Kurt Rambis Should Not Be Named New York Knicks' Permanent Head Coach

The New York Knicks are nearing the end of another dismal and disappointing season, with a 31-47 record. A coaching change was made in early February, with Derek Fisher being fired and Kurt Rambis promoted to replace him on an interim basis. Team president Phil Jackson has said publicly that Rambis is a candidate for the permanent job, and Marc Stein and Ian Begley of ESPN.com have passed along indications that the interim coach is Jackson’s “preferred choice” and a multi-year deal could be in the works.

The Knicks are 8-16 since Rambis took over, but that does not appear to matter to Jackson as he’s willing to lean on his long-term relationship between the two.

Per Stein and Bagley:

“Kurt and I have a relationship that goes back to 2001,” Jackson said. “He knows the ins and outs, what pleases me and [what] probably I want to have changed.”

The Knicks’ record this season is really a sidebar to Rambis’ overall resume as a head coach. After 24-13 record as Los Angeles Lakers‘ head coach during the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, in the midst of a lengthy run as an assistant with the Lakers, Rambis then moved on the Minnesota Timberwolves. The team posted a 32-132 record over his two seasons as head coach, and even though there were talent deficiencies, Rambis continually appeared to be in over his head without an association to Jackson’s success.

Fisher was a hand-picked head coach and effectively a puppet that would run the triangle offense that Jackson favors. That did not work out, even if Fisher probably deserved more time, but Jackson wants to go back to the well of familiarity with Rambis, and without regard to actual qualifications to be a head coach.

Jackson’s long-term commitment to the Knicks will continually be questioned by the media, with the specter of a return to the Lakers lingering until further notice. Owner James Dolan clearly wants a big name at the head of the Knicks’ basketball operation, which isn’t necessarily wrong if said big name proves worthy (see: John Elway). Jackson’s judgment in leaning toward Rambis as the Knicks’ full-time head coach deserves to be questioned, and an executive with any other name may have his job status called into question too.