks President Phil Jackson has
made it very clear that he only wants a coach that he knows, and that will run
his outdated triangle offense; fair or unfair.
So now, this will put all the speculations to rest if
Jackson would hand out interim head coach and friend Kurt Rambis a multi-year
deal. The question stands, what happens next for Ramis and will he stay with
the organization or just completely pack it up? I think that Jackson will have
something planned for him that will keep him close. We all know that Ramis
doesn’t have any viable options out there in the NBA to coach a team.
Hornacek was a gunner for the Utah Jazz in the 90’s
with Karl Malone and John Stockton, where he would go on to win two NBA Western
Conference titles. Previously Hornacek was the head coach for the offensively
fast-paced Phoenix Suns that were loaded with great point guards in Goran Dragic,
Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas. Hornacek would later be fired after only two
seasons.
The hiring of Jeff Hornacek was a stunner for Knicks
fans and anyone that follows basketball. Some people are even asking can he even
coach. That’s totally a valid question because he wasn’t successful in Phoenix,
and the league only got to see a small portion of his work.
Jackson seemed to be in love with the idea of hiring
Hornacek for some time now, and sources have come out and said he’s been Phil’s
main target to fill the vacancy. With the Hornacek hiring, this will give the
organization and fans some hope in landing a premium point guard in free agency
this summer.
All eyes right now are on Rajon Rondo filling the
talentless point guard position for the Knicks. Rondo’s connection with former
high school teammate Carmelo Anthony may also help bringing him to New York. They
both played together at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. But whatever happens
Hornacek will bring a free flowing offense that New York hasn’t seen since Mike
D’Antoni.
