Following the announcement of Steve Kerr passing on coaching the New York Knicks in favor of the Golden State Warriors, Phil Jackson and company are now back to square one in their search for a new head coach in New York.
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With Kerr seemingly being the only serious candidate for the Knicks, it remains uncertain what direction the team will go in moving forward.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, two former Lakers may be considered:
Knicks regrouping after Kerr surprised w/ Golden State choice, but sources say Derek Fisher and Kurt Rambis will be among those considered
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) May 15, 2014
Ever since Mike D’Antoni decided to resign as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, Fisher has been rumored to be a potential coaching candidate for the storied franchise. Fisher is currently backing up Russell Westbrook for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but intends to retire after this season and may choose to give coaching a try with offers in New York and Los Angeles possibly sent his way.
As for Rambis, the longtime assistant for Jackson could choose to head to New York if given the call from his former mentor. Rambis was brought on to help the Lakers on the defensive end of this season, but didn’t make much of an impact with the team finishing with the worst record in franchise history at 27-55.
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Both former Lakers would be ideal candidates for Jackson in New York due to their relationship with the 11-time NBA champion. It still remains to be seen if Jackson will pursue implementing the triangle offense in New York, but if so, Fisher and Rambis would help that transition.
Another potential candidate could be Mark Jackson. The former Knick might have to buy into Phil’s philosophy in order to get the job in New York, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him receive a request for an interview.
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