Knicks rumors: David Blatt could be next head coach

If David Blatt wants to coach in the NBA again, he may get a clear opportunity with the New York Knicks.

After firing Jeff Hornacek within hours of their season ending last week, the New York Knicks are starting to extend their search for a new coach. The rumored list includes Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, Jay Wright, Mike Woodson and David Fizdale, and now ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has reported the Knicks have set up a meeting with David Blatt.

Blatt just led a Turkish team to a Eurocup title, to add to what is already a very good resume as a head coach overseas. But his first shot as a head coach in the NBA was as successful as it was abbreviated, with an 83-40 regular season record and an Eastern Conference title over less than two seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was fired with a 30-11 record in the middle of the 2015-16 season, immediately learning the hard way that you have no job security in Cleveland if LeBron James doesn’t want you as his coach.

Blatt has said he wants another chance in the NBA, and he’s a possible candidate for a good number of the current or looming job openings around the league.  He was teammates at Princeton with Knicks’ president Steve Mills, which made Blatt a rumored candidate for the New York before Hornacek was hired.

Now that Phil Jackson is well out of the way, and Mills has more of a voice in process of hiring the next coach alongside general manager Scott Perry, maybe the second time will be the charm with Blatt.

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Given the general level of ineptitude, and at times dysfunction, enjoyed by the Knicks since James Dolan became majority owner, the head coach is never on stable ground. But Blatt’s relationship with Mills may help them finally land the right guy.