New York Knicks: Ranking the head coaching candidates

Who are the best coaching candidates being considered for the New York Knicks?

The New York Knicks 2019-20 season is officially over. As 22 teams return to play this season in Orlando, Florida, the Knicks will preserve their lottery odds as the sixth worst team in the league and see their season end prematurely. President Leon Rose will now shift his full focus on hiring a head coach.

After David Fizdale was fired in December with a 4-18 record, interim coach Mike Miller did an admirable job taking over the reins for the final 44 games, with the team finishing 21-45. While Miller will be considered for the full-time gig, it seems the Knicks are leaning toward a veteran choice from outside the organization.

Several reports have put former Knicks assistant Tom Thibodeau as the leading candidate. The team is also expected to interview former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson, and Ian Begley reports other candidates could receive interviews, including former Knicks coach Mike Woodson.

While New York is expected to act quickly in hiring a new bench lead, let’s go through the top candidates and rank who makes the most sense to coach a young Knicks team looking to take the next step into becoming a playoff contender.

There are several qualified coaches to consider for the Knicks job, but I will focus on names that have been reported as possibilities.