5 Knicks head coaching options after firing David Fizdale

4. Ettore Messina

Like Becky Hammon, “NBA head coach Ettore Messina” feels inevitable. However, as one of the most coveted assistant coaches in the league, and as one of the most respected international coaches ever, Messina has the luxury of biding his time to wait for the right gig.

That alone could be enough to take him out of the running for a high-profile, volatile opening like this. He finally left the San Antonio Spurs over the summer, signing a three-year contract as head coach and president of basketball operations for Olimpia Milano overseas. That might be more preferable than dealing with such a chaotic and poorly run organization like the Knicks.

New York has the prestige and Madison Square Garden, but would Messina really want his NBA experience to go from one of the league’s best-run franchises to putting up with Marcus Morris and trying to sort out that frontcourt logjam? Probably not. He would be a great get as a four-time Euro-League champion, four-time Italian League champion and five-time Russian League champion, but Knicks fans shouldn’t hold their breath.