Back In Blatt: Knicks Tab Blatt as New HC
On Friday, the Knicks announced that they hired David Blatt as their next head coach, which wrapped up what team president Phil Jackson called an "extensive search" for the vacant position. Rumor has it that the final three candidates were incumbent Kurt Rambis, who filled in for Derek Fisher after he was fired in January, Frank Vogel, who was canned by the Pacers, and Blatt. Blatt took the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in his first year, where they lost to the Warriors. His second year was filled with even more drama than the first, as he kept reportedly butting heads with star Lebron James. It is widely speculated that James pulled some strings and got Blatt fired in late January.
Blatt has an impressive coaching resume; most notably, he is a four time Israeli League Coach of the Year and a one time Euroleague Coach of the Year. In 123 games with Cleveland, Blatt went 83-40 (a .675 winning percentage) but he struggled to control the locker room. (Granted, it's hard to do that when you've got Lebron James in it.)
Blatt was likely hired for his wide-ranging success (in Europe and in Cleveland) and for his willingness to run the beloved triangle offense. So, we can expect to keep seeing the triangle for a while.
Blatt's return to the NBA will likely intensify the rivlary between the Knicks and the Cavaliers. Blatt will look to prove Lebron and Co. wrong whilst Cleveland will aim to validate its decision in firing him.
We now present a "checklist" for David Blatt's success as the Knicks Head Coach in his first season.
--- Make/keep Carmelo as happy as possible. Don't poke the bear, if possible.
---Attract free agents. Sell them on your/Phil's vision for the Knicks. Play into the lure of NY too.
---Control the locker room as much as you can.
--- Make the playoffs. (And hopefully win a series.)