Curious wording though - if Jackson is President... why does he have to "push" for a coach? Can't he *hire* the coach?

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15143859/phil-jackson-wants-retain-kurt-rambis-new-york-knicks-head-coach

The New York Knicks are giving strong consideration to making Kurt Rambis their full-time head coach, according to league sources.

Sources told ESPN.com that Rambis, who has served as the Knicks' interim coach since the early-February firing of Derek Fisher, is the preferred choice of team president ‎Phil Jackson, who sources say is pushing for a new multiyear deal for Rambis despite New York's 8-16 struggles since the coaching change.

Though just 8-16 since becoming the Knicks' interim coach, Kurt Rambis is the preferred choice of Phil Jackson to be the permanent man on New York's bench, sources say. Adam Hunger/USA TODAY Sports
Rambis worked two stints as an assistant coach to Jackson with the Los Angeles Lakers and has grown very close to the most decorated coach in the game's history thanks to that longstanding relationship, joining Jackson for four of his 11 championship rings. Sources say Jackson has had a much more frequent presence at Knicks practices at home since Rambis took over.

With Jackson, 70, insisting since he took his post with the Knicks in March 2014 that he can no longer handle the day-to-day rigors of coaching, sources say he sees Rambis as the coach best suited to not only run the Triangle offense he favors but also manage the team using Jackson's long-held principles.

Jackson, of course, had similar hopes for Fisher, one of his longtime on-the-court leaders with the Lakers. But New York made the abrupt decision to fire the 41-year-old just a season and a half into his five-year, $25 million deal to coach the Knicks, with Fisher sporting a record of 40-96.

ESPN.com reported at the time that a 1-9 skid after the Knicks' 22-22 start this season, on top of concerns within the organization about a fractured coaching staff and the speed of Fisher's transition from player to coach, contributed to the timing of the move. According to ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst, only the first four years of Fisher's contract were guaranteed, worth a total of $17 million.

The Knicks, though, have continued to fade since Fisher's ouster, entering Wednesday's play at 31-47, though that includes an 0-9 record when star forward Carmelo Anthony doesn't play. It remains to be seen how Anthony would respond to an elevation to full time for Rambis after saying last month he hoped Jackson, in addition to considering Rambis, would open up the position and consider external candidates, with established names such as Tom Thibodeau, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson all available ‎and possessing Knicks ties.

Jackson last publicly addressed the Knicks' coaching situation in March during the team's West Coast road trip and said then that Rambis is "perfectly capable" of coaching the club on a full-time basis.

"Kurt and I have a relationship that goes back to 2001," Jackson said. "He knows the ins and outs, what pleases me and [what] probably I want to have changed. ... We have a relationship that's much more tight [than Jackson's relationship with Fisher]."

If Rambis indeed succeeds in landing the permanent job, it would be his second full-time coaching stint in the NBA after a two-season run with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2009-10 and 2010-11. Rambis posted a 32-132 record in those two seasons with the Wolves following a 24-13 stint as the Lakers' interim coach during the 1998-99 season that was shortened to 50 games because of a lengthy lockout.

My concerns with rambis is what he's trying to make kp...a low post player. Also don't like his minutes/rotations. But most of all rambis won attract free agents cuz his overall record sucks

nixluva wrote:Is this really news? Wasn't Phil already considering Rambis as an option? There's nothing new in the article. All they did was highlight the obvious that Phil is "giving strong consideration" to making Rambis permanent. That doesn't mean that he WILL make Rambis the Head Coach. This notion that Phil has to "push" for keeping Rambis is also kind of silly. Why would that be something he would have trouble getting done?

One reason I was thinking Phil would replace Rambis was to help with FA's this summer in addition to actually getting a coach that might have a better rapport with the players. But if Phil doesn't really care about how that will impact things in FA, then I can see him sticking with Rambis. He knows what to expect with Rambis and they have a very close relationship. Personally I would rather see a new coach but i'm not gonna be bent out of shape if Rambis stays. IMO the most important thing is improving the roster. It always starts with the talent.

Also Rambis is not ruining KP. He's seriously trying to help the kid expand his game. I trust their developmental skills. They did a very good job with Bynum.

+1 KP was starting to really turn it on before the injury . We have a dominant front court we just need to upgrade the backcourt. If Phil can get Kurt a backcourt you got to give him a fair shot.

I think When we bring a starting backcourt of Sasha and Jose it's amazing we can even win games .

I like that Phil is attending more practices with Kurt .

Phil get us a backcourt please!

Clean wrote:

joec32033 wrote:If Rambis is coach, we riot.

If this happens I think i'll just give up. I don't think I have any energy left to deal with anymore franchise crippling mistakes.

Keeping doing you Phil, keep doing you. Rambis, the best man to lead this team out of the darkness. LMFAO.

crzymdups wrote:

nixluva wrote:Is this really news? Wasn't Phil already considering Rambis as an option? There's nothing new in the article. All they did was highlight the obvious that Phil is "giving strong consideration" to making Rambis permanent. That doesn't mean that he WILL make Rambis the Head Coach. This notion that Phil has to "push" for keeping Rambis is also kind of silly. Why would that be something he would have trouble getting done?

One reason I was thinking Phil would replace Rambis was to help with FA's this summer in addition to actually getting a coach that might have a better rapport with the players. But if Phil doesn't really care about how that will impact things in FA, then I can see him sticking with Rambis. He knows what to expect with Rambis and they have a very close relationship. Personally I would rather see a new coach but i'm not gonna be bent out of shape if Rambis stays. IMO the most important thing is improving the roster. It always starts with the talent.

Also Rambis is not ruining KP. He's seriously trying to help the kid expand his game. I trust their developmental skills. They did a very good job with Bynum.

Yes, it's news. Because people thought Jackson might be able to put the team ahead of his massive ego. News flash! He can't and won't even think about it.

He keeps trying to make triangle happen.

nixluva wrote:Is this really news? Wasn't Phil already considering Rambis as an option? There's nothing new in the article. All they did was highlight the obvious that Phil is "giving strong consideration" to making Rambis permanent. That doesn't mean that he WILL make Rambis the Head Coach. This notion that Phil has to "push" for keeping Rambis is also kind of silly. Why would that be something he would have trouble getting done?

One reason I was thinking Phil would replace Rambis was to help with FA's this summer in addition to actually getting a coach that might have a better rapport with the players. But if Phil doesn't really care about how that will impact things in FA, then I can see him sticking with Rambis. He knows what to expect with Rambis and they have a very close relationship. Personally I would rather see a new coach but i'm not gonna be bent out of shape if Rambis stays. IMO the most important thing is improving the roster. It always starts with the talent.

Also Rambis is not ruining KP. He's seriously trying to help the kid expand his game. I trust their developmental skills. They did a very good job with Bynum.

With a legit back court to go with our front court i do believe that Rambis can win but the season is almost over and in every post game he's still talking about how far the guys we have now are away from knowing the triangle and where to be and what to do so now we have to bring in some new players that have to learn a system that the guys we have now can't get down in a full season. That's not good.

I won't be shocked or too angry if he's hired but it's not something i would be looking forward to.

newyorker4ever wrote:

nixluva wrote:Is this really news? Wasn't Phil already considering Rambis as an option? There's nothing new in the article. All they did was highlight the obvious that Phil is "giving strong consideration" to making Rambis permanent. That doesn't mean that he WILL make Rambis the Head Coach. This notion that Phil has to "push" for keeping Rambis is also kind of silly. Why would that be something he would have trouble getting done?

One reason I was thinking Phil would replace Rambis was to help with FA's this summer in addition to actually getting a coach that might have a better rapport with the players. But if Phil doesn't really care about how that will impact things in FA, then I can see him sticking with Rambis. He knows what to expect with Rambis and they have a very close relationship. Personally I would rather see a new coach but i'm not gonna be bent out of shape if Rambis stays. IMO the most important thing is improving the roster. It always starts with the talent.

Also Rambis is not ruining KP. He's seriously trying to help the kid expand his game. I trust their developmental skills. They did a very good job with Bynum.

I'm sure the part of Phil having to push for his hiring is just writer talk......actually this is all just writer talk even though it's something we've all had in the back of our minds as a big option of Phil giving the full time gig to Rambis. I absolutely do see his hiring being something that free agents will have in mind about how we'll definitely now be a complete triangle team and about his record as a head coach and not sure they'll look at the fact that his bad record mostly came from really bad teams in Minnesota.

With a legit back court to go with our front court i do believe that Rambis can win but the season is almost over and in every post game he's still talking about how far the guys we have now are away from knowing the triangle and where to be and what to do so now we have to bring in some new players that have to learn a system that the guys we have now can't get down in a full season. That's not good.

I won't be shocked or too angry if he's hired but it's not something i would be looking forward to.

I think he'll have to convince Melo and Dolan that Rambis is the right move.

You know - the actual decision makers in the organization.

knicks1248 wrote:

Clean wrote:

joec32033 wrote:If Rambis is coach, we riot.

If this happens I think i'll just give up. I don't think I have any energy left to deal with anymore franchise crippling mistakes.

I will definitely be done with the knicks, this board, and NBA league pass.

To hire a coach just because he is your friend, but clearly isn't qualify (why wasn't he your first choice, instead of a player) shows just how narrow minded phil is. he basically is saying, I'm not hiring or interviewing any other coach, and no other system works but the triangle....

if phil does this, he certainly will get a "Fck U phil" Tshirt delivered to his office.

I agree. like this will be a new low. I can deal with the tanking, new coaches, new philosophy...but this is straight up nepotism at its finest. this is stubbornness. phil is getting on my last nerve. ill see what he does this summer. but my patience is running thin