Many thought Rambis was the front-runner for the full-time gig because of his relationship with Jackson and dedication to the triangle offense, but the “Zen Master” instead opted to go with Hornacek.
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Derek Fisher was ousted as the Knicks’ coach on February 8 after a 23-31 start to his second season.
The first reports that Hornacek had agreed to coach the Knicks emerged in mid-May, but the two sides had been working on the terms of the deal before announcing the partnership.
6 burning Knicks questions: Knicks president Phil Jackson and Jeff Hornacek will have some spinning to do Friday at the new coach’s introductory press conference at the team’s Tarrytown headquarters.
High-scoring forward Carmelo Anthony was unable to keep the Knicks from posting three losing seasons in a row.
Image: Former Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek.
Amid a rash of injuries and chemistry issues, the Suns had a 14-35 record and had fallen into 13th place in the 15-team West when Phoenix cut ties with him.
In addition to Rambis, Jackson had been thought to be considering ex-Cavaliers coach David Blatt, but he apparently liked what he heard in a pair of meetings with Hornacek last month, including one in Manhattan that led to a tour of the Knicks’ facilities in suburban New York City. They also don’t have the quick, playmaking guards Hornacek had with the Suns that enabled him to play small and fast often.
The New York media has welcomed Hornacek with bent arms that they’re itching to open to a coach who’s more of a symbol of the modern National Basketball Association game. That said, Jackson (Bulls) and Hornacek (Jazz) competed against one another on the grandest of National Basketball Association stages for multiple seasons.
“I am extremely excited and honored to be the next coach of such a historic franchise”, Hornacek said.
Hornacek was 101-112 in 2 1/2 seasons with the Phoenix Suns, and finished runner-up in Coach of the Year voting following the 2013-14 season. He appeared in 140 career playoff games, including back-to-back appearances in the NBA Finals with the Jazz in 1997 and 1998.
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– Hornacek retired following the 1999-2000 season.
