Knicks Daily Roundup 3/24: Van Gundy Rumors, Knicks Fans Around the Globe, Rookie Reflections, and More
-Former Heat, Magic, and Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy was asked on ESPN Radio if he'd consider coaching the Knicks. While Van Gundy said he wasn't interested, he did bring up a name that has been in the mix for New York: his brother Jeff.
Jeff, of course, is a former Knicks head coach, captaining the team from 1996-2001. The Knicks have barely had any success since he left. If Mike Miller is not retained as head coach, Van Gundy would be a popular target for New York. SNY's Ian Begley has more about a potential Van Gundy reunion here.
-It's been extremely tough being a Knicks fan for quite a while. However, the Knicks still manage to bring people together—even from across the globe. Our own Jonathan Macri wrote a fantastic piece about a group of Knicks fans from different countries who are as big of diehards as those living in the five boroughs. From crazy sleep schedules to watch games to traveling thousands of miles to see the Knicks live at Madison Square Garden, these fans have used a struggling team as unifying force.
-At Knicks SI, we've tried to do our best to give you as much Knicks content as possible to help entertain during the current crisis. Now, MSG is doing the same. The network will be airing games and highlights from the 2019-2020 season this week. If you need some R.J. Barrett in your life, check out the schedule here.
-Speaking of Barrett, Marc Berman of The New York Post is putting together a 15-part series on each Knicks player and reviewing what they mean to the future of the team. It's fitting the first part is about the third overall pick in the 2019 draft. Barrett is crucial to the rebuilding efforts of this team, as he may have the highest ceiling of anyone currently on the Knicks. New York needs a superstar, and Barrett may have the best chance of reaching that status.
The second part of Berman's series was about another Knicks' Canadian rookie: Ignas Brazdeikis. Iggy put on an offensive show in the G League this season, averaging 21 points per game. It remains to be seen if the former Michigan Wolverine will get a chance to attempt that in the NBA next year, but as a recent draft pick, he'll be a player to watch.
-The Knicks secured a win in (potentially) their last game of the season against the Atlanta Hawks—will it cost them? The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov wrote a great article about what a shortened season could mean for the Knicks, including how it would affect their NBA Draft lottery odds.
-We've talked about Knicks draft options the past couple days in the Knicks Daily Roundups, but free agency will be just as, if not more, important. New York has a number of decisions to make on players currently on the roster, and president Leon Rose will have his hands full. Newsday's Steve Popper wrote about the questions that Rose will have to answer once the offseason officially begins.
-As the hype grows for the Knicks SI NBA 2K tournament, take a look at our own Lauren Russell's team. She chose to pair one of the most beloved Knicks in Patrick Ewing with one of the most despised ones in Kristaps Porzingis. That's a bold move, we'll see if it pays off. You can see some of the teams constructed by other Knicks SI writers like David Vertsberger, Kris Pursiainen, Alex Wolfe, and myself. Keep checking back, as the tournament to crown the ultimate Knicks team will commence soon.
