(Saturday, April 21, 2018 12:18:46 AM)
Former Knick David Lee doesn’t want a piece of Donovan Mitchell’s potential Rookie of the Year Award, but he wouldn’t turn down a piece of his next contract. Lee, soon heading off to the French Open with his fiancée, Caroline Wozniacki, recalled Mitchell attended his annual kids camp in Chappaqua for four straight years and…
(Friday, April 20, 2018 2:20:49 PM)
The Knicks plan to meet with Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer, an NBA source confirmed. Both sides appear ready to move on as Atlanta embarks on its massive rebuilding process. According to a source, Budenholzer is upset at losing some of his say in personnel matters. The Hawks, in turn, likely don’t want to pay Budenholzer…
(Friday, April 20, 2018 8:16:38 PM)
The Knicks are meeting with David Blatt in Europe next week about their head-coaching job, and plan to interview Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer and Spurs assistant coach James Borrego, sources said.
(Friday, April 20, 2018 8:30:20 PM)
Add Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer to the list of candidates the Knicks will interview for their vacancy.
[NYTimes] Pacers Rally to Take a Series Lead Over the Cavaliers (Saturday, April 21, 2018 3:59:21 AM)
Cleveland lost for the first time this season after leading at the end of the third quarter.
[NYTimes] In the N.B.A., a Game of Clothes Horse (Saturday, April 21, 2018 12:42:02 AM)
Arena arrivals have long been a fashion runway for N.B.A. superstars. But before a playoff game on Friday, the Cleveland Cavaliers took things to a new level, wearing coordinated ensembles by the designer Thom Browne.
[NYTimes] The Golden State Warriors Have Shaken Off the Rust (Friday, April 20, 2018 2:04:27 PM)
Even without Stephen Curry, the Warriors are looking like potential champions again.
(Saturday, April 21, 2018 11:48:16 PM)
The Knicks’ head coaching search will take them overseas.
(Friday, April 20, 2018 10:30:21 PM)
The Knicks have set up yet another interview for their head coach vacancy, as Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer will meet with the team Sunday,
(Friday, April 20, 2018 8:48:43 PM)
Talk to Jerry Stackhouse’s players with the Raptors 905 G League team, and they say he would make a tremendous NBA coach.
(Friday, April 20, 2018 10:00:46 AM)
There are certain times for new coaches and guys making the transition from playing to coach. Taking over a rebuilding Knicks franchise is not that time.
(Friday, April 20, 2018 9:25:46 AM)
The Knicks will enter the NBA Draft in June with a top-10 pick. They are in the eighth spot right now, but that can change depending on how these final games play out and how the balls drop in the lottery.
[NYDN] Knicks plan to talk to Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer (Friday, April 20, 2018 9:55:01 PM)
The Knicks reportedly plan to discuss their vacancy with Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer, further expanding what is already a wide net.
[NYDN] How Carmelo Anthony says New York changed him for the better (Friday, April 20, 2018 12:58:24 PM)
New York made Carmelo Anthony the player he is today.
[NYDN] Dolan our Jerk of Week for taking none of blame for Knicks mess (Friday, April 20, 2018 8:43:51 AM)
The Knicks are interviewing candidates to be their next head coach, but why in the world would anyone want that job?
[NYDN] 5 tips TNT crew gave Kenny Smith for his Knicks interview (Friday, April 20, 2018 6:57:10 AM)
The TNT crew blew up Kenny Smith’s spot.
56 replies on “Knicks Morning News (2018.04.21)”
Meeting with Budenholzer is great news- as is the interest in Borrego. Not because they’re from Pop’s vaunted tree, but because it seems like the FO is actually gonna be thorough in this search. Budenholzer would be a great get, but at what price? If it’s not draft capital, then he vaults to the top of my list for preferred coaches with Fiz & Stack. I don’t know much about Borrego except that he’s my age and he’s been coaching for a while under Pop. To quote Lebatard’s Papi, “I very intrigued”
I don’t wanna get ahead of myself or jinx things, but maybe- just maybe- team management is beginning to turn the corner. So, KP’s injury really is a blessing in disguise. If he were healthy, Mark Jackson or David Blatt would have already been hired. Not that Blatt would be a bad choice, I’m just saying I don’t believe the FO would be as thorough in the search for the next great HC
Yeah I fully take back everything I said about Mills and Perry re their search. Good job to expand the pool and really get the best candidates in, even if ultimately they end up hiring one of the original guys.
Hard to give up draft picks but I honestly think I might give up two seconds or maybe even a top 20 protected 2020 first for Budenholzer. You get the sense he wants out and maybe the FO there wants him out too, so maybe if you hold out, a single 2nd gets it done.
He literally is everything we would want in a coach. Top defensive coach. Modern offensively. Holds players accountable. Develops players.
I think that it would be incredibly short-sighted to give up any compensation for a coach at this point. This team is so far away from being successful that assets are much more important than the marginal value of a coach you have to pay for over a coach you can have for free. I’d be much more comfortable with hiring a Brad Stevens type out of college. I’d like a guy who doesn’t have preconceived notions about the NBA players. But paying compensation for a coach makes little sense.
I’m surprised that there was no interest (especially on 4/20) in discussing the article I posted about players playing while stoned regularly.
I have a feeling that Blatt is going to get the job based on his ties with out braintrust. I’m not a Blatt guy, but it could be worse.
I agree with this sentiment.
I might give away a single garbage 2nd rounder if the gap between him and the next best coach available is OBVIOUS and significant, but I’m not buying either of those. If he was my top choice I’d offer cash or move on.
What about if Atlanta wants, say Hicks?
I’d go the other way, Z-Man. Because we’re so far away, I’d be more inclined to give up a pick for Bud. His organization would do a lot for a rebuild. As long as it’s a 2nd.
Atlanta does seem to want to get rid of him, so they don’t have too much leverage. Bud gets to pick his team. If he picks the Knicks, Atlanta’s choice is between getting a 2nd round pick or having to pay a coach who they don’t want and who doesn’t want to be there 13 million. I think they’d take the 2nd.
I’d offer them Mudiay instead tho 🙂
Given all this, I think it’s safe to conclude that Bud is the coach in question here:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/deadspin.com/which-nba-owner-reportedly-berated-his-coach-for-winnin-1825339049/amp
I think their marriage is over and I can’t imagine it being too expensive to pry him. The real issue is going to be convincing him to join.
If the cost is a 2nd rounder, I’m ok with it.
There is always the possibility to buy one every year. It’s no big deal.
I don’t think buying 2nd rounders is as easy as it sounds. They are also useful in trades…either to get a good player or to dump salary.
I’d give up hicks in a heartbeat, though. Or Mudiay. Probably Kornet but I’d have to think about it. Not Dotson or Mudiay.
I suppose that if we gave up one of the picks we got for Willy, you could argue that we got a pick and a possibly game-changing coach for Willy…
Well, the word on Budenholzer is that he doesn’t want to be a part of a long rebuild. I like him as a coach, I think what he did in Atlanta is pretty damn good, but if he really doesn’t want to help Atlanta rebuild why would he want to be a part of a rebuild with NY?
If it’s something specific about the Hawks front office then yeah, I would take him for a 2nd rounder or an incredibly overprotected 1st rounder that turns into 2nds if not conveyed immediately.
I don’t understand the willingness to part with a pick for a guy that may not even be better than Fizdale, Blatt, Stackhouse, or some other name that could come up. Prove to me he’s better, then maybe. Other than that, he’s just another guy with a resume.
For me it’s the resume and the way he did it. His Hawks teams, specially the 60 win team, played very well structured, heavy emphasis on passing and taking good shots and made the most on defense of a relatively weak group of players. They were clearly better than the sum of the parts which is something we can’t really say about a Knicks team since well, forever.
If the compensation is anything over a late 2nd then it’s a no for me, but he’d be the one coach in a long time for us that has actually shown capability to build a strong scheme on both sides of the court to focus on the strengths of his team.
Frankly I’m fine with Blatt, Messina, Fizdale or Stackhouse too, they’re all much more promising than what we’ve had recently.
I can’t believe they would even consider giving up a draft pick for a coach. Considering the dearth of talent on the Knicks, draft picks are suuuuper valuable.
I’m sure Bud is a good coach but there are other good coaching prospects out there that won’t cost anything but Dolan’s money.
I think Budz is by far the best coach available, but yeah, I’m not down with giving up a draft pick for any coach.
For instance, Masai would have been amazing here, but I wasn’t willing to see them deal a pick for him, and he would have had a lot more impact that Budz.
You wouldn’t be willing to give up a 2nd round pick for Masai? Seriously?
Ben Simmons is so obviously a superstar that I would be willing to give up two second-round picks to acquire him.
A coach? Nah. Masai? Yes.
The Miami Heat squad as a collective will finish this series with PTSD whenever they see Embiid on the defensive paint.
You wouldn’t be willing to give up a 2nd round pick for Masai? Seriously?
no way Masai would just end up keeping our pick and staying put
I don’t think any of these guys are going for less than a first. That’s what I meant by a pick. I’d trade a second for Masai and one for Budz, too.
I wasn’t upset with Perry costing a second, so obviously I would be okay with one of the greatest general managers in the NBA costing a second.
Masai, though, would cost a first and likely so would Budz.
Heck, I bet Toronto would be looking for two firsts.
We were out getting high.
blaze it
howdy z (zig zag)-man…
I had a chance to read through the article yesterday, at this point it doesn’t seem very surprising…
I think the only thing interesting left in the whole cannabis and athletes (and people in general) story is when will things change at the federal level…
Edit: 2020 seems like a nice round number…keep meaning to track some of those weed stocks…
I’m watching the last quarter of New Orleans and Portland. Every so often, a little bit of defense breaks out. It’s fun watching a close game, but not what I expect as Playoff style basketball.
Yikes. Blazers weren’t a strong #3, but no 3-seed should be swept in the first round.
The NOP starting 5 looked absolutely incredible this series.
Holiday is playing like a star. Wonder if that’ll continue when it’s Iguodala and Thompson guarding him 40 MPG next round.
If Holiday and Rondo had played consistently like this in the regular season it’s more than fair to say that New Orleans would have been the 3rd seed in the first place, they ended just 1 win behind the Blazers after all.
Lillard really shit the bed in this series, even when McCollum finally showed up… not a good look for the Blazers as they’re capped out for the next 3 years with questionable assets and no good picks, while having to decide whether to re-sign Nurkic.
Think I’ve mentioned this before, but I smoked pot a few times in college with Vernon Maxwell when the Rockets would come through San Antonio. I imagine before testing most of the league smoked pot at some point-maybe now they don’t during the season?
How does one end up smoking pot with a Vernon Maxwell? Did he have a college-girl-knowing-buddy at your school?
I agree about Portland. The Pelicans future is more promising. Not only did they make the second round this year, but next year they probably get back Cousins. (He doesn’t seem thrilled about moving, seems to like playing with Davis, and now would be rejoining a good playoff team, so I am suspecting he’s returning). I don’t know that they will win many more regular season games with Cousins, but in the playoffs teams will not be able to feast against the Pelican’s second unit because one or the other of Davis or Cousins will be on the floor at almost all times
@34
Mirotic is almost or just as good as Cousins, fits the team better, and will cost less. They should trade a 1 year cousins rental.for whatever they can get.
A friend of mine who also happened to sell pot knew Vernon from pickup games in Houston
Shame for them, too, as they could have made a splash with him in a S&T if he were healthy. I wouldn’t want a 280 lb. guy with a bum Achilles at $35M a year.
It could be that they should trade Cousins, but I am predicting that they don’t. From the little I saw, they didn’t do well against Portland when Davis was sitting. I think they will want to fix that.
I smoked pot with Sen Dog once. That ruled.
This Jazz OKC series is going to 7 and I’m so about it
Ricky rubio and Donovan Mitchell are a really fun backcourt
Random observation..
May sound blasphemous, but Westbrook is the worst great player probably ever. Watching him in the playoffs make his numbers feel so empty. 1st possession of tonight’s game, he dribbles the ENTIRE possession, then takes a long 2. How does that happen when you have PG & Melo flanking you?
At first, I thought bad Melo might be what ails OKC. But that one possession showed me that the team’s best player and the coach can’t figure it out. Westbrook has the ball all the time and he should be finding ways to make the game easier for PG & Melo. Or at least figuring out how to best use them. It kinda makes his triple double average feel selfish. On paper, that’s a very good team. I just can’t understand how Westbrook is putting up those numbers while having 2nd & 3rd options as good as his are, but the team just doesn’t play well…at all.
Westbrook has become the very definition of a double edged sword and that sucks because he’s an amazing player. Maybe he’s just better in an AI role if you can put shooters out there. Melo just might be a better 2nd option in that scenario than he is as the 3rd option in their current hierarchy. I dunno..it’s just..weird to watch
Rubio is atomizing OKC
Yeah, I think it’s safe to say we screwed up passing on Mitchell. Rubio is looking like a star right now, too.
The Jazz are such a fun team to watch with Gobert dominating the rim and Ingles/Favors doing all the glue/dirty work.
Your team signs two ‘superstars’ in the offseason to go with your MVP and then you get to the playoffs and get ethered by Ricky Rubio.
This Utah team is soooooo fun
Sometimes I forget that Mitchell was traded for Trey Lyles and some rookie who never played. The Nuggets were smart enough for Jokic but not smart enough for Mitchell. Crazy.
Edit: Just blocked Westbrook and then looked pissed that he couldn’t be on the floor. It’s my attitude that most successful NBA players are stridently competitive, but you gotta love Mitchell being pissed that he can’t be on the floor against three future HOFers.
Westbrook is awful right now
I mean Mitchell is nowhere close to Ben Simmons but he’s very good for a rookie.
With the benefit of hindsight we should have traded Derrick Rose for Ricky Rubio
With the benefit of hindsight we should have traded Rose for a Twix bar.
That was a clear call back then, too, wasn’t it? To everyone but Phil.
Was rose for Rubio ever on the table, or rumors created by us?
Watching Anderson go off for Houston I was thinking how much better he would be on okc than melo is…
@41
I was thinking the same thing about Russ. But putting shooters and scorers around doesnt work either. That’s why they traded mcbuckets and kanter to us because they wanted another dominant player but it didn’t work either so I don’t k is what you do with Russel.
He might be a great second option but he always needs the ball in His hands.
It appears that what happened was that it was on the table, Phil asked them to throw in something else, they said no. He decided to wait them out and then they changed their minds.
Yeah, Phil asked for the great Bjelica
You can’t just pass on the opportunity to get a midrange shooter big.
DRed got jokes
It hadn’t occurred to me until reading this thread that this could have easily been our backcourt but we passed on both of them. Great.