The Knicks Have A New Coach- Now What?

According to reports, Mike D’Antoni has agreed to become the next coach of the Knicks. D’Antoni will receive a four-year/$24-million deal to move from Phoenix where he led the Suns to 50+ wins in every full season he coached.

The Knicks, who haven’t had a winning season since 2000-01, will presumably install D’Antoni’s high-octane offense and attempt to run like Phoenix has the past few years. The problem is, the Knicks don’t have the players to fit that system. (Does Eddy Curry even know how to run?) On the plus side, D’Antoni’s teams have never been known for defense, which makes him a perfect fit in New York.

While D’Antoni is clearly an upgrade over Isiah the success or failure of this hiring will rest on the players he is given to coach. Remember, it was just three years ago that Larry Brown came to town with an even better resume and we all know how that ended.

Donnie Walsh has his coach, but now he needs to revamp the roster and that is going to be much harder to do than using big bucks to hire a coach. And on Thursday, the Post spoke to one Knicks player familiar with D'Antoni's style: Stephon Marbury said, "I have no problem with Mike D'Antoni. I never had a problem with Mike D'Antoni. The way I'm training my body this summer, I'll be fit to do anything. We played up and down and there's a lot of pick and rolls. If we take D'Antoni for coach, that's great."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Peter Trinkle in News on May 10, 2008 4:23 PM

Comments [rss]

Redbull6

HEY!!! You "Sumbitches" stole our COACH!!! ;-)

mfib

You absolutely cannot get rid of Starbury. His expiring contract is too valuable. Send him home and pay him $22M to f-interns.

Fred Jones is useless.

Crawford could be good under D'Antoni.

And, the point guard will be Derrick Rose.

With LeBron in 2010, taking Marbury's $22M, this could work out.

JMH

Who cares? The Rangers are a better team and hockey is a more entertaining sport.

bornbrednewyorker

Terrible hire.

nysly

Pack your bags fellas you'll be hittin' the road:

"Nice Guy" Eddie Curry

"Ball Hog" Zach Randolf

"Broke Back" Q-Richardson

"Bench Man" Jerome James

"Mr. Expiring Contract" Setphon Starberry

"Zeke was my Hero" Jamal Crawford

"Nobody puts Nate in the corner" Nate Robinson

Keep your lockers for now:

David Lee

Renaldo Balkman

Randolf Morris

Tyson Chandler

Fred Jones

Please Go Get:

A smart/unselfish point guard

A lock down defender or three

A mobile, lights out shooting swingman

An assistant coach who knows defense.

We have at least two seasons of suffering with loosing more then we win, but there is at least hope.

Zeke, Your popcorn is the bomb. Stick to that my brother.

sly

sonyactivision

The Suns have how many championship rings?

ebay doesn't count.

babyhitler

A better analogy would be that with lemons you can make lemonade but with shit you can only make shit-ade.

babyhitler

Mike Dantoni is a mediocre Coach. The knicks have shafted the fans once again. If you look at Dantoni's history pre-steve nash, he sucked. He just lucked out cause Steve Nash came in. He's also a run and gun coach. The Knicks can't run and they can't shoot for shit. The Knicks are only capable of walking non-chalantly to the bench, while getting booed after picking up their fifth foul, then collecting the checks.

Steven

You could have the best coach out there, but the players the Knicks have suck.

Knicks need to completely clean house with the players they have now.