The NY Knicks are closing in on Steve Kerr as their next head coach and the current TNT announcer met with president Phil Jackson over the weekend and now New York could be moving towards filling their open position, with names like John Calipari, Tom Izzo, Billy Donovan and Jeff Van Gundy also possibly in the mix for the opening after Mike Woodson was fired after the season.
The Knicks come into things looking for a new head coach after a very disappointing season in 2013-14 and the team missed the playoffs after winning the division the previous year. According to ESPN.com, Kerr is the front runner for the job because of his connections to Jackson and that puts him at the top of the list and the report says that Kerr and Jackson met and spoke about the job and that they will continue to do so. Kerr was in town to call the Brooklyn Nets game for TNT and he said that he spoke with Jackson multiple times over the weekend about the job.
Kerr has not been a coach before, but he previously was the general manager of the Phoenix Suns and he is a name that has been mentioned in coaching circles for a number of years. Kerr played for Jackson in Chicago and knows how to run the Triangle offense and Jackson said that he wasn't worried about the fact that Kerr hasn't coached. Jason Kidd had never coached before taking over the Nets and that is working out and Kerr said that he has plenty of experience in the game and feels that he could handle the grind of coaching, even in New York.
The Knicks are working on keeping Carmelo Anthony and along with the head coach job that is the biggest decision the team needs to make. Anthony missed the playoffs for the first time in his career and while he liked Mike Woodson, he said he understood why that decision was made. Anthony had another good season, but he can opt out of his deal after the year and into the summer and he is expected to do that and there is a chance that he could leave for another team. Many have speculated that Anthony could leave for the Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets and those are the two teams that have been looked at as potential destinations.
The Knicks won over 50 games and the division last season and now they need a new head coach and Kerr could be the option. Woodson was fired after leading the team to 54 wins last season and he was on a three year deal and had one year left and now he is looking for a new job as well. The Knicks attracted the season 3-13 and could not get out of that hole despite winning 12 of 15 games down the stretch and now the future is a bit up in the air. Losing Anthony wouldn't be a total killer, but it would hurt fans and the franchise after giving up so much for him a few years ago.
