I am personally really hyped about the combination of Derek Fisher as HC and Phil Jax as our team president. This combination makes a lot of sense from all angles.
Phil Jackson is a rookie exec. trying to make all the right moves, network, connect and lead this team from the top down position. He is a sound basketball mind that can offer help to the coaching staff and the players that no other exec could possibly come close to.
On the flip side we have Derek Fisher as our HC. He's a rookie HC but a league veteran. He was also the NBAPA's player representative and represented the players in bargaining tables for the latest CBA which many players respect him for, even above what other lawyer/business/ombudsman's were able to accomplish in the same/similar role. Derek Fisher will be working with his longtime friend and colleague Pjax and bringing back a championship culture to the team. This is what we need more then anuything: Winning Culture. And starting from the top own is the way to go.
The Combonation of Derek and PJax is the most exciting part of this. Pjax can offer Fish his expertise and a coach, X's and O's as well as dealing with player's ego's. On the flip side Fish will give the Zen master a lot of help in networking, working through various player agents and assist with negotiations as jax and fish can approach the tables together in a power coupling.
There is a lot to be excited about. I didn't want to post until things were in stone, but now they are. This will lead us onward and upwards from here. Any reservations I had about PJax as an executive are now allayed and any short comings Fish might have with coaching can be uplifted with pjax's tutoring. It is the best scenario for both men and the organization. Great hiring's all around.
There's only one thing that can F#&K it up....
James Dolan.
I actually like Dolan as a person; hH is passionate about his team, Loyal to the people that he trusts and spends wicked amounts of money in order to try and bring the Knicks into the championship level. However we have seen several mistakes on basketball decisions made by Dolan, overriding his GM's, Presidents and coaches wishes to make moves he thought were savvy. If he takes a step back and allows Fish and PJax to go to work, he will be happy with the end results. If he keeps too many fingers in the pie, then there will be massive fallout for everyone. Time will tell where this all takes us.
Carmelo, STAT, TChandler, Felton, Sump and the rest of the roster are in for a shake up. It had already been an exciting off season. Lets hope the knicks can make smore more of these savvy hires in the near future.