The Garden Grasp

4/25/08

Donnie Walsh’s first order of business is complete. Although he chose not to fire Isiah Thomas, demoting him to a non-descript role appeases both the owner & fan base to a certain extent. Whether Thomas will be banished to scouting talent overseas or devising ways to sell more popcorn remains to be seen, but Walsh has assured the masses that Thomas will no longer have any responsibility for directing the team. In Walsh’s first few weeks on the job, he’s determined that the Knicks will only get better if there are new voices directing the basketball operation at every level.

Walsh must now move quickly to hire a new head coach. Mark Jackson appears to be the prime candidate for the opening, but reports of George Karl & Chuck Person as potential applicants have begun to surface. Herb Williams has thrown his hat into the ring, but Walsh would be best served trying to erase the memory of the past 7 seasons. Although Williams has been loyal to the organization and has Charles Oakley’s endorsement, his presence in the locker room has done nothing to improve the performance of an underachieving group.

The case for hiring Mark Jackson boils down to a simple concept: the Knicks need a familiar & well-respected individual on the bench while Walsh works behind the scenes to reduce payroll in preparation for the 2010 free agent class. Considering Jackson’s lack of coaching experience, one would assume that his hiring would be a public relations move. Others may counter that hiring a retread would result in another Don Chaney/Larry Brown-type fiasco.

The book on Mark Jackson is well known. The Brooklyn-born point guard developed his passion for passing on the asphalt of Queens playgrounds. He would go on to star at St. John’s University under the direction of the legendary Lou Carnesecca. Drafted by the Knicks in 1987, he would win the Rookie of the Year award. One year later, he would be named to the NBA All-Star team. Jackson played for the Knicks from 1987-1992 before being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Charles Smith, Doc Rivers & Bo Kimble. He would return to the team in 2001 for a second tour of duty and help lead Jeff Van Gundy’s team to the last memorable playoff run at Madison Square Garden.

During Jackson’s 17 year NBA career, he would play for 7 teams while studying the nuances of the game under the direction of Rick Pitino, Pat Riley, Larry Brown, Jeff Van Gundy & Jerry Sloan. Moreover, he would finish his illustrious career as the second leading assists man in league history. Although Jackson chose broadcasting over coaching after retirement in 2004, his knowledge of the game is unquestioned. For a 2007-08 Knicks team that ranked dead last in assists, Jackson could certainly teach the principles of ball movement, spacing & how to effectively run a diagramed play to the likes of Jamal Crawford & Nate Robinson.

Jackson & Walsh’s relationship is well documented. Walsh acquired Jackson in a 1994 trade for Pooh Richardson and teamed him in the backcourt with Knicks nemesis Reggie Miller. Walsh then traded Jackson in 1996 to acquire Jalen Rose from the Denver Nuggets. The Pacers would falter with Rose at first, which led Walsh to re-acquire Jackson. Overall, Jackson would spend 6 seasons with Pacers and participate in countless playoff battles against the Knicks. Additionally, under then rookie head coach Larry Bird, Jackson would direct the Pacers to their only NBA Finals appearance in 2000.

A third stint at Madison Square Garden would be fitting for the legendary playmaker who was the proverbial “coach on the floor”.

The idea of Jackson calling out plays from the bench would be a welcomed sight for Knicks fans who have been subjected to watching Hall of Famers coach the team to innumerable losses. Since Jeff Van Gundy’s departure made way for former NBA Coach of the Year, Don Chaney to take over, the Knicks have been mired is a prolonged losing streak. For all their past accomplishments as players & coaches, Chaney, Lenny Wilkens, Larry Brown & Isiah Thomas failed miserably at trying to restore a once proud franchise. Unlike these four, Jackson would offer a fresh prospective that should invigorate the team. For a team sorely lacking leadership, Jackson would immediately fill that void. His take charge, no-nonsense approach was his calling card as a player and makes him such an appealing coaching candidate. Clearly, Jackson would need veteran assistants to surround him, but his candid approach and proven track record as a New York Knick would be a great fit for a team faced with a 2-3 year rebuilding period.