The New York Knicks find themselves in the midst of another disappointing season. Heading into this week’s action with the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference, playoffs appear to be out of reach. It would be New York’s third consecutive season without a playoff appearance.
The team’s struggles led to president Phil Jackson’s decision to fire Derek Fisher after less than two years as the head coach.
Replacing Fisher on the sideline was former Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Kurt Rambis.
Even after winning just three of his first 10 games as the team’s interim head coach, at least one report is suggesting that Jackson wants to keep Rambis around beyond the remainder of the 2015-16 season:
“Phil Jackson, according to league sources, hired Rambis as his interim with the hope of keeping him on as his next head coach,” ESPN’s Ian Begley reported over the weekend. “Rambis needs to show bottom-line improvement to validate that hope. Hence, the need to win games.”
Existing in the nation’s largest media market and with one of the most-heralded histories in the Association, one would figure that the Knicks could find a coach with a more proven track record of success on the bench.
Though, it’s important to note that Jackson and Rambis have a built-in relationship here. The former acted as one of Jackson’s assistant coaches for nine seasons with the Lakers.
Jackson himself could man the bench in New York and it likely wouldn’t lead to much success. More than finding a top-end head coach, the team simply needs to acquire more talent on the roster. That’s been the primary issue for the Knicks over the past several seasons.
Short of this happening, it wouldn’t necessarily matter who the team’s head coach is, he would be set up to fail.