The arrival of Jeff Hornacek as the new head coach of the New York Knicks certainly qualifies as a surprise relative to expectations… and hopes.
Any Knicks fan who had become resigned to the idea that Kurt Rambis would be the permanent head coach in New York is happy in the wake of this development.
On the other hand, any Knicks fan who had fervently hoped that Phil Jackson would pursue — and land — Frank Vogel is disappointed by this turn of events at Madison Square Garden.
How one reacts to this move — within the context of being a partisan New York fan — is shaped by pre-existing (mental) conditions. The height of expectations — near the ceiling or on the floor — largely determines the emotional response. The general verdict: Phil could have done better, but then again, he could have kept Kurt Rambis. This isn’t a home-run move, but it’s acceptable.
Moreover, Phil has to pull some levers in the draft and free agency to improve this roster. Kristaps Porzingis can only do so much to mask other deficiencies in an Atlantic Division with a 56-win Toronto club and Brad Stevens. As long as Phil didn’t retain Rambis, the coming summer was going to give the Knicks a gateway to increased relevance. In that sense, the hire of Hornacek is merely a prelude to what’s next.
Sorry, Kurt:
What’s a lot more interesting about the Hornacek decision in New York is what it says about Horny himself and the NBA coaching carousel to this point in the drama. As the Western Conference Finals take a three-day break, the next few days represent as good a time as any to delve into the mysteries of NBA coaching. Just exactly why are events unfolding this way?
(Don’t expect smart answers to this question.)
Earl Watson, an unproven head coach, gladly took the permanent job in Phoenix after serving as an interim. That move unquestionably makes sense for the coach who agreed to step into a position of permanent power.
Kenny Atkinson, an assistant in Atlanta, moved up the ladder to become the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets. That move makes all the sense in the world for the coach.
Nate McMillan received a promotion from assistant to head coach in Indiana. That move works for McMillan, sans any possible debate or counter-argument.
Scott Brooks, dismissed by Oklahoma City, rebounded by landing in Washington as the head coach of John Wall and Bradley Beal. Of course Brooks did well to get that gig in D.C.
Tom Thibodeau snagged the best job on the board, getting the keys to the Ferrari which is about to roar in Minneapolis with the Timberwolves.
You can criticize the Suns and Pacers for settling with coaches who don’t move the needle, but from the coach’s point of view, those moves in Phoenix and Indianapolis — like the decisions Atkinson, Brooks and Thibs made in their new places of employment — rate as entirely logical moves. Securing an internal promotion (Watson, McMillan); making an upward move (Atkinson); or landing an attractive job (Brooks, Thibs) all represent excellent career moves for the coaches involved. It’s hard, if not impossible, to make the argument against any of those decisions on the coach’s side of the divide. (The organization’s viewpoint? That’s a different story for another day.)
One half of the NBA coaching carousel has therefore fit into a neat and logical box. Coaches made sound employment decisions. The five men mentioned above (in Indiana, Phoenix, Brooklyn, Washington, and Minnesota) indisputably improved their situations.
What about the rest of the vacancies in the league (some of them filled, others not)?
This is where the carousel has spun sideways.
Dave Joerger could have gained any job interview he wanted.
The man who kept the Memphis Grizzlies together — when lesser coaches would have failed in the attempt — could have sought an interview with Larry Bird in Indiana. He could have pursued the chance to coach Paul George and develop Myles Turner.
Joerger could have considered Houston and a Southwest Division he knows well. Joerger commands enough respect around the league to earn interviews with any organization in need of a better head coach. That he so quickly identified Sacramento as his landing spot is narrowly understandable — he wants to coach DeMarcus Cousins and be the “Boogie Whisperer.” In a broader context, however, the Kings have long been one of the NBA’s most dysfunctional organizations. From a coach’s perspective, is that the kind of move which improves one’s career prospects?
This theme (and thread) of dysfunctional franchises runs through other dramas in the carousel season, solved and unsolved alike.
Luke Walton wanted to coach the Lakers — no one can take away a deep, native desire from another human being, so in that sense, the flight to Los Angeles fits Walton’s dreams and aspirations. However, Luke is walking into Jim Buss’s Lakers, not Jerry Buss’s Lakers. A No. 2 pick is on its way, but the Lakers are starting over in a loaded Western Conference. Did Walton really need to leave Golden State? His heart wanted the Lakers, but did his brain need the Lakers at THIS point in the franchise’s history?
Courting a disordered organization is far more of a risk than staying with a proven winner, or waiting for the right job…
… which leads us to Hornacek in New York.
There never seemed to be much doubt that Hornacek, already done in by Robert Sarver’s messy operation in Phoenix, would land on his feet as a head coach elsewhere in the NBA. To this extent, Hornacek had a chance to pick his landing spot, and perhaps wait out one season if no ideal opportunity emerged in this carousel.
Yet, the opportunities (at least ostensibly) exist — in Orlando, Memphis and Houston. It’s true that Frank Vogel will probably get the Orlando or Memphis job, and that Mike D’Antoni is very much in the mix for the Rockets, so in fairness to Horny, his range of options wasn’t unlimited. Yet, is this the time to become the coach of the Knicks, with Carmelo Anthony’s body running out of productive years and Jackson making abrupt decisions about his head coaches, including the firing of Fisher before the end of his second season?
(Beyond those queries, is there ANY good time to coach the Knicks as long as James Dolan owns the team?)
The fact that Sacramento, the Lakers, Phoenix, and New York — four poorly-run organizations — have filled their vacancies while Houston and Memphis have not (Orlando is its own unique case, of course) represents a large-scale plot twist. Many smaller and more specific plot complications exist within that broader one, but the big-picture reality is the most striking one of all.
Just exactly what is it which has led coaches to jump into organizations with diminished reputations around the league, while Memphis (strange but productive) and Houston (Daryl Morey, analytically evolved) remain open?
How many coaches will regret their decisions a year from now? That’s a very open question.
A statement which can be made with great (if not complete) confidence: At least a few will certainly wonder why they jumped to an NBA franchise with an established track record of incompetence.
