Knicks to reach out to Jay Wright about coaching job

The New York Knicks may want Jay Wright, but should he really want them if he makes the jump to the NBA?

After another bad season, and a 60-104 record over the last two seasons, the New York Knicks followed through and fired head coach Jeff Hornacek Wednesday night. The immediate list of candidates has featured retreads and/or those with past ties to the franchise, but the New York Daily News has reported the Knicks will reach out to Jay Wright about the job opening.

Wright of course just led the Villanova Wildcats to a second national title in the last three seasons. Interest from the NBA came after that first national title in 2016, but with a lot of openings coming that interest will surely ramp up again now.

Wright will lose key players Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges from this year’s national title squad, but the Wildcats should be good again next year and until further notice.

The road for college basketball coaches making the jump to the NBA is littered with failures. Brad Stevens is a recent success story with the Boston Celtics, but he’s the exception outside of Larry Brown’s championship success on both levels.

The Knicks should want Wright to be their next coach, so it’s no surprise he appears to be atop their list of targets to replace Hornacek. The question is why would he want them, with unquestioned job security at Villanova and a likely boost in salary that could put him among the highest-paid coaches in college hoops.

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There’s also a strong argument, if Wright were to entertain making the jump, that the Knicks don’t have anywhere near the best job that is or will be available. The Milwaukee Bucks are a playoff team with a star to build around, the Memphis Grizzlies will have one of the first picks in June’s draft and the Phoenix Suns have a promising group of young players led by Devin Booker.