According to New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry, New York Knicks team president Phil Jackson is well aware of how good of a coach Luke Walton is going to be.
If a head coach is even somewhat available, they will be linked to the New York Knicks in 2016. With Kurt Rambis holding the interim label, most expect the Knicks to commence a broad search for the best possible head coach this coming summer.
One of the names most commonly linked to the Knicks is current Golden State Warriors assistant coach Luke Walton.
Walton won two NBA championships as a player for Phil Jackson and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Thus, it stands to reason that Jackson, now team president of the Knicks, will give his disciple an opportunity to become head coach.
According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, New Orleans Pelicans head coach and former Warriors assistant Alvin Gentry believes that Jackson is quite aware of how good of a coach Walton is going to be.
"“Luke did an unbelievable job of managing egos, of rotations he played. Everything that happened there, he pushed the right buttons, so I was disappointed when people said anybody can coach that team. That’s not true at all. He has an unbelievable understanding of the game. I think Phil knows that. [Luke] stayed in the league for a long time because of the basketball IQ he has. He gets along great with players. He’s going to be a terrific coach in the league – I really do think that.”"
The question is, can Jackson convince Walton that coming to New York is the right thing to do?
Bill Walton, an NBA legend and Luke’s father, recently publicly advised his son to turn down potential coaching offers from the Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers. His thought process is that the culture being built in Golden State is too grand to leave at the peak of its manifestation.
Jackson’s job will be to persuade Walton into building a winning culture of his own in New York.
Walton joins Tom Thibodeau as the two most high-profile coaches being linked to the Knicks’ coaching search. Much as Walton’s former co-assistant, Gentry, spoke of the Knicks’ interest in his services, Thibodeau’s former players did something similar.
Chicago Bulls big man Taj Gibson spoke at length about the love Thibodeau has for New York City and the Knicks.
If the reports hold true, Jackson and the Knicks will have a number of realistic targets to become the next head coach. Not all will be willing to accept potential offers, and Rambis remains an option, but the Knicks will have the opportunity to go after high-profile coaches.
More knicks: Kristaps Porzingis has made NBA history
The question in this instance is: can Jackson convince Walton that leaving Golden State for New York makes sense?