New York Knicks coach David Fizdale is in the second year of a four-year deal, but it does not sound like he’s likely to see the season out, much less the contract.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Knicks president Steve Mills has begun “laying the groundwork” for Fizdale’s eventual firing, and has worked to convinced owner James Dolan that the roster he’s constructed is good enough to compete but isn’t being coached well enough. In a surprising postgame news conference Sunday after the team’s 21-point loss to Cleveland, Mills said the Knicks lacked a “consistent level of effort and execution,” a clear shot at Fizdale’s coaching.
One Knicks source said the front office is preparing to make Fizdale “the fall guy” due to the team’s 2-8 start.
Fizdale originally prioritized the Knicks job, but it has not gone the way he thought it would to say the least. The team traded its star and struck out in free agency when it came to landing stars. Mills is transparently trying to stay in Dolan’s good graces despite a 48-126 record as the team’s president, and that means throwing Fizdale under the bus, even if this isn’t completely his fault and partially down to roster construction. When that’s the way the organization is being run, it’s no wonder they’re such a disaster.
