Morning Knicks 6/19: Knicks Looking At Another Spurs' Assistant, Hammon Unlikely to Interview, and More
-The Knicks continue to search the Gregg Popovich coaching tree for potential candidates. In addition to interviewing former Spurs' assistant coach Ime Udoka and possibly speaking with current Spurs' assistant Becky Hammon, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that San Antonio granted the Knicks permission to interview Will Hardy, another Spurs' assistant. At 32, Hardy is a young coach and highly respected in the Spurs' organization. You can read more about Hardy from our own Kris Pusiainen.
For fans who were hoping for Hammon however, Marc Berman of The New York Post reported that she is not expected to interview for the Knicks head coaching position. Furthermore, Berman spoke to a source who said speaking to all of these candidates is "mostly for show." This is expected, as Tom Thibodeau is still the likely favorite, with Kenny Atkinson as the dark horse. Any of these newer candidates will need to blow Leon Rose away to have a shot at the job. You can read more about Hardy, Hammon, and the Knicks' head coaching search here.
Udoka has been under Popovich for a long time, but would Rose be interested in someone with no head coaching experience? The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov profiled Udoka, providing his background, giving references from NBA coaches and players, and explaining how he'd fit in New York.
-Knicks' general manager Scott Perry spoke out for the first time in months on Thursday, and for good reason. Perry talked at a MSG panel about racial injustice in America and how important it is for people to continue to push for change and not let the movement fade into the background. The panel was hosted by Knicks executive Allan Houston and served an important message to the youth in the country. You can read more about Perry's important message from Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News.
