WOJ: Knicks president [Mills] angling for David Fizdale firing

[MadGrinch]

a team that can't focus long enough to let its GM/team president make its vision for the team a reality isn't ever going to be good.

and its been that way since before Isiah Thomas

good teams have consistency , continuity and trust and if the rumors are to be believed the knicks have none of that .

firing Fizdale will likely only make it worse, in perception and in reality .

fiz cant make RJ's free throws for him. and free throw shooting alone has cost the knicks at least 2 games this season.

the team is figuring out what it can do and it cant do and is doing so with middling talent .

eventually the team will be fine ,

they have ok talent and pretty good depth , over the course of a season things should even out as they get to know each other and other teams get banged up a bit.

[symbiotic]

Mills is just trying to buy himself more time

[sims]

a team that can't focus long enough to let its GM/team president make its vision for the team a reality isn't ever going to be good.

and its been that way since before Isiah Thomas

good teams have consistency , continuity and trust and if the rumors are to be believed the knicks have none of that .

firing Fizdale will likely only make it worse, in perception and in reality .

fiz cant make RJ's free throws for him. and free throw shooting alone has cost the knicks at least 2 games this season.

the team is figuring out what it can do and it cant do and is doing so with middling talent .

eventually the team will be fine ,

they have ok talent and pretty good depth , over the course of a season things should even out as they get to know each other and other teams get banged up a bit.

the only right move is to fire mills, not only for basketball reasons but to signal to the rest of the league that we're finally serious about and committed to sweeping organizational change. we need to make efforts to change the image of MSG as being a hopeless, career-killing corporate gulag and mills is the embodiment of that. i don't like fiz but firing him solves nothing and only makes our problems worse as we're going to have a hard enough time finding competent people to take the reins. he'll do fine keeping the seat warm until the next regime finds its identity.

[Davis19]

a team that can't focus long enough to let its GM/team president make its vision for the team a reality isn't ever going to be good.

and its been that way since before Isiah Thomas

good teams have consistency , continuity and trust and if the rumors are to be believed the knicks have none of that .

firing Fizdale will likely only make it worse, in perception and in reality .

fiz cant make RJ's free throws for him. and free throw shooting alone has cost the knicks at least 2 games this season.

the team is figuring out what it can do and it cant do and is doing so with middling talent .

eventually the team will be fine ,

they have ok talent and pretty good depth , over the course of a season things should even out as they get to know each other and other teams get banged up a bit.

the only right move is to fire mills, not only for basketball reasons but to signal to the rest of the league that we're finally serious about and committed to sweeping organizational change. we need to make efforts to change the image of MSG as being a hopeless, career-killing corporate gulag and mills is the embodiment of that. i don't like fiz but firing him solves nothing and only makes our problems worse as we're going to have a hard enough time finding competent people to take the reins. he'll do fine keeping the seat warm until the next regime finds its identity.

If Mills doesn't get canned and just Fiz.. I think I will let go the ropes...

[Da_Mane_Man]

From Bondy. Mills is the constant.

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-steve-mills-president-firing-david-fizdale-20191111-gyhtoxmm3bfx5nmqcazahdzql4-story.html

To be clear, Fizdale has done a poor job as Knicks coach and deserves criticism for, among other things, failing to establish an identity. But firing the coach would be a band-aid on a bazooka wound. Fizdale isn’t the root of the problem.

There are precisely zero other NBA teams that would hire Mills to be its president of basketball operations. His work as an executive and talent evaluator would make David Kahn cringe.

Among Mills’ first important decisions as an MSG business executive was hiring Isiah Thomas to run the Knicks. Great instincts. Mills then served as Anucha Browne Sanders’ direct supervisor while she was allegedly being sexually harassed by Thomas. Browne Sanders testified that her pleas to Mills to interfere were largely ignored, and Mills once responded to complaints by telling her to “be prepared that Isiah is going to start a rumor about you having an affair with (Knicks employee) Jeff Nix. …I said, ‘Steve, is that a threat?,’” according to Browne Sanders’ testimony.

Mills denied this happened in court. Madison Square Garden was found liable for $11.6 million in damages.

Mills left MSG not long after that trial to work with Magic Johnson, and the Knicks enjoyed their best stretch of the millennium. They even won a playoff series. But then Dolan summoned Mills to replace GM Glen Grunwald and an avalanche of losing commenced. At the time of his return, Mills had no experience on the basketball operations side of an NBA team. But he has been either the GM or president for the last six years with a record of 165-337.

Mills likes to distance himself from Phil Jackson, which is indicative of a pervasive philosophy at MSG: pass the blame and survive. But the fact remains he was Jackson’s general manager. And when Lakers owner Jeanie Buss implied that Jackson was betrayed in New York, it was widely assumed she was talking about Mills as the Benedict Arnold.

“(Jackson) should’ve made sure (to control) who was surrounding him, because the people close to you will take the knife and put it in your back,” Buss told The Athletic.

After usurping Jackson, Mills’ first two moves were signing Tim Hardaway Jr. for $71 million and Ron Baker for $9 million. Great instincts.

Baker is out of the NBA. Hardaway’s fate underscores the ineptitude: the contract became a predictable hindrance, so Mills used the best player on the roster — Kristaps Porzingis — as a means of shedding Hardaway. The goal of that trade was to create cap space to sign two players, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, who instead joined the crosstown rival.

Mills fancies himself a player whisperer and relationship guru but couldn’t repair a partnership with Porzingis. Mills once lauded his “hectic texting relationship” with the Latvian, and now it’s easy to believe the frenzied typing was all coming from one side.

After failing with Porzingis, Irving and Durant, Mills stocked the roster with high-priced role players that he expects Fizdale to mold into something much greater. Mills had $70 million in cap space as the president of a marquee franchise, and his concoction has a combined zero All-Star appearances.

“I think any roster can (rise up),” Fizdale said.

For six straight years of playoff-less basketball, the Knicks have only fallen. That predates Fizdale, Jeff Hornacek, Kurt Rambis and Derek Fisher.

Mills is the constant.

My God. How has has he survived here for so long? How did Phil keep him as the GM? I'm convinced that must have been at Dolan's request.

[GONYK]

From Bondy. Mills is the constant.

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-steve-mills-president-firing-david-fizdale-20191111-gyhtoxmm3bfx5nmqcazahdzql4-story.html

To be clear, Fizdale has done a poor job as Knicks coach and deserves criticism for, among other things, failing to establish an identity. But firing the coach would be a band-aid on a bazooka wound. Fizdale isn’t the root of the problem.

There are precisely zero other NBA teams that would hire Mills to be its president of basketball operations. His work as an executive and talent evaluator would make David Kahn cringe.

Among Mills’ first important decisions as an MSG business executive was hiring Isiah Thomas to run the Knicks. Great instincts. Mills then served as Anucha Browne Sanders’ direct supervisor while she was allegedly being sexually harassed by Thomas. Browne Sanders testified that her pleas to Mills to interfere were largely ignored, and Mills once responded to complaints by telling her to “be prepared that Isiah is going to start a rumor about you having an affair with (Knicks employee) Jeff Nix. …I said, ‘Steve, is that a threat?,’” according to Browne Sanders’ testimony.

Mills denied this happened in court. Madison Square Garden was found liable for $11.6 million in damages.

Mills left MSG not long after that trial to work with Magic Johnson, and the Knicks enjoyed their best stretch of the millennium. They even won a playoff series. But then Dolan summoned Mills to replace GM Glen Grunwald and an avalanche of losing commenced. At the time of his return, Mills had no experience on the basketball operations side of an NBA team. But he has been either the GM or president for the last six years with a record of 165-337.

Mills likes to distance himself from Phil Jackson, which is indicative of a pervasive philosophy at MSG: pass the blame and survive. But the fact remains he was Jackson’s general manager. And when Lakers owner Jeanie Buss implied that Jackson was betrayed in New York, it was widely assumed she was talking about Mills as the Benedict Arnold.

“(Jackson) should’ve made sure (to control) who was surrounding him, because the people close to you will take the knife and put it in your back,” Buss told The Athletic.

After usurping Jackson, Mills’ first two moves were signing Tim Hardaway Jr. for $71 million and Ron Baker for $9 million. Great instincts.

Baker is out of the NBA. Hardaway’s fate underscores the ineptitude: the contract became a predictable hindrance, so Mills used the best player on the roster — Kristaps Porzingis — as a means of shedding Hardaway. The goal of that trade was to create cap space to sign two players, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, who instead joined the crosstown rival.

Mills fancies himself a player whisperer and relationship guru but couldn’t repair a partnership with Porzingis. Mills once lauded his “hectic texting relationship” with the Latvian, and now it’s easy to believe the frenzied typing was all coming from one side.

After failing with Porzingis, Irving and Durant, Mills stocked the roster with high-priced role players that he expects Fizdale to mold into something much greater. Mills had $70 million in cap space as the president of a marquee franchise, and his concoction has a combined zero All-Star appearances.

“I think any roster can (rise up),” Fizdale said.

For six straight years of playoff-less basketball, the Knicks have only fallen. That predates Fizdale, Jeff Hornacek, Kurt Rambis and Derek Fisher.

Mills is the constant.

My God. How has has he survived here for so long? How did Phil keep him as the GM? I'm convinced that must have been at Dolan's request.

It was a requirement from Dolan

[3toheadmelo]

Read on Twitter

[Capn'O]

At least with the draft we might get lucky. Building any other way requires intelligent design and we're not having any of that around here. But sucking, we can do that!

this guy gets it. we haven't had anyone in management here who knew what they were doing for years. so just suck and get that top 5 pick. it requires no skill. in fact a lack of skill helps it. we can do that.

absolutely

We're all here talking strategy like suckers while these motherfckers are out here playing Candy Land.

[Jimmit79]

From Bondy. Mills is the constant.

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-steve-mills-president-firing-david-fizdale-20191111-gyhtoxmm3bfx5nmqcazahdzql4-story.html

To be clear, Fizdale has done a poor job as Knicks coach and deserves criticism for, among other things, failing to establish an identity. But firing the coach would be a band-aid on a bazooka wound. Fizdale isn’t the root of the problem.

There are precisely zero other NBA teams that would hire Mills to be its president of basketball operations. His work as an executive and talent evaluator would make David Kahn cringe.

Among Mills’ first important decisions as an MSG business executive was hiring Isiah Thomas to run the Knicks. Great instincts. Mills then served as Anucha Browne Sanders’ direct supervisor while she was allegedly being sexually harassed by Thomas. Browne Sanders testified that her pleas to Mills to interfere were largely ignored, and Mills once responded to complaints by telling her to “be prepared that Isiah is going to start a rumor about you having an affair with (Knicks employee) Jeff Nix. …I said, ‘Steve, is that a threat?,’” according to Browne Sanders’ testimony.

Mills denied this happened in court. Madison Square Garden was found liable for $11.6 million in damages.

Mills left MSG not long after that trial to work with Magic Johnson, and the Knicks enjoyed their best stretch of the millennium. They even won a playoff series. But then Dolan summoned Mills to replace GM Glen Grunwald and an avalanche of losing commenced. At the time of his return, Mills had no experience on the basketball operations side of an NBA team. But he has been either the GM or president for the last six years with a record of 165-337.

Mills likes to distance himself from Phil Jackson, which is indicative of a pervasive philosophy at MSG: pass the blame and survive. But the fact remains he was Jackson’s general manager. And when Lakers owner Jeanie Buss implied that Jackson was betrayed in New York, it was widely assumed she was talking about Mills as the Benedict Arnold.

“(Jackson) should’ve made sure (to control) who was surrounding him, because the people close to you will take the knife and put it in your back,” Buss told The Athletic.

After usurping Jackson, Mills’ first two moves were signing Tim Hardaway Jr. for $71 million and Ron Baker for $9 million. Great instincts.

Baker is out of the NBA. Hardaway’s fate underscores the ineptitude: the contract became a predictable hindrance, so Mills used the best player on the roster — Kristaps Porzingis — as a means of shedding Hardaway. The goal of that trade was to create cap space to sign two players, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, who instead joined the crosstown rival.

Mills fancies himself a player whisperer and relationship guru but couldn’t repair a partnership with Porzingis. Mills once lauded his “hectic texting relationship” with the Latvian, and now it’s easy to believe the frenzied typing was all coming from one side.

After failing with Porzingis, Irving and Durant, Mills stocked the roster with high-priced role players that he expects Fizdale to mold into something much greater. Mills had $70 million in cap space as the president of a marquee franchise, and his concoction has a combined zero All-Star appearances.

“I think any roster can (rise up),” Fizdale said.

For six straight years of playoff-less basketball, the Knicks have only fallen. That predates Fizdale, Jeff Hornacek, Kurt Rambis and Derek Fisher.

Mills is the constant.

My God. How has has he survived here for so long? How did Phil keep him as the GM? I'm convinced that must have been at Dolan's request.

It was Phil took the poison cause who can turn down 60mil lol.

Sent from my BND-L34 using Tapatalk

[aq_ua]

Read on Twitter

Interesting. Well, this basically means Mills will almost certainly fire Fiz towards the end of this year, try to shake things up at the trade deadline, ultimately fail, and we'll see how things go in the offseason.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2019-2020 New York Knicks.

[Capn'O]

Read on Twitter

I don't like to wish failure upon my Knicks but... I wish failure upon my Knicks.

[Dranae]

Read on Twitter

I really hope that convo happened before tonight's game.

Sent from my SM-G955U using RealGM mobile app

[knicksNOTslick]

The Spurs?! The same Spurs that a Hall of Famer (David Robinson) and All Star (Sean Elliot) got hurt on within the first month of that season?? I’m assuming you’re referencing the Duncan draft.. That’s what you call tanking?

Just because they already had talent doesnt mean they didnt tank,,,they sure as hell did...Goldenstate is doing the same thing.

It's also proving my point. One guy isn't enough. You need to tank some more.

The time to tank was when KP got hurt. We won 6 games after his injury and finished with 29 wins. Both the Hawks and the Mavs had 24 wins. If we had tanked immediately, we would've been in the range for Doncic or Trae Young. There's your 2nd guy. In Knickerbocker fashion, we decided to truly tank for a top pick once the odds were against us. We got lucky with RJ, but with lower odds now, tanking is less of a sure thing.

[GONYK]

Read on Twitter

Interesting. Well, this basically means Mills will almost certainly fire Fiz towards the end of this year, try to shake things up at the trade deadline, ultimately fail, and we'll see how things go in the offseason.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2019-2020 New York Knicks.

From the same article:

[SelbyCobra]

[HarthorneWingo]

Read on Twitter

I don't like to wish failure upon my Knicks but... I wish failure upon my Knicks.

Yes, it's time to cleanse the pallet.

[aq_ua]

Read on Twitter

Interesting. Well, this basically means Mills will almost certainly fire Fiz towards the end of this year, try to shake things up at the trade deadline, ultimately fail, and we'll see how things go in the offseason.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2019-2020 New York Knicks.

From the same article:

Good look, by under-perform I hope that means anything short of a championship so they can please GTFO.

[knicksanity]

IM ALL IN FIRING THE WHOLE FO and Fiz but im not sold on Firing Fiz alone Mills should go either way..
Can't believe we trade a 2d rounder for Perry

[HarthorneWingo]

Fire Fizdale and let Miller coach out the season. Hire the Van Gundy BROTHERS to run the front office.

[thebuzzardman]

Mills is just trying to buy himself more time

For his next move, next ploy.

I thought about that. "How can he expect to stay if he hired Perry and Fizdale, and either with Perry, constructed the roster TOGETHER, or let Perry do it, and together they both hired the coach?"

Because if you fire Fizdale, he's out. He's cleared out of the way, a body under the bus, and he buys time. But for what?

Well, to assign blame to someone else and get some chances to get Dolan alone, so he can spin his usual buddy buddy stuff, and over a few sessions put the blame on Perry.

And it's interesting that someone posted that Griffith wanted Alan Houston fired as part of his hire. It's because he didn't want a back channel mole in the org. So now, Mills is fending off Alan Houston.

GoT style, Mills will use Miller to stay his execution, but Houston will use the fact that Miller was part of "his team of guys" in Westchester to undermine Mills. So Mills will have to counter attack that, while they both work on their common enemy, Perry.

Dolan encourages this stuff, always having back channel guys, like Mills, Herb, Houston.

Hell, John Starks is probably a free lance spy for Dolan. The charity stuff etc is just a cover.