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Knicks Rumors: Mark Jackson to Interview for Head Coach Opening Wednesday
April 17, 2018
Mark Jackson will interview for the New York Knicks' head coach vacancy Wednesday, ESPN's Chris Haynes reported Monday.
Jackson spent three years as the Golden State Warriors' head coach, compiled a 121-109 record and helped the team reach the playoffs on two occasions.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Sunday that the Knicks had three candidates they were seriously considering as Jeff Hornacek's replacement: Jackson, David Fizdale and Jerry Stackhouse.
Were the Knicks to hire Jackson, they may encounter some resistance from their fanbase.
While Jackson helped lay the groundwork for a Warriors team that would become a modern-day dynasty, it may not be a coincidence Golden State went from losing in the first round of the playoffs in 2014 to winning a title in 2015.
According to NBA.com, the Warriors were 12th in offensive rating (105.3) and sixth in net rating (5.4) in 2013-14. They climbed to second in offensive rating (109.7) and first in net rating (11.4) in Steve Kerr's first season on the sideline.
Jackson deserves some credit for helping Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green become All-Stars, but it wasn't until Kerr arrived that the Warriors became an unstoppable wrecking machine.
Then there are the circumstances that led to Jackson's ouster in Golden State.
He reportedly clashed with assistant coach Brian Scalabrine, leading to Scalabrine eventually taking a different role with the team, per Wojnarowski. Warriors majority owner Joe Lacob also publicly questioned Jackson's picks for his coaching staff. ESPN's Zach Lowe, then writing for Grantland, reported Jackson had said an injured Festus Ezeli was rooting against his Warriors teammates, which Ezeli refuted when confronted by Warriors players.
Jackson may have learned from his mistakes with the Warriors, but a number of Knicks fans may not be inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt if he's afforded the opportunity to take over the team.