Morning Knicks 7/16: Analyzing Every Head Coach Candidate, the Case for Ime Udoka, and More
-Leon Rose's head coaching search will conclude soon. While Tom Thibodeau is the favorite, Rose interviewed 11 candidates, and he will surely be talking a long look at all of them, regardless of any preconceived notions. If Knicks fans want to read up on all the options, Sam Quinn of CBS Sports did a stellar breakdown of every coach the Knicks interviewed. Sam included the coaches' backgrounds, what they could bring to the Knicks, how their interview process went and what is known about it, and ultimately made his pick.
-Of all the candidates with no head coaching experience, Ime Udoka may be the most fascinating. Udoka spent seven years under Gregg Popovich before heading to Philadelphia this past season, and many around the league feel he deserves his shot to be a head coach. Marc Berman of The New York Post spoke with one of those people, Tim Shea, who is the former Knicks director of international scouting and the assistant Olympic coach for Nigeria. Udoka is Nigerian-American, and Shea feels hiring him "would be a progressive move the club could use." Beyond that, Shea gushed about Udoka's success as a head coach and even mentioned his ties to Giannis Antetokounmpo. It's hard to argue against Shea's points and Udoka's credentials, and it's likely Udoka will be a head coach soon, even if it's not with the Knicks. You can read the full article with Berman here.
-As the NBA has barreled forward into the three-point era, the Knicks have yet to catch up. For years, New York has lacked the shooting it needs to space the floor, develop players, and improve in the win column. Jack Huntley of Posting and Toasting broke down just how bad last year's Knicks were at spacing the floor, and it's no surprise that two of the biggest culprits were veterans they signed in last year's depressing free agency spree: Julius Randle and Elfrid Payton. Huntley made great points that the roster construction has hurt R.J. Barrett and Mitchell Robinson, two building blocks who have the potential to be winning players, even if they can't shoot (yet). The hope is that Leon Rose can bring in shooters that will help make everyone's lives easier and lead to actual improvement for the franchise.
-Nate Robinson has already given his endorsement of Thibodeau, and he reiterated his sentiment in an interview with SNY's Ian Begley. There's been concern as to whether Thibodeau can have success with young players the same way he has with veterans, but Robinson thinks that shouldn't be a worry, saying "I’m kind of a wildcard, and I fit in just right. So if I can fit in, anybody can fit in." You can read all of Robinson's praise of Thibs here, as well him discussing his participation in "The 5" Tournament in Las Vegas with other former NBA players.
