Knicks Rumors: Five reasons to love the David Fizdale hiring

The New York Knicks have reportedly hired David Fizdale to fill the vacancy at head coach. Why should you love the Fizdale hiring?

The New York Knicks conducted a vast coaching search that included 11 known interviews. Everyone from revered NBA coaches to up-and-coming names and a television analyst were brought in as candidates for the vacancy.

It was a thorough search that needed to transpire, but in the end, it was David Fizdale who was hired as head coach of the Knicks.

Fizdale surfaced on Wednesday, May 2 as the frontrunner for the vacancy at head coach. It didn’t take long for a follow-up report to emerge, as roughly 24 hours later, it was revealed that the Knicks have made a final decision.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Knicks have inked Fizdale to a four-year contract.

In other words: Fizdale is the next head coach of the orange and blue, and will have one more year on his contract than what Jeff Hornacek received.

Fizdale spent parts of two seasons as head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies, but this hire was based on a number of factors. Fizdale appealed to the front office’s senses on multiple levels, and managed to beat out a list of impressive candidates for the job.

The question is: Why should you love the decision to make David Fizdale the next head coach of the New York Knicks?

Honorable Mention: Improving Free Agency Appeal

Some under-appreciate the importance of his arrival, but Amar’e Stoudemire put the New York Knicks back on the radar. It cost an uninsured contract, but Stoudemire signing with the Knicks opened the gates for both Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler to make the move to New York.

Unfortunately, one could easily argue that the Knicks haven’t been a truly attractive free agency destination since—let’s just say it’s been a while.

New York is building through the NBA Draft and up-and-coming players, which is an approach that shouldn’t change at any point in the near future. It has a franchise player in Kristaps Porzingis, a defensive stalwart in Frank Ntilikina, and a dynamic scoring threat in Tim Hardaway Jr.

The Knicks also have two promising young point guards in Trey Burke and Emmanuel Mudiay, and a top-10 selection on the way via the 2018 NBA Draft.

In saying that, the Knicks will eventually need to utilize free agency as the team-building tool it can be. Whether that means finding their version of Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, or J.J. Redick, the right star or veteran can bring a vision together.

With a coach who’s as well-connected as David Fizdale, the Knicks could conceivably appeal to free agents as soon as the 2019 season.

5. Forging Relationships

If the players refuse to buy in, then even the greatest of systems will be ineffective. It’s an unfortunate truth that’s marred New York Knicks basketball for nearly two decades, as the coaches who have been hired have often struggled to connect with their players.

David Fizdale may have had a falling out with Marc Gasol, but the working theory around the NBA is that he knows how to connect with the modern NBA player.

Jeff Hornacek is a solid head coach who can maximize the value of his point guards and lead a team that’s willing to provide him with the necessary personnel. A criticism he faced, however, was that he failed to connect with his players on a personal level.

It didn’t take long for the Knicks to display how Fizdale may differ in that regard. It all began with Knicks guard Ron Baker:

Shortly thereafter, starting swingman Tim Hardaway Jr. arrived with welcoming words for his new head coach.

Perhaps most intriguing of all were the words that Knicks point guard Emmanuel Mudiay had to offer for Fizdale.

It certainly sounds as though the Knicks have hired a head coach who can build relationships with his players.

Fizdale’s ability to get his players to buy in will be the key to his tenure with the Knicks. Most are optimistic that he’ll be successful in that regard, but following the Gasol fiasco, he at least has skeptics to silence in New York.

Thankfully, Fizdale’s reputation and immediate warm welcome from Knicks players should display how quickly he can win this locker room over.

4. NBA Experience

One of the key areas of focus for the New York Knicks was hiring a head coach who had experience in the NBA. David Fizdale certainly checks that box when one considers the fact that he’s spent close to two decades in the Association.

Only time will tell how that translates to a four-year tenure with a team, but Fizdale’s past NBA experience should help him make the transition to New York.

Fizdale was the head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies for parts of two seasons. He led Memphis to the 2017 NBA Playoffs with a 43-39 record, even winning two games as the heavy underdog against the San Antonio Spurs.

Fizdale only lasted 19 games in 2017-18, but his peers quickly jumped to his defense following what seemed to be as a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Prior to coaching the Grizzlies, Fizdale accrued 13 years of NBA experience as an assistant. He held said position with the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, and Miami Heat, helping the latter win back-to-back championships in 2012-13 and 2013-14.

Nothing can truly prepare a coach for the New York grind, but Fizdale has vast NBA experience and the support of his peers that should help him make the transition.

3. Helping Kristaps Porzingis

Regardless of how else you feel about David Fizdale, what’s undeniable is that he’s helped NBA big men transform their game. The shining examples of that are Miami Heat hybrid big Chris Bosh and Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol.

For the New York Knicks, little, if anything, mattered more than hiring a coach who can simplify the game for Kristaps Porzingis—and Fizdale fits the bill.

Fizdale was directly responsible for Bosh and Gasol embracing the three-point shot. Bosh averaged 1.2 three-point field goals made on 35.9 percent shooting between 2013-14 and 2015-16 after converting an average of just 0.1 per contest over the course of his first 10 seasons.

As for Gasol, he averaged 1.4 three-point field goals made on 38.8 percent shooting in Fizdale’s lone full season after making a grand total of 12 triples in his first eight campaigns.

Beyond the addition of the three-ball to their respective arsenals, Bosh and Gasol became better overall players under Fizdale’s watch. Bosh’s statistics declined, but he learned a winning brand of basketball. Gasol, meanwhile, averaged career-highs in points and assists per game.

Other players will be factored into this, but nothing matters more than the fact that Fizdale should help Porzingis get to the next level.

2. Offensive Creativity

One of the most understated aspects of David Fizdale’s tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies was the manner in which they improved offensively. The Grizzlies routinely struggled on that end of the floor, but Fizdale helped establish an at least respectable system.

With the New York Knicks, it stands to reason that Fizdale’s prowess on offense should translate to an organization that certainly needs to improve.

The Knicks have been trapped in a state of confusion and virtual disarray since the 2012-13 campaign. After setting a then NBA record for three-point field goals made during that 54-win season, the organization swiftly abandoned the shot in its entirety.

Fizdale’s insistence that his bigs shoot the three-ball is an encouraging sign, but it’s only a part of the equation that adds up to his being a creative offensive mind.

Memphis improved its offensive production by 2.1 points per 100 possessions during Fizdale’s first season at the helm. That was achieved with a supporting cast that was ravaged by injuries and a core that was known far more for its defense.

With action that’s run through the high post and a heavy emphasis on off-ball motion, Fizdale can save the Knicks from themselves.

1. Establishing A Defensive-Minded Culture

The New York Knicks have a desperate need to return to a level of consistency on the defensive end of the floor. New York hasn’t ranked in the top 10 in defensive efficiency since 2011-12 and hasn’t been anything close to respectable on defense since 2012-13.

Thankfully, Fizdale has proven as both a head coach and an assistant that he understands how to convince players to buy in on defense.

New York’s biggest issue on defense has been an inability to hold players accountable. Offensive-minded contributors who fail to go all-in on that end of the floor have been enabled by coaching staffs instead of convinced to work harder.

Fizdale has proven to be the type of coach who will bench even his best of players for lackluster defense, and the Knicks plan to support him if he does so.

First and foremost, Fizdale comes from a Pat Riley line of coaches who make supreme physical fitness a mandatory standard. Secondly, anything less than a full commitment to defense will have actual consequences.

That should make every player who deserves to remain with the Knicks better, and weed out the weak in the pursuit of a brighter future.

Must Read: Kristaps Porzingis' five best games of 2017-18

It may not have been the flashiest hire imaginable, but bringing in a coach like David Fizdale proves that the New York Knicks want to build a solid foundation.

That alone is reason to love the decision.