New York Knicks: 5 reasons David Fizdale is an excellent hire

2. Communication skills

In any profession, communication is key. If people are unable to communicate clearly with each other, tasks will not get done. In addition to wanting someone who understands today’s players, Perry and Mills wanted someone that was a strong communicator. That is another box that Fizdale checked off on the list.

Having everyone in the front office and coaching staff on the same page is integral to finding success. That all comes down to communication. If communication fails, problems arise that could easily be avoided.

Fizdale’s work as an assistant with the Heat is what gives him such a glowing review. The work he did there was excellent as the righthand man to Erik Spoelstra. Spoelstra spoke highly of Fizdale, someone he says is one of his best friends.

"“He’s a brilliant basketball mind that has exceptional, gold-standard level communication skills,” Spoelstra said recently. “He’s one of my best friends. But I say that objectively. I just think he’s one of the most talented coaches I’ve been around.”"

Former head coach, Mike Fratello, is also a big fan of Fizdale. While making an appearance on Game Time on NBA TV, Fratello also lauded Fizdale’s communication skills and how he interacts with players. Caron Butler also liked the hiring for the Knicks.

We saw firsthand that communication was lacking sometimes between Hornacek and his players. Look no further than the altercation with Joakim Noah or the handling of Willy Hernangomez.

Those are two incidents that are unlikely to happen under Fizdale’s watch.