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playa2
Posts: 34922
Alba Posts: 15
Joined: 5/15/2003
Member: #407
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The Knicks need a kick
by Steve Kerr
January 14, 2004
Lenny Wilkens? Lenny Wilkens! Oh my. If there's one thing Isiah Thomas can do, it's shock us.
A week after surprising everyone by delivering the NBA's biggest trade of the season, Thomas stunned basketball fans on Wednesday by hiring Wilkens, the league's all-time winningest coach, to lead the New York Knicks.
Perhaps Wilkens is Isiah's version of Hubie Brown or Joe Gibbs – a wise old sage returning to show the young ballers how to play the game. The problem is that the Knicks are a veteran team in need of fire and passion – two things Wilkens doesn't have much of anymore.
Anyone who saw the Toronto Raptors play during Wilkens' last year and a half as their head coach might question whether New York hired the right man. To be fair, the Raptors were decimated by injuries. But that's no excuse for not competing. That team lacked intensity and caved in down the stretch last season – something a coach cannot allow.
There's no denying Wilkens' knowledge and love of the game. I played for him in Cleveland with some very good Cavaliers teams, and he was an excellent coach. His offensive sets were solid, with good spacing and ball movement.
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He was a veteran's coach – not a disciplinarian, but perfect for an experienced good team. He provided direction and knowledge, and we won a lot of games.
The only thing missing, I felt, was an occasional outburst or motivational speech. That's just not Lenny's style, which was okay for a Cavaliers team that featured veterans like Mark Price, Larry Nance and Brad Daugherty. But for a Knicks team wallowing in mediocrity and in need of a good kick in the pants, I'm not sure if Lenny is the man.
Isiah might have been better served by following the example of fellow GM Kiki Vandeweghe. A year ago, I watched a young Denver team led by Jeff Bzdelik compete night-in and night-out despite a shortage of talent and a terrible record.
But their hungry young coach – who Vandeweghe had hired – worked tirelessly to establish a winning culture and motivate a talentless team to play hard all season. And while that team didn't win many games, it laid the foundation for this year's Nuggets, who are the surprise team of the NBA.
Bzdelik's task was not an easy one. It took energy and countless hours of work, discipline and persuasion to get his team to change its ways. The Knicks are not a young, talent-challenged team like Denver was, but they are in a position where they need a similar change. Not just a coaching change – an attitude change. A change of culture. An infusion of energy and fire.
Can Lenny Wilkens provide that? Is he the right man for the job? It's tough to imagine. Time will tell.
One thing is for sure: If it doesn't go well for Lenny and the Knicks, don't be surprised if Isiah shocks us all over again.
Steve Kerr knows coaching you got to respect his knowledge, he had phil jackson, popovich as coaches.
JAMES DOLAN on Isiah : He's a good friend of mine and of the organization and I will continue to solicit his views. He will always have strong ties to me and the team.
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