David Blatt may get his second chance in the NBA sooner rather than later.
According to ESPN’s Ian Begley, Blatt, who was unceremoniously fired by the Cavaliers in January, is under consideration for the New York Knicks coaching job.
Team president Phil Jackson reportedly views Blatt favorably, and Knicks GM Steve Mills played with Blatt at Princeton.
The report states that, while interim coach Kurt Rambis remains a strong candidate, Jackson intends to do his due diligence and execute a full search for a permanent coach.
Blatt being under consideration is particularly interesting because he isn’t a disciple of Jackson’s preferred triangle office. It could indicate a willingness to go outside the box, whereas former coach Derek Fisher and Rambis were both committed to instituting the triangle with the Knicks. Sources told Begley that running the triangle remains a priority for Jackson, but he is not necessarily considering previous experience with the offense to be a prerequisite for the job.
It was previously reported that Rambis was Jackson’s first choice, and that may still be true, but this would signal a willingness to be a little more open in the search, though at least one other high profile coach is said to be “not happening.” In addition, Jackson’s star player wants a say in the hiring process as well.
