New York Knicks

The top 7 Knicks coaching candidates not named 'Luke Walton'

Published Apr. 5, 2016 12:53 p.m. ET

foxsports

"The New York Knicks are an embarrassment" is a declarative truth that engrained itself in American culture long before Stephon Marbury became a folk hero in Beijing. No longer an opinion, it's now a sad, matter of fact statement, like "smoking kills" or "Jay Z is irrelevant."

But unlike the latter two sentences, New York has a slim chance to someday turn its fortune around and actually win more basketball games than it loses.

If the Knicks want to make the playoffs next season, the first thing they absolutely need to do is hire a head coach who knows how to be a head coach. Unfortunately, it appears Golden State Warriors assistant Luke Walton—arguably the most desirable candidate—may stick with the defending champs (via New York Post):

The Rambis-Jackson daily rapport has been unmatched, rarely seen between head coach and president anymore, according to observers. Rambis has no ego. They talk almost every day and have their disagreements. This is what Jackson craved — access and input he could not achieve with the headstrong Fisher running the show. If Rambis returns, Jackson will only get more involved next season, as long as his bionic hips don’t melt...For those tabbing Tom Thibodeau, who looks even more attractive because of the Fred Hoiberg disaster, it’s not happening. The Knicks also are getting a strong sense Luke Walton is not leaving the Warriors this soon.

So, outside Walton, here's a look at several possible candidates Phil Jackson should look into, and the odds they actually get to lead Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis next season.

Tom Thibodeau: 350/1

Nope. Answering to Jackson and being force-fed an antiquated offensive system/roster that can't ever win a championship isn't very appealing to Thibodeau. He'll instead hand-pick his next job, and the Knicks aren't on the list—even if they allowed him to play Porzingis 52 minutes per game.

Jeff Hornacek: 250/1

The former Phoenix Suns coach was a victim of his own success, and deserves a second chance ... somewhere. Hornacek has no connection to the Triangle Offense, though. That's a big knock on his resume. Then again, the first team he ever coached had a top-10 offense and Gerald Green as its third-leading scorer. That feels important.

Scott Brooks: 75/1

For all his faults, Brooks won 62 percent of his regular season games and 53.4 percent of his playoff games in seven wildly successful seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Yes, he made some questionable rotational decisions in the 2012 NBA Finals, but he also deserves credit for overseeing season-to-season development from Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and Reggie Jackson. (And he coached a team that beat Gregg Popovich four straight times in a playoff series, which is basically more impressive than a championship.) If the Knicks trade Anthony and hit the reset button, Brooks is a smart hire.

Brian Shaw: 20/1

Remember when Shaw was at the top of every team's list? Whenever a coach was fired, Shaw interviewed for the position before eventually getting passed over. Then the Denver Nuggets finally took a shot on him and things went epically wrong.

Counterpoint: The Triangle!

Mark Jackson: 15/1

He seems like a guy who really wants to get back in coaching, and, for all his problems, did immediately turn around a Golden State defense that was atrocious for years. Never count out the desperate.

David Blatt: 10/1

This is New York's best-case scenario, non-Luke Walton division. Blatt was fine in Cleveland, and that organization's decision to let him go had nothing to do with his record or in-game decision-making. Hire him, Phil. Do it.

Kurt Rambis 5/1

Just like the bossman likes it! https://t.co/Rbudykldfv
— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) April 5, 2016

Deep down, true Knicks fans know Jackson won't conduct an actual coaching search. He'll pick up his iPhone, open Twitter, type half a sentence then take a nap. But going outside his comfort zone to convince a superior candidate to take this job doesn't align with Jackson's persona. Rambis is easy street, so Rambis is most likely to stay.