The Knicks may look bad in the short-term for firing Derek Fisher during a losing streak in the second-year of his five-year contract, but team president Phil Jackson may be playing the long game in firing his protégé.
In addition to Fisher having trouble getting the team “prepared” to start games sharp, and posting a 40-96 record as coach, he had also reportedly lost the respect of his players, according to Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski. That’s not good if the Knicks are targeting a big fish in free agency, and Wojnarowski thinks that’s exactly what they’re doing.
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Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook is reportedly a real option for the Knicks when he becomes a free agent in 2017, and he could form a brand new “Big 3” in the NBA along with Carmelo Anthony and 7’3 Latvian rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis. But there’s a lot in play. First, Westbrook’s decision will be affected by how Kevin Durant handles his free agency this summer; Durant could leave Oklahoma City, re-up with a max extension, or sign a one-year deal, and test free agency in the same summer as Westbrook.
The best chance the Knicks have, aside from Durant leaving the Thunder, is to get their house in order. The Knicks are still in a state of transition; Porzingis is clearly their future, but the roster is poorly constructed for him, largely because he developed more quickly than expected. New York must focus on adding more shooting if Westbrook is in their plans, but they must establish a stronger culture.
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The speculation is that Warriors assistant coach Luke Walton and former Nuggets coach Brian Shaw, two disciples of Jackson’s Triangle offense, will be strongly considered to replace Fisher. If so, that’s the wrong approach to snagging Westbrook.
Jackson should instead look to bring an established coach on board, ideally former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, who went 255-139 in five seasons with Chicago. He could also consider former Warriors coach Mark Jackson, who went 121-109 in three seasons on the bench. Both coaches are established winners, who can make Westbrook feel like he’s joining a group prepared to chase a title immediately.
The Knicks already have the core to recruit another star, now they need a culture.
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