For the Knicks to go from being unacceptable to becoming a player in the East, Hornacek needs to concentrate on playing who he has and the front office has to scout and plan properly.
The iconic words were spoken by the late Dennis Green, then coach of the football Cardinals. Green’s interpretation applies well to the current situation of the New York Knicks.
“They are what we thought they were.”
This is a young team with limited talent and below-average coaching. But, that said, this isn’t a time to overreact.
I choose not to join other writers in calling for the Knicks to fire Head Coach Jeff Hornacek. Instead, I’d like to see Knicks’ management remind him he’s involved in a true rebuild. Players need to focus on looking forward and management needs to focus on which players they will keep around in the years ahead.
But I’m just not convinced that Hornacek has a grip on what needs to be shown from this team. Ron Baker’s minutes are an example. Baker is a hustle player and you need that energey in some games to get the team going. That’s spot duty, though–not what you need most of the time. But Baker is playing more minutes than Willy Hernangomez, Frank Ntikilina (injury), and Damyean Dotson, and just a few minutes less than Michael Beasley (ankle soreness).
To me, that’s a warning sign–of a coach who doesn’t understand what he needs from his team.
Unless Hornacek gets it right, he’ll be the next Knicks executive to see the New York Bridge on his way out of town. In his defense, though, I’m not convinced that Hornacek was meant to be a long-term solution anyway. I view Hornecek as a short-term solution to a long-term problem.
On the flip side for management, I understand why the Knicks would want to play Kyle O’Quinn, Courtney Lee, Enas Kantar, and Doug McDermott. While trying to look strong, the Knicks can only benefit from playing these players early. That way the new GM has a better chance of selling off spare parts in exchange for a treasure trove of draft picks.
Lee, O’Quinn, and Kantar could all fetch mid-to-low first-round picks. A team looking for a shooter and hustle player could give up two second-round picks for McDermott with Baker thrown in. And if K.P decides he doesn’t want the burden of being “The Knicks Future,” then NY could end up getting two first-round picks and a few young role players in return.
I think nothing should be off-limits for the Knicks front office.
It’s really important for Hornacek and management to work together–coordinated and in lockstep–if this team is to move in the right direction. if that happens, then it’s not all that bad to live with Dennis Green’s words … at least for now.
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