Daily Knicks
Fansided

New York Knicks: Courtney Lee defends Jeff Hornacek against criticism

By Maxwell Ogden

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 25: Head Coach Jeff Hornacek speaks to Courtney Lee #5 of the New York Knicks on December 25, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 25: Head Coach Jeff Hornacek speaks to Courtney Lee #5 of the New York Knicks on December 25, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

New York Knicks veteran Courtney Lee hears the criticism of Jeff Hornacek, but believes that it’s too often without the vital context.

Over the course of the past month, the calls for Jeff Hornacek‘s job have grown louder by the day. As the New York Knicks near the end of yet another disappointing season, the growing theory is that change won’t occur until Hornacek is replaced.

While fans and writers may be buying in to that theory, it doesn’t appear as though the players are of the same mentality.

New York has been tasked with overcoming a great deal of adversity during the 2017-18 regular season. Its two leading scorers each missed upwards of 20 games due to various injuries, which followed an offseason during which significant changes were made in the front office.

According to Chris Iseman of NorthJersey.com, veteran shooting guard Courtney Lee believes that injuries had far more to do with New York’s implosion than Hornacek.

"“We hit adversity with some injuries, then we sustained a little run, then we had some more injuries,” Lee said. “And then K.P. got hurt and everything just changed. So it was a rollercoaster, man. It was up and down.”But Hornacek, Lee said, is not to blame for the Knicks’ struggles.“For what, injuries?” Lee asked. “For Tim having a stress fracture? For KP going down? How do you blame coach for that?”"

Without reading too much between the lines, that doesn’t sound too much like a player who’s reading off a script or saying what he’s, “Supposed to say.”

If you’re keeping tabs, that’s now Tim Hardaway Jr., Enes Kanter, and Lee who have come to Hornacek’s defense. Hardaway and Lee, of course, are two of the three highest-paid players on the roster, while Kanter may join them in said regard this coming offseason.

That doesn’t necessarily guarantee that Hornacek has a future in New York beyond the 2017-18 season, but it’s certainly something worth considering.

That’s especially true when one considers that Hornacek hasn’t exactly been set up to succeed during the 2017-18 NBA regular season.

The Knicks didn’t trade Carmelo Anthony until mere hours before the start of training camp—meaning Hornacek didn’t know who was and wasn’t on the roster until in hours before training camp.

Furthermore, Hardaway missed 20-plus games with a stress fracture and Kristaps Porzingis suffered a season-ending knee injury. To make matters worse, the Knicks’ most established point guard entering the 2017-18 regular season was either Ramon Sessions, who didn’t last.

Replacing Sessions in the veteran role was 34-year-old Jarrett Jack, who appeared in just two NBA games in 2016-17. Debate as you will how Hornacek structured his rotation, but his options were limited.

Must Read: 2018 NBA Mock Draft: Full first round following the National Championship Game

The question is: Will New York Knicks fans and writers continue to look past the adversity that Jeff Hornacek endured to facilitate the growing narrative?

Home/Knicks News