New York Knicks: Should Phil Jackson Let Jeff Hornacek Run His Own System?
By Yazen Abed
The triangle offense may be a decorated system, but Jeff Hornacek’s up-tempo approach may better fit the personnel on the New York Knicks.
The ongoing narrative with being a New York Knicks fan is hopeless optimism. That’s been true from the moment Amar’e Stoudemire signed the first $100 million deal to Carmelo Anthony finally coming home to the coronation of The Zen Master as team of the flailing franchise.
Unfortunately, with that optimism comes heartbreak.
The Knicks haven’t won a playoff series since 2013 and haven’t made the playoffs since. Who is to blame for that? Carmelo Anthony? The carousel at head coach? Or maybe it’s the man up above
No, not THAT man. This man:
The last few seasons have seen several attempts at changing the identity of the team. Most noticeable was hiring rookie head coach Derek Fisher, who finished with a coaching record of 40-96. Fisher was essentially hired to be a proxy for Phil Jackson’s triangle forcing “hands off” approach.
The hiring of Jeff Hornacek on June 2, 2016 should have provided a wake-up call to Jackson: Just let Hornacek coach.
In Hornacek’s first year as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns, his team ranked sixth in 3 point field goals made, eighth in field goal percentage, and seventh in team points per game.
This is the antithesis of the triangle offense mastered by Jackson in the 90’s and early 2000’s, when big men who were able to hit a 15-foot jump shot were considered gold. In today’s NBA, where a seven-footer like Kristaps Porzingis can shoot 35% from three-point land and has silky smooth dribbling skills, the offense cannot limit itself to a mid range jump shot being optimal shot selection.
A Rose By Any Other Name
Phil Jackson’s big splash acquisition of Derrick Rose during the summer of 2016 led many to believe that the former MVP would captain the triangle being an agile point guard who isn’t necessarily a prolific three-point shooter.
In actuality, Rose filled the role of Eric Bledsoe in Hornacek’s high scoring offense in Phoenix in an eerily similar way. In 64 games this season, Rose averaged 18.0 points and 4.4 assists per game. He shot 47.1 percent from the field in 32.5 minutes per game.
Compare that to Bledsoe’s stats in Hornacek’s first season in 2013-2014—17.7 points and 5.5 assists in 32.9 minutes per game on 47.7 percent shooting from the field—and you’ll see that Rose fits better in Hornacek’s offense than Jackson’s triangle.
Despite the fact that Porzingis has recently endorsed the triangle, the fact remains that the pieces at Hornacek’s disposal warrant the need for a more fast-paced offense. Allowing Rose to utilize the pick-and-roll with someone as versatile as Porzingis or as tough as Carmelo Anthony would have forced defenses to stay on their toes, especially if guys like Courtney Lee, Lance Thomas, and Justin Holiday were to continue to be a threat from beyond the arc.
Just let the players play to their strengths and abilities, and don’t try to force an offense that last worked seven years ago.
Must Read: 2017 NBA Draft targets who aren't point guards
It’s a new era in the NBA, but one thing remains the same: the coaches should coach and the players should play.