New York Knicks: Pros and cons of hiring Frank Vogel as head coach

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TORONTO, ON – APRIL 18: Head Coach Frank Vogel of the Indiana Pacers shouts to the referee in the second half of Game Two against the Toronto Raptors of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre on April 18, 2016 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

Con: Offensive Inconsistency

If the New York Knicks are looking for a coach who’s going to lead a beautiful and cohesive offense, Frank Vogel may not be their guy. He isn’t daft on offense, but his defensive prowess isn’t exactly mirrored on that end of the floor.

Thus, as the Knicks search for ways to make the offense more explosive, one must concede that there may be better options than Vogel.

To Vogel’s credit, he managed to make the game easier for the likes of Roy Hibbert, Nikola Vucevic, and David West. Thus, it stands to reason that he could help Kristaps Porzingis and whichever big plays alongside him score with less pressure.

When it comes to simplifying the game for his perimeter players, however, Vogel hasn’t consistently shown that his system can do so.

The Orlando Magic ranked No. 25 in the NBA in offensive efficiency in 2017-18 and No. 29 in 2016-17. The Indiana Pacers ranked no better than No. 19 between 2012-13 and 2015-16, which paints a concerning picture.

The one piece of information that may contest this concern: Indiana was No. 8 in the NBA in offensive efficiency in 2011-12—Vogel’s first full season.

Furthermore, Shane Battier had this to say about Indiana’s adjustments on offense against the Big Three Miami Heat. Per Zach Lowe of ESPN:

"“They used our aggressiveness against us,” Shane Battier told me during the 2014 conference finals. “They were the first team to really do that.”"

Perhaps Vogel is better than the numbers display.

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