Is it time for New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek to go? If so, who exactly would the Knicks be looking at as the next leader on the sidelines?
Jeff Hornacek has had a mediocre start to his New York Knicks coaching career. A combined 52 – 79 record throughout the last year and a half is not what the team was hoping for after hiring the former Phoenix Suns head coach and NBA shooting guard.
While Hornacek has dealt with many uncontrollable factors that have affected the success of the team, the question remains if a coaching change is necessary given the team’s inconsistency. The team has gotten off to hot starts in the two seasons with Hornacek as head coach, yet it seems as if his teams run out of gas by January.
Hornacek created a modern and effective offense in his time coaching the Suns by building a system around two playmaking point guards. The 2013-14 Suns ranked eighth in league pace and seventh in points per game.
Hornacek was part of the now widespread movement of pushing the pace offensively and beating defenses in transition.
The fast-paced offense that almost took an underdog Suns team to a loaded Western Conference playoffs hasn’t quite translated to New York. In Hornacek’s first year as a coach, the Knicks ranked 17th league-wide in pace and 19th in points per game.
There is little doubt that the infamous Phil Jackson had something to do with the outdated triangle offense that confused the Knicks more than it did opponents.
Yet, this season, free of Jackson’s reign, the Knicks are still 19th in pace and 18th in points per game. Hornacek seems unable to recognize that the overall makeup of this team doesn’t possess the athletic capabilities similar to the fast-paced offenses of the league.
The Knicks must acknowledge they cannot beat teams like the Warriors or Rockets at their own game. While many of the more productive offenses have some of the league’s highest paces, the Knicks must find ways to use their depth in the frontcourt to slow the game down.
I’m not claiming that initiating fast breaks is an ineffective use of possessions, but utilizing them within a mix of half court sets would be more effective.
Who Could Replace Hornacek?
Jason Kidd coached the Milwaukee Bucks into a playoff team last season. The Bucks ranked 26th out of 30 NBA teams in pace of play and didn’t have a potent defense.
The Bucks utilized the unicorn-like talents of their own young European star: Giannis Antetokounmpo, as well as some quality scorers and skilled role players.
The personnel of Kidd’s Bucks was not much different from the current Knicks squad. With Kidd recently replaced in Milwaukee, could he be a more effective leader of the struggling Knicks?
Kidd served as a valuable piece of the last Knicks team to play postseason basketball. He was a leader on the floor and a respected member of the locker room.
While other intriguing candidates, such as Mark Jackson and David Fizdale, are currently searching for head coaching gigs, Kidd seems like the right fit for the Knicks.
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The question is: Should the New York Knicks fire Jeff Hornacek at all?