The Knicks coaching search has become a disorganized mess

By Aidan Joly

It’s rare that I feel compelled to blog about the NBA – maybe a few times a year – but this is one of those times.

The coaching search for the New York Knicks has become a disorganized mess.

So far, New York has requested to speak with five different sitting NBA head coaches: Dallas’ Jason Kidd, Atlanta’s Quin Snyder, Houston’s Ime Udoka, Minnesota’s Chris Finch and Chicago’s Billy Donovan. The Knicks have been denied permission for all five in recent days, according to multiple reports.

The Knicks fired now-former head coach Tom Thibodeau after winning 51 games and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in a quarter-century to cap off five seasons of success that re-established a winning identity to a franchise that floundered for much of not only the mid-to late 2010s, but the 21st century.

There is plenty to criticize Thibodeau for. He could have tried to develop the guys on the bench more and played the starters for less time. It was obvious that guys like Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Miles Bridges and Josh Hart were exhausted by the end of the playoff run. But all coaches have their flaws. It’s part of the gig.

Still, when you fire a coach in this situation, you better have your ducks in a row. That means having a list of names ready and available to interview. So far, it does not appear that the Knicks did that. It smells of owner James Dolan making the call to fire Thibodeau and that the front office, headed up by Leon Rose, did not anticipate a head coaching search this summer. Thibodeau still had three years and $30 million left on his contract too.

The Knicks will be forced to spin this as to doing their due diligence, but it’s hard to believe when they are being turned down for the chance to interview many of the NBA’s top head coaches.

How will the Knicks be able to salvage this search? Former Denver Nuggets head coach and New York City native Michael Malone should certainly be at the top of the list. Former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins should be discussed as well. Former Lakers, Cavaliers and Kings coach Mike Brown should be on the list too. Johnnie Bryant, considered one of the NBA’s brightest assistant coaches and is current the associate head coach in Cleveland, should get a look.

Still, now, the Knicks look reminiscent of the inept franchise that couldn’t get much right prior to Rose and Thibodeau taking over. All of the good work over the past five years is at risk of being reversed.