Looks like the Knicks want to interview as many candidates as possible with the Knicks being sidelined for the rest of the season and opening day for next season delayed until Dec. Rose better not drag his feet on this and let Thibs or Atkinson get stolen away by some other team. I'd like to see this wrapped up by the end of July.
Hardy joins a growing list of candidates who are expected to be interviewed for the Knicks job. That includes Chicago Bulls assistant Chris Fleming, which was first reported by SNY on Tuesday, Philadelphia 76ers lead assistant Ime Udoka and Orlando Magic assistant Pat Delany.
They join a group of veteran coaches including ex-Knicks head coach Mike Woodson, former Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau and former Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson expected to interview for the opening.
Interim head coach Mike Miller will also get an interview with the Knicks. Team president Leon Rose was thoroughly impressed by Miller in the brief time he spent around the coach this season (prior to the suspension of the year due to coronavirus), as SNY reported.
Miller will likely get an offer to be an assistant -- or to take on another role in the organization -- if Rose doesn't name him head coach.
It's unclear who else New York will interview. Jason Kidd and Mark Jackson both have fans in the organization. There is some support in the organization for Kidd to be among those who get an interview for the opening, per sources. Spurs assistant Becky Hammon was described by a source as a name to keep an eye on for a potential interview, as Newsday first reported.
The Knicks began reaching out to potential candidates outside of Atkinson, Miller, Woodson and Thibodeau in recent days, per sources.
There is also some interest in bringing in former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown in for an interview, per sources. It would make sense if other ascendant assistant coaches, such as Milwaukee's Darvin Ham and Utah's Johnnie Bryant, get an audience with New York.
Agents and coaches who have a vested interest in the Knicks' process have long believed that Rose is most likely to hire Thibodeau. But there is legitimate internal support for Atkinson, as SNY reported last week.
As for the other candidates, Udoka, 42, was an assistant under Popovich with the Spurs for seven seasons before joining Brett Brown's staff in Philadelphia for the 2019-20 season. Udoka is Brown's lead assistant. In San Antonio, Udoka aided in the player development of Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Dejounte Murray and others. Player development is seen as a pivotal for New York, which has several young players on the roster.
Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Udoka played seven seasons in the NBA, including a brief stint with the Knicks is 2005-06.
Delany, meanwhile, hats been an assistant with Orlando for five seasons after rising through the Miami Heat organization, where he spent one season as their G League head coach and worked with Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra. He also spent four seasons as an assistant with the Charlotte Hornets.
Delany has worked with several established players early in their careers, including Kemba Walker, Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac. He's coached under Steve Clifford, who coached with Thibodeau in New York.
Fleming has coached in Denver and Brooklyn. With the Nets, he was one of Atkinson's lead assistants. Fleming has also coached the German men's national team.
The Knicks' plans to interview Udokah were first reported by The Athletic. The club's plans to interview Delany were first reported by ESPN.
If they aren't hired as the head coach, Woodson, Miller and other candidates outside of Atkinson and Thibodeau could be added as assistants on the new coaching staff.
