The hunt for the next Knicks coach is over, and the man in charge is not Kurt Rambis. According to Howard Beck of Bleacher Report, the team is going to hire former Suns coach Jeff Hornacek. Beck said that the deal is not officially done, but it’s on the verge of completion and should be done soon.
Breaking: Knicks will hire Jeff Hornacek as head coach, per NBA source.
— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) May 18, 2016
On Hornacek-Knicks: It's "as close as humanly possible," per source, tho not official. Deal is expected soon, barring any unforeseen snags.
— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) May 18, 2016
Hornacek was at the helm in Phoenix for two and a half seasons. Hired prior to the 2013-14 season, Hornacek led the Suns to a 48-34 record in his first year. His second and third years weren’t as successful, and the team fired him midway through the 2015-16 campaign. The Suns accrued a 101-112 record under Hornacek and did not make the Playoffs in any of his three years.
Despite the less than ideal end to his time in Phoenix, Hornacek was still a guy whose name popped up on the coaching carousel this offseason. In addition to the Knicks, the Orlando Magic reportedly had interest in the former All-Star.
This news is rather surprising, as the Knicks reportedly were eyeing a handful of guys in addition to Hornacek, like Frank Vogel, David Blatt, and Rambis. There are plenty of questions about how Hornacek will fit in New York – which is a fancy way of wondering whether he’ll run Phil Jackson’s triangle offense or some variation of it – but this is an interesting decision by the Knicks’ front office.
