Morning Knicks 6/24: Jason Kidd, First-Time Candidates, and Expected Hiring Timeframe on the Knicks Head Coaching Search
-It was announced yesterday that the Knicks would interview perhaps their most polarizing coaching candidate yet: Jason Kidd. The former Knick has had some success in the league, but he's worn out his welcome in both Brooklyn and Milwaukee when he was a head coach. Is Kidd an underachiever given the talent he's had, or should the Knicks consider him given his relationships within the league? Our own Jonathan Macri wrote about this and investigated how Kidd should be viewed as a candidate and whether Knicks fans should desire his services.
-It seems likely the Knicks will go with an experienced option like Tom Thibodeau or Kenny Atkinson as their next head coach. I think Leon Rose should go the other way and hire a first-time head coach. With all of the assistants the Knicks are interviewing, I wrote that the franchise should pivot and get someone like Becky Hammon, Ime Udoka, or another assistant who comes from a respected coaching tree. Rose can focus on building the franchise with his connections as a former agent, and the new coach can establish an identity, start fresh, and focus solely on coaching.
-SNY's Ian Begley reported some details on the Knicks' head coaching search in his most recent mailbag. Begley said the interview process has already begun, and he believes Leon Rose will make his decision before the NBA returns. You can read about this and more in Begley's mailbag, which also includes insight on Tom Thibodeau and Kenny Atkinson.
-The Knicks have several partially guaranteed deals for next season, with Reggie Bullock, Taj Gibson, Wayne Ellington, and Elfrid Payton having only $1 million in guaranteed money, making it easier to waive them. According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, the Knicks will now have until October 17 at 3 pm ET to decide if they want to keep those players around for the full amount of their deals or waive them and eat the $1 million. Bullock's salary is just over $4 million next year, so it's likely he will be kept, but the other three players are set to make $8 million in 2020-2021. It's up in the air whether Leon Rose wants to use that cap space on these players.
-Believe it or not, a member of the Knicks' organization received an offseason award. Ivan Rabb of the Westchester Knicks won the the 2019-20 Jason Collier Sportsmanship Award. It was voted on by G-League players, and Rabb should be proud of his efforts and how well-respected he is by his peers.
