Talk about Friday news dump.
The Knicks fired David Fizdale as their head coach late Friday afternoon. This after he ran the morning’s practice. That itself was strange that they would make him do that just to make their decision at the end.
Nothing strange about the team firing its head coach on a news dump since this news registered a yawn from Knicks fans. They know firing a head coach does not make news since the disease does not go away with Knicks CEO James Dolan, Knicks president of basketball operations Steve Mills and Knicks general manager Scott Perry still running the Knicks.
It’s hard to say firing another Knicks head coach is news since everyone knew he was biding his time after Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving signed with the Nets this summer and the team not winning the lottery to get either Zion Williamson or Ja Morant. Someone would take the fall for the Knicks sacrificing last season for a high pick and bonafide free agents.
Fizdale played the fall guy role well. He made it easy since he was so incompetent as a head coach. He could not find the right rotation. He failed to develop players such as Kevin Knox, Frank Ntilikina and Mitchell Robinson. His quizzical look on the sidelines at Knicks games turned out to be a turnoff. He coached like he was not qualified.
At the end, he finished his forgettable Knicks coaching career with a 21-83 record, a .202 winning percentage. How’s that for data?
Blame Dolan, Mills and Perry for hiring this incompetent coach. Only they know what they saw in him that made him qualified over Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer. Watching Fizdale scream like a fool when he was Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra’s right-hand man never struck me as a guy who was capable of that job, let alone a head coach.
Allegedly, the Knicks hired him because of his connections with star players that would help land Durant and Irving. So much for that. Even if it’s true, it’s a fallacy. Players want to play in a winning environment where they can succeed.
The Knicks don’t provide that. Not when office politics exist. Not when losing culture permeated the entire organization. Not with Dolan’s reputation.
LeBron James did not want to waste his time and talent with the Knicks since he knew Dolan was a lost cause. That should have been the hint that Durant and Irving would not go for it, either. They shouldn’t bother thinking Giannis Antetokounmpo would sign with them.
Until Dolan and Mills are around, nothing is changing.
Of course, Dolan can hope Raptors executive Masai Ujiri is interested in rebuilding the Knicks. But why would he want to be a part of the circus when he has it so good in Toronto? Same can be said for Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti. Both know Dolan will never change.
If Donnie Walsh, Phil Jackson and so many coaches and executive couldn’t fix the Knicks, what makes anyone think Ujiri and Presti can?
Dolan is the Donald Sterling of the NBA. Everything he touches turns bad. He has zero credibility. He is hard to work for. He knows nothing about sports. His hockey franchise has been a joke, too. There’s nothing to gain with Dolan running the team.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver or some stakeholder should find a way to get Dolan out of the Knicks altogether. The Knicks owner has no interest in selling the team since he is printing money. That’s the problem.
Firing Fizdale does not become the panacea for the Knicks. Ever notice coaches and executives come and go while being well-compensated while Dolan is the constant? That’s a problem, too. It’s never good when coaches and executives fail and then leave by being well-compensated. That’s not how a functional organization operates. It’s a terrible business model.
It’s no wonder the Knicks have become a punching bag for guys such as Reggie Miller, Kendrick Perkins, Jalen Rose, Richard Jefferson, Stan Van Gundy, Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr. The Knicks bring this on themselves for putting these guys in a position to fail and smear them in the process.
Is it any wonder why free agents such as James, Durant and Irving want no part of this clown show? Is it any wonder why the franchise can’t get over its way? Why would any executive and head coach want this thankless project?
The Knicks dumped another head coach. It’s been the Knicks way. Celebrate a new savior and then taint his reputation on his way out of town.
It’s not Fizdale’s problem anymore. It certainly isn’t Mills’ and Dolan’s since they don’t care. It won’t be a problem for Perry anymore since he will be the next fall guy.
This becomes New Yorkers’ problem.
It should also be the NBA’s problem.
