The New York Knicks are in the process of building David Fizdale’s coaching staff. A candidate to join Fizdale: Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Jud Buechler.
After years of attempting to make the playoffs with questionable talent on the roster, the New York Knicks have turned their attention to the future. New York’s goal remains winning as many games as possible, but the primary focus is developing young talent.
As recently hired head coach David Fizdale pools his resources to build an ideal coaching staff, that focus on the future has become quite apparent.
Fizdale has developed a strong reputation amongst his peers during his 14 years as a coach in the NBA. He as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, and NBA champion Miami Heat, as well as a head coach for the Memphis Grizzlies.
According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, Fizdale is using that clout as the Knicks enter serious discussions with Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Jud Buechler to join his staff.
"The Knicks are talking seriously with Lakers assistant Jud Buechler about joining new head coach David Fizdale’s staff as an assistant, per ESPN sources."
This could be a significant development for the Knicks, which are in search of a coaching staff that specializes in personnel development.
Buechler’s primary focus in Los Angeles is player development, which fits what the Knicks are looking for to perfection. He’s held the position of assistant coach with the Lakers since 2016, and led Los Angeles’ Summer League team to the 2017 championship in Las Vegas.
With a proven ability to connect with players on a personal level and help them find their identities on the court, Buechler is a rising star in the coaching community.
For a Knicks team that desperately needs to improve its infrastructure, a hire of this nature would be of undeniable significance.
Prior to entering the coaching realm, Buechler played 12 seasons in the NBA. He won three championships as a member of the Chicago Bulls and earned a reputation as one of the more accurate shooters in the Association.
The hope in New York appears to be that he can help the Knicks modernize their offense and develop the wealth of young talent that’s currently on the roster.
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Only time will tell if the New York Knicks can convince Jud Buechler to sign the dotted line, but it appears as though traction has been gained.