New York Knicks Fire Head Coach Derek Fisher

After a 23-31 start to their season, the New York Knicks have fired head coach Derek Fisher.

It’s been an up and down season for the New York Knicks and their fans.

After coming into the season with low expectations, the Knicks hopped off to a surprisingly decent start behind the steady play of rookie Kristaps Porzingis and star Carmelo Anthony. The team was never particularly great, but there were clear signs that the Knicks had that type of potential, sitting at .500 as recently as January 20.

The good times have failed to last, as New York has gone 3-11 since. Anthony’s surgically repaired knee has been a problem throughout the slump and the Knicks are 0-6 without him this year, but Kristaps has also played like a rookie at points and the rest of the team has struggled to pick up the slack.

Now, the hammer has apparently dropped.

According to various reports, team president Phil Jackson made the call to fire his former player and current head coach Derek Fisher earlier this morning. In the two and a half seasons he was at the helm of the Knicks, Fisher went just 40-96.

Personally, I’m never a fan of a lot of turnover within teams front offices and coaching positions. With a young star on their hands in Kristaps Porzingis, Phil Jackson and Co. obviously want to have a head coach they trust to develop KP, but they also don’t want to create so much turmoil that Porzingis gets lost in the shuffle and can never completely realize his potential.

Considering the Knicks struggles during his tenure in New York were almost completely roster based (Alexey Shved was a starter last season), this just doesn’t feel fair to Fisher. He struggled through his rookie season and at points seemed overwhelmed, but Fish has done a solid job this year and the Knicks are essentially right on pace, matching their Expected W-L of 23-31.

It might not have completely been implemented, but Fisher’s desire to run a fast paced version of the triangle offense certainly had its moments and at points, looked like something that could work long term. In today’s NBA, it’s most likely the best way to run an offense that is extremely outdated, but you essentially have to run because of Phil Jackson’s role in the franchise.

Of course, it’s better to cut ties early and get a jump on recruiting the next head coach, especially if you truly believe that Fisher just simply isn’t the guy. But after one full season of having the league’s ugliest roster and only a half of a year with a somewhat average group, Jackson better be absolutely positive D-Fish isn’t the right fit for the Knicks. God knows this team has let some great coaches get away (*cough* Doc Rivers *cough* JVG *cough* Thibs).

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Fisher’s former assistant and fellow triangle-disciple, Kurt Rambis, will act as interim coach until the end of the season. The Knicks are expected to look into signing former Jackson players Brian Shaw and Luke Walton this offseason, with many also clamoring for Tom Thibodeau to fill the position.