Should the New York Knicks keep Mike Miller as their head coach moving forward?
The last time the New York Knicks were a playoff-caliber team was during the 2012-13 season. Since that year, the Knicks have rotated through seven new head coaches, all of which have failed to establish themselves in New York and build a successful team. It is unusual for a team to go through seven different leaders and not find a capable one.
This reality attests to upper management’s inability to locate and hire talent. Last season, the Knicks stuck with David Fizdale, who was fired this past December and replaced by G-League coach Mike Miller.
The 2019-20 season has been a breeding ground for potential head-coaching options, like Tom Thibodeau and more.
However, some could make the argument that Miller is just as capable as any of them, having helped the Knicks to a 17-27 record after starting the year 4-18 under Fizdale. Miller inherited a “flawed” roster and youth talent that was in need of rejuvenation.
Miller went on a few small win streaks and helped the confidence and motivation of the team, and with such little time and assistance, he managed to extract some sort of positivity from the year.
With the roster full of young talent and potential, Miller could offer the most in terms of value and preparation. He has worked diligently with the next younger players in the G-League, making him a quality replacement for Fizdale in the long run. The Knicks could look to give him the 2020-21 season to prove his worth, and then move on if he is unable to show any signs of progression.
Giving him a larger sample size of games to justify his retention seems fair, but with the Knicks overhauling the front office and hiring Leon Rose as their new president, anything could change. Rose, who was a former super agent for the NBA, understands the monetary side of players in contract negotiations, and he could look to inflict his mentality on the coaching staff and piece together his own grouping.