David Blatt Meets With Phil Jackson About Knicks' Job

[RealGM Wiretap]

David Blatt and Phil Jackson have met to discuss the New York Knicks' head coaching job.

Blatt and Kurt Rambis are the only known candidates so far, while Jackson is believed to have some degree of interest in Luke Walton.

Blatt was fired by the Cleveland Cavaliers shortly before the All-Star break.

Rambis finished the season as interim head coach of the Knicks, replacing Derek Fisher.

Via Adrian Wojnarowski/The Vertical

[Blockwatcher]

No thank you. We'll stick with rambis and tank the right way. Can't risk having a semi competent coach get us a 10-15 pick or worse an 8th seed

[anatomicbomb]

I would worry about hiring Blatt given how much players talk with one another. I suspect that the chatter that went along with the end of his brief tenure in Cleveland makes its way to the ears of Knicks players.

[MrDollarBills]

If you've seen footage of Blatt's coaching overseas you'll see that his offensive philosophy is more advanced than the antiquated and overrated triangle system that Phil wants to impose on the Knicks

Knick fans need to pray that Phil and Dolan have a falling out.

[kenwood3333]

Blatt is a better coach than what the media has portrayed him as.

However he is a poor fit for NY, with Jackson insisting on running the triangles.

[Pickled Prunes]

I would worry about hiring Blatt given how much players talk with one another. I suspect that the chatter that went along with the end of his brief tenure in Cleveland makes its way to the ears of Knicks players.

Agreed. Melo and LBJ are friends so he already knows that he doesn't want Blatt as his coach. But maybe Phil bringing Blatt in and giving Melo the choice will leave Melo the impression that he participated in the coaching decision.

[Nutty Nats Fan]

No thank you. We'll stick with rambis and tank the right way. Can't risk having a semi competent coach get us a 10-15 pick or worse an 8th seed

If you're tanking, you want a coach who will play and develop the young guys. Rambis does not like playing the young guys. He is not how you take the right way.

[boomershadow]

Blatt is a better coach than what the media has portrayed him as.

However he is a poor fit for NY, with Jackson insisting on running the triangles.

Jackson insists on running a system, and Blatt's offensive system overseas was usually a Princeton, motion-based thing.

[The_Hater]

I would worry about hiring Blatt given how much players talk with one another. I suspect that the chatter that went along with the end of his brief tenure in Cleveland makes its way to the ears of Knicks players.

Agreed. Melo and LBJ are friends so he already knows that he doesn't want Blatt as his coach. But maybe Phil bringing Blatt in and giving Melo the choice will leave Melo the impression that he participated in the coaching decision.

So if any of your friends don't like someone, you immediately don't like them either?

I'm pretty certain that life doesn't usually work this way.

[anatomicbomb]

I would worry about hiring Blatt given how much players talk with one another. I suspect that the chatter that went along with the end of his brief tenure in Cleveland makes its way to the ears of Knicks players.

Agreed. Melo and LBJ are friends so he already knows that he doesn't want Blatt as his coach. But maybe Phil bringing Blatt in and giving Melo the choice will leave Melo the impression that he participated in the coaching decision.

So if any of your friends don't like someone, you immediately don't like them either?

I'm pretty certain that life doesn't usually work this way.

That's not the argument I was trying to make. Rather, and less simplistically, my suspicion is that with players talking (in this case, namely Lebron to Melo), you get conversations where Blatt comes off less than ideally and so Melo may be less receptive to Blatt's coaching, filtering down through the team, until he loses the trust and ears of his players. The relationships between a new coach and his players (especially ones who are, presumably, already kind of frustrated, given how things in NY have played out with coaches and roster changes over the last few seasons) can be tenuous, and so it seems unwise to risk starting off behind the 8-ball, when other options are available where this may not be the case.

[The_Hater]

Agreed. Melo and LBJ are friends so he already knows that he doesn't want Blatt as his coach. But maybe Phil bringing Blatt in and giving Melo the choice will leave Melo the impression that he participated in the coaching decision.

So if any of your friends don't like someone, you immediately don't like them either?

I'm pretty certain that life doesn't usually work this way.

That's not the argument I was trying to make. .

I was replying to somebody else.

[Pickled Prunes]

So if any of your friends don't like someone, you immediately don't like them either?

I'm pretty certain that life doesn't usually work this way.

That's not the argument I was trying to make. .

I was replying to somebody else.

I didn't say LBJ didn't like Blatt. But clearly he had an issue with his coaching style. Melo has historically been reluctant to buy into any system post Karl in Denver. Since they are friends, I am sure that Melo has heard all about Blatt trying to change Lebron's game and get him to do things outside his comfort zone; how he isn't a championship quality coach. I am also sure that if Melo is called to weigh in on the situation he will actively seek Lebron's advice.

But to answer your question: No, my friend disliking someone doesn't affect my opinion of that person. But if my friend continues to go on about how their boss is a dill-hole I will apply somewhere else. Because were not talking any random person; we're talking about the person that will control the next few years of your life and any potential playoff hopes you may have. At that point I lean on my friends experience. And I am pretty certain that that is exactly how life works.

@anatomicbomb If that is not what you were trying to say than I take back my agreement.