Will New York Knicks Hire a Coach to Build an Offense Around Melo?

The New York Knicks are now looking for a coach after the resignation of Mike D’Antoni Wednesday afternoon. The issue is about who the Knicks will hire and whether or not that man and his philosophy will fit better with franchise star Carmelo Anthony.

It was blatantly clear and well-publicized that Anthony and D’Antoni did not mesh well together, and now the Knicks have an opportunity to turn things around for the franchise moving forward.

Assistant Mike Woodson will take over as interim head coach and probably will do so for the rest of the year, but it is unclear if he is a long-term solution to the Knicks’ woes, especially considering he is a defensive-minded coach.

The early favorite in the race right now is retired former Bulls and Lakers coach Phil Jackson. There is no definitive word yet on whether or not Jackson would be interested in coming out of retirement and to the Big Apple.

However, it is clear the Knicks need a guy who can manage superstar egos and incorporate great players into his offense. Phil Jackson has proven he can do that.

In his triangle offense, perimeter players like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant thrived. Anthony is a bit different than those two guys, but it stands to reason that he too could fit well into the triangle.

Unlike most systems, the triangle can strike a pretty even balance between a superstar who can work in isolation situations and ball movement for open shots. That’s the type of system Anthony desperately needs in New York, one that can use his individual strengths while at the same time keeping his teammates involved.

With the three point shooters and talented big men the Knicks have, the entire team could fit well into Jackson’s triangle system.

Another name that has popped up recently is Jerry Sloan. Sloan is an example of a bad fit for a couple of reasons.

First, Sloan ran the same offense for two decades in Utah and would probably bring it with him to New York. It relies on strong point guard and post play, which would tend to leave Anthony out of the equation.

Also, the Knicks really don’t have the point guard necessary for that system. Jeremy Lin is good, but he isn’t a Sloan-type point guard.

The hiring of Sloan by the Knicks would further alienate Anthony and not improve the Knicks much in terms of competing for championships.

Other names have already surfaced too, like Jeff Van Gundy, Nate McMillan and even Isaiah Thomas. I know that last suggestion scared all the Knicks readers out there.

Jackson appears to be the best fit so far, as he can provide an offense built around Anthony that will keep the whole team invested.

The question remains as to whether or not he’ll be up for the job though.

No matter who the Knicks hire, they better make sure he is a guy who will make Anthony the major feature of the offense. It’s a must. If they don’t, they could have a repeat of the D’Antoni situation all over again.