New York Knicks: 5 Coaches Who Would Take the Knicks to New Heights in 2013

The New York Knicks' season is now over and one question remains on every fan's lips: Will Mike Woodson (pictured) be the coach next year? 

According to a report by Marc Berman of the New York Post, all signs point to team management taking the interim away from Woodson's title and signing him to an extension, ultimately deciding not to pursue Hall of Famer Phil Jackson.

However, a report by Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick suggests that the Zen Master may have an outside shot at landing the job.  His championship experience and penchant for winning, not to mention his being a former player for the Knicks, are all great reasons why he could fit in New York.

Regardless of how the situation pans out, one thing is obvious. 

The Knicks need a coach who can utilize their talented players correctly and completely abandon the predictable offensive culture of former coach Mike D'Antoni.  Seeing as how the team went 18-6 after his departure, their overall potential is crystal clear.

Here are five coaches who could take them to a whole new level next year.

No. 5: Jeff Van Gundy

The odds of Van Gundy's brother Stan landing the job are probably greater, but there are a couple of reasons why he won't end up in New York.

First, he hasn't yet been fired by the Orlando Magic and there's still a chance the team could keep him aboard.  Second, the Dwight Howard soap opera he dealt with this year could make team management shy away from him, given the presence of stars Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire.

Enter Jeff Van Gundy, who coached the Knicks for five-plus seasons and was at the helm the last time the team went to the NBA finals. 

His tough defensive approach turned Marcus Camby into a star, and were James Dolan to bring him back, Van Gundy could potentially turn Amar'e Stoudemire into a defensive stud and make the Knicks consistent title contenders once again.

On top of that, we wouldn't have to worry about a headcase like Latrell Sprewell driving him to resign.

No. 4: Mike Dunleavy

One thing working in Dunleavy's favor is that he is a New Yorker, having grown up in Brooklyn and played high school ball at Nazareth Regional. 

The next thing going for him is that he has 17 years of head coaching experience, including a trip to the NBA finals his very first year doing that job with the Los Angeles Lakers. 

He also took the Portland Trail Blazers to the Western Conference finals twice and took them to Game 7 against a Shaq-and-Kobe-led Lakers team.

The crazy part?  Dunleavy almost won that game.

Simply put, he knows how to get the best out of his players and would have everyone sharing the ball to the point where the Knicks would be like this year's Philadelphia 76ers, except with players who can take over in crunch time.

No. 3: Jerry Sloan

This guy coached the Utah Jazz for nearly 23 years and twice took them to the NBA finals on the backs of John Stockton and Karl Malone. 

Were it not for a certain individual who wore the number 23, Sloan would probably have two championships on his resume.  He would have stayed with Utah, but dealing with the volatile Deron Williams just became too much for him.

He'd have his share of egos to deal with in New York, but one thing's for sure:  Under Sloan, Jeremy Lin may very well become a top point guard.

No. 2: Phil Jackson

Take a look at Phil Jackson's career coaching record, and you'll see why him coaching the Knicks or any other team would be a good idea.  He has never once missed the playoffs and has won 11 NBA championships as a coach.

Also, he used to play for the Knicks and won titles with them in 1970 and 1973.  Being the team's coach would be one hell of a homecoming, and should Dolan decide to pursue him, his hiring would strike a chord that would resonate throughout the city.

No. 1: Mike Woodson

There's no other way to say it. 

Mike Woodson is the best man for the New York Knicks' head coaching job.  Upon taking over, he led the Knicks to an 18-6 record to finish the season and—had he not had to deal with injuries to Amar'e Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin—the Knicks could have done better and might have looked better in the playoffs.

More importantly, Woodson already has the support of his players. 

At the end of the regular season, Al Iannazzone of Newsday reported that Stoudemire and Anthony wanted Woodson to return as coach for next season.  Since his two stars want the man back, team owner James Dolan should ignore any advice from Isiah Thomas and keep Woodson on board.

We saw how well the team performed under him for a short period of time.  I can only imagine what he could do in a full season.