New York Knicks: There’s only one problem but it’s a big one
By Eric Snyder
The entirety of the New York Knicks’ struggle can be blamed on one big issue. Unfortunately, there’s no way to fix this problem anytime soon.
The one big problem for the New York Knicks shows its ugly head all over the court. On offense, there is no direction or identity and defense is an overall struggle. Once promising talents now appear aloof and incapable of being professional basketball players.
From Kristaps Porzingis to Ramon Sessions, every player not named Enes Kanter is struggling in some way. First and second team rotations are not solidified yet for any team, including the Knicks. Many teams continue to struggle to find player combinations that work in various game situations.
However, there is one major difference between the New York Knicks and the majority of NBA teams. The Knicks have a major leadership problem in the locker room and on the court. Every other problem facing this team traces back to a lack of organizational leadership.
With Carmelo Anthony gone, there is no go-to man on offense and no scapegoat for a lack of quality management. When Melo played well and the Knicks won, everyone took credit. Yet, when Melo failed and the team lost, he was thrown under a bus driven by Phil Jackson and co-piloted by Steve Mills. Now, Carmelo is gone and the team flops like a fish out of water while Jeff Hornacek has no idea what to do.
Which way do we go?
For whatever reason, American sports culture has an infatuation with seeing coaches fired and replaced. The reality TV culture crept into sports early on and found a home online and on radio. Sometimes change, like in the Phoenix Suns-Earl Watson situation earlier this week, is needed. Yet, teams who fall in love with firing coaches become the Sacramento Kings.
From 2007 to the present, the Kings have gone through nine head coaches with most of them coaching for only two seasons. Consequently, Sacramento hasn’t had a winning record since 2006 under Rick Adelman.
So, the New York Knicks need to very careful in how they treat their current head coach. Madison Square Garden has a leadership issue that was present long before Phil Jackson hired Jeff Hornacek.
Finally, James Dolan is mostly silent and not meddling in the day-to-day operations of the team (supposedly). The two-headed front office of Mills and Scott Perry deserve time to repair that which was broken years ago.
Jeff Hornacek played much of his career under Jerry Sloan, one of the greatest coaches to ever live. But he doesn’t have anything near John Stockton to run this team and thus deserves some breathing room. If nothing else, Hornacek needs a whole season away from Phil Jackson to implement his own style. Only time will tell if Knicks management seriously desires to rebuild this team the right way.
Yes, the Knicks have a very serious leadership issue. This lack of leadership is the catalyst for every other failure seen this season. Hornacek may or may not be the long-term answer at head coach but the last thing this team needs right now is more change.
Give him some time
If the New York Knicks have a true leader on their team, he has only played seven minutes this season. Frank Ntilikina is young, but has the professional experience and mindset of a leader. His extensive time playing professional basketball in Europe can’t be discounted or overlooked. Once he is fully healthy and on the court, the Knicks become a better team immediately.
Leadership in basketball doesn’t have to come from the point guard position if the team’s best player is that harbinger. Unfortunately, Kristaps Porzingis lacks the leadership skills to match his world-class talent.
As of yet, no one else has stepped up as a player-leader for the New York Knicks either. Whether Ntilikina is that man or not, he and the rest of the team need time to develop chemistry on and off the court.
Every area of struggle for the Knicks is directly attached to their lack of leadership. An on-court leader changes the makeup of the offense and sets into motion the pace Hornacek wants. Similarly, the off-court leader alters the mindset of the team in the most positive way possible.
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Leadership issues aren’t the kind of issues a team or company can fix overnight or with one personnel move. Even with the return of Ntilikina and a solidified rotation, micro-evolution will be the name of their game. The New York Knicks’ biggest problem may remain their biggest problem the entire year.