Knicks Hire David Blatt as Basketball Ops Consultant

[cgmw]

How can blatt help in trade unless they're looking at a euro who blatt has watched closely....

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Nikola Vucevic..

NFW

If anything this is what Mills does just before putting the knife in Frank’s back.

[Jump Shot]

Mills is a virus.

[3toheadmelo]

Dont mind the hire since I respect him highly and wanted the Knicks to hire him as a coach. But this may mean that Mills is safe. Maybe Blatt can knock some sense into his head regarding trades/players. Let's see what happens before it's all doom and gloom.

[Jimmit79]

Dont mind the hire since I respect him highly and wanted the Knicks to hire him as a coach. But this may mean that Mills is safe. Maybe Blatt can knock some sense into his head regarding trades/players. Let's see what happens before it's all doom and gloom.

Knicks are addicted with ppl who star player hate first Gasol and Fiz now Blatt and LeBron.

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[Da_Mane_Man]

Read on Twitter

The belief here is that the addition of Blatt doesn't signify anything about Mills' status. It gives Blatt, who played with Mills and Robinson at Princeton, the opportunity to pursue a post-coaching career path. Blatt has a close relationship with Mills and Robinson, and is clearly respected by others in the organization based on how strongly he was considered for the past two coaching vacancies.

But it seems far-fetched to suggest the Blatt hire has any impact on the future of the front office.

I'd like this to be true, and it sounds good, but when I think about it, if Mills is a lame duck, then how is attaching himself to that guy going to help Blatt explore a different career path? If a new president is brought in this off-season, you have to assume he's cleaning house. That probably means Perry and Blatt go too, most likely.

[cgmw]

Read on Twitter

The belief here is that the addition of Blatt doesn't signify anything about Mills' status. It gives Blatt, who played with Mills and Robinson at Princeton, the opportunity to pursue a post-coaching career path. Blatt has a close relationship with Mills and Robinson, and is clearly respected by others in the organization based on how strongly he was considered for the past two coaching vacancies.

But it seems far-fetched to suggest the Blatt hire has any impact on the future of the front office.

I'd like this to be true, and it sounds good, but when I think about it, if Mills is a lame duck, then how is attaching himself to that guy going to help Blatt explore a different career path? If a new president is brought in this off-season, you have to assume he's cleaning house. That probably means Perry and Blatt go too, most likely.

Dolan has never been afraid to pay somebody after he’s been fired. Serious professionals (and professional charlatans) have been cashing in on Dolan’s need for legitimacy for ages.

Dolan would be happy to pay Blatt for multiple years even if he (and Mills) are fired for a bigger name this offseason.

Again, this is all about PR optics as Dolan/Mills want political leverage to spin potential trades while Mills is vulnerable in the media.

MSG shenanigans as usual.

[BallSacBounce]

People keep saying this is Mills trying to save his Job. It looks more like to me is that Mills is moving AWAY From his job. The worst thing Mills could do to save his Job is to show that he needs "Help" This Blatt Hiring is Highlighting that some form of Help is needed. You dont show that your trying to save your Job by hiring Blatt. It actually makes you Look worse in the Grand Scheme of things. Blatt will have no impact on the team playing so it does nothing for mills. Mills is prob going to be sent to the somewhere in MSG and this is just preparation which in that sense is a good hire for the role. Blatt will not take over operations even when Mills is gone.

I think this is the most likely scenario. Mills will be moved to financial. Blatt is here to advise on any trades until we get a new FO. That's what I hope.

[cgmw]

People keep saying this is Mills trying to save his Job. It looks more like to me is that Mills is moving AWAY From his job. The worst thing Mills could do to save his Job is to show that he needs "Help" This Blatt Hiring is Highlighting that some form of Help is needed. You dont show that your trying to save your Job by hiring Blatt. It actually makes you Look worse in the Grand Scheme of things. Blatt will have no impact on the team playing so it does nothing for mills. Mills is prob going to be sent to the somewhere in MSG and this is just preparation which in that sense is a good hire for the role. Blatt will not take over operations even when Mills is gone.

I think this is the most likely scenario. Mills will be moved to financial. Blatt is here to advise on any trades until we get a new FO. That's what I hope.

This move doesn’t happen without Steve Mills making it happen.

For sure it seems like a gamble because Blatt could replace him (or Perry), but to me it reads as a transparent political ploy to empower the Mills regime to make moves this season.

Instead of firing Mills, Dolan gives him a paycheck for a college buddy with the same Ivy League namebrand pedigree.

Looks like a hedge giving Mills license to save the season in case they can’t get Ujiri.

If it works, great— Dolan looks like a hero. If it doesn’t, Dolan throws his hands up and says, “well Mills and Blatt went to Princeton after all. How was I supposed to know? Now lemme throw money at Ujiri or the next namebrand savior.”

[Jimmit79]

Whatever happens happens at this point I have given up with the good the bad and the ugly.

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[BadNewsBarnes]

Mills could throw Perry under the bus at the end of the season and put Blatt in there...or if Mills and Perry are ejected, Blatt and Houston are installed.

[moocow007]

This is Mills trying to extend and deflect.

He either hires or suggests they hire Blatt. He then parades Blatt around to James Dolan as this great winner and who will help the Knicks out. Dolan, like an idiot, buys hook line and sinker into this. Mills job safe.

Let's be real. Blatt is a great head coach. Just like Phil Jackson is a great head coach. But like Jackson, Blatt has no front office experience. So the notion that he's actually going to be able to contribute something useful to the biggest problem with the Knicks (the incompetency of the front office) is remote at best. This is Jackson all over again even if not by title.

If Mills and the Knicks were really really really interested in improving the front office function they would actually go all out for someone that actually has NBA front office experience (successful front office experience), pay that person a gazillion, bazillion, shama-lama-illion bucks to tell Mills how to actually run a team.

But they won't (or rather Mills won't) cause it would threaten his position.

This is another one of these...



Meant to try to do this...



on this little man...

[moocow007]

People keep saying this is Mills trying to save his Job. It looks more like to me is that Mills is moving AWAY From his job. The worst thing Mills could do to save his Job is to show that he needs "Help" This Blatt Hiring is Highlighting that some form of Help is needed. You dont show that your trying to save your Job by hiring Blatt. It actually makes you Look worse in the Grand Scheme of things. Blatt will have no impact on the team playing so it does nothing for mills. Mills is prob going to be sent to the somewhere in MSG and this is just preparation which in that sense is a good hire for the role. Blatt will not take over operations even when Mills is gone.

I think this is the most likely scenario. Mills will be moved to financial. Blatt is here to advise on any trades until we get a new FO. That's what I hope.

This move doesn’t happen without Steve Mills making it happen.

For sure it seems like a gamble because Blatt could replace him (or Perry), but to me it reads as a transparent political ploy to empower the Mills regime to make moves this season.

Instead of firing Mills, Dolan gives him a paycheck for a college buddy with the same Ivy League namebrand pedigree.

Looks like a hedge giving Mills license to save the season in case they can’t get Ujiri.

If it works, great— Dolan looks like a hero. If it doesn’t, Dolan throws his hands up and says, “well Mills and Blatt went to Princeton after all. How was I supposed to know? Now lemme throw money at Ujiri or the next namebrand savior.”

Blatt has no front office experience. He's not going to be able to successfully supplant Mills. That's why Mills hired him. You hire a big name that you can trot out there to Dolan like a little show pony (like Jackson). If something good happens out of this, Mills takes the credit. If something good doesn't happen out of this (more likely), Mills will have another one of these...

[moocow007]

Again, IF the goal was to really bring in a front office consultant, then wouldn't you actually bring in someone that has some real proven strong track record? Like the Warriors did when they brought in Jerry West? And like the Clippers did when they brought in...well...Jerry West? West had already shown he knows how to build great teams. Why would you bring in a big name that has no front office experience? This is Jackson all over again. At the very least this is a pure graft move which, considering the sad state of the Knicks, is something that they don't need to be doing.

[moocow007]

This is not anything new. I said this when they hired Phil Jackson. It has nothing to do with me hating on Blatt (brilliant head coach) any more than me hating on Jackson (greatest head coach ever). The reality is that when you have a sinking ship you need to hire someone that knows how to plug the leaks and captain the ship to prosperity. You don't hire another sailor no matter how good a sailor he is.

[Capn'O]

Moo, stop being right! It's depressing.

[moocow007]

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Steve Mills has been at practice for 17 of the past 20 years and that didn't really help. In fact, the only time it helped was the 3 or so years he wasn't at practice (or with the Knicks).

You don't take a guy who's best strength is to coach a team and ask him to help you out with everything except coach a team. You just don't. But the general fan will (and Dolan) will eat this right up hook line and stinker (stinker cause that's what this will lead to).

The only way this would have made sense was AFTER the season and you hire Blatt to be the NEW head coach.

This move extends Mills stay and overall control of the front office.

[moocow007]

Moo, stop being right! It's depressing.

I can't help it. It's so freaking infuriating.

[thebuzzardman]

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Steve Mills has been at practice for 17 of the past 20 years and that didn't really help. In fact, the only time it helped was the 3 or so years he wasn't at practice (or with the Knicks).

You don't take a guy who's best strength is to coach a team and ask him to help you out with everything except coach a team. You just don't. But the general fan will (and Dolan) will eat this right up hook line and stinker (stinker cause that's what this will lead to).

The only way this would have made sense was AFTER the season and you hire Blatt to be the NEW head coach.

I agree with all of your takes, if you assume his role as consultant is as FO guy, in terms of running things, nuts and bolts etc

If his "FO" consulting role is around some player development stuff (he's been a good coach for a long time) and maybe scouting and contacts into the euroleagues, israeli leagues etc, maybe that has some use.

I don't doubt Mills is presenting him the way you say, but if he actually had that lesser role, not so bad.

Obviously the timing is about Mills and is a Mills PR stunt etc.

[robillionaire]

Dont mind the hire since I respect him highly and wanted the Knicks to hire him as a coach. But this may mean that Mills is safe. Maybe Blatt can knock some sense into his head regarding trades/players. Let's see what happens before it's all doom and gloom.

Knicks are addicted with ppl who star player hate first Gasol and Fiz now Blatt and LeBron.

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But Lebron liked fizdale. And so did other stars. Gasol, a B-list Star if there ever was one, was the only one who didn’t. And we saw how that worked out. So this is the opposite of that

[Zenzibar]

Mike Miller has the team playing amazingly well, so he's good for the remainder of this season at least.

David Blatt's hiring can simply mean that
the current basketball operations person, Craig Robinson may be leaving.

Also.
No coaching or front office changes are forthcoming. At least not until this season is concluded and the team's play evaluated by Dolan and now his consultant Blatt.
Blatt has front office aspirations and he may be simply getting a tutorial as a whisperer on Dolan's dime.

Dolan was smart to bring in Blatt as a consultant, as he may use his savvy and vast experience to hire the next POBO.
Soo me this smells that Mills is out at season's end.

Btw, Masai is not coming,,,,forgetaboutit. Toronto will offer him part ownership stocks (ala Magic) before they let him out of his current contract.