Mike Miller replaced David Fizdale when the Knicks were 4-18. The Knicks are now 7-21 which means the Knicks have played .500 ball since Miller took over as Interim Head Coach and are 3-1 in the last 4 games. This is exciting, confusing and terrifying all at the same time.
Exciting because it has actually been fun to watch the Knicks win some games and have a little streak of positivity which we have severely been lacking these last 20 odd years. Confusing because nothing has happened to this team other than Elfrid Payton being a serviceable Point Guard. The team seems to actually be playing cohesive basketball and folks are starting to figure out their roles on the team and trusting each other, which will take us back to this being exciting. Confusing because, David Fizdale should have been able to do this.
What makes this terrifying is that if the Knicks keep playing way and winning games there is a chance (slim... but ever present) that Mills will end up keeping his job and looking like a genius if Miller can get this team to play they way everyone expected them to before the season started and God help us, make a playoff run.
It's a real rock and a hard place situation wanting the Knicks to be a competitive team but also wanting a top 5 pick this year and a young PG to grow with the young core we already have.
Steve Mills needs to go regardless of the outcome of this season. I think that has been made pretty obvious to all including Dolan. Hopefully he does the right thing, spends the money and can get a great President to run the Basketball Operations at The Garden and help return this team to glory.
Mike Miller *could* coach his way to a full time gig but I doubt that will be in New York. A new President of Basketball Operations would not likely sign an interim coach to a long term deal of the team he just took a job with. The only caveat to that statement is if Dolan promotes Allan Houston to the job since he has been serving as the GM of the Westchester Knicks and was responsible for the hiring of Miller.
Houston and Perry could serve as a formidable duo in the front office. Young enough to relate to today's NBA. Old enough to have the experience and cache within the NBA to generate some buzz and interest in playing in New York with a solid plan on how to build and something that nobody else has had the luxury of.... Time and Patience from ownership.
The rest of the season will be predicated largely on the W-L total and how Dolan will proceed. Hopefully with the unpredictability of the remainder of the season ownership will be seeking out some long term replacements to build a solid foundation around our young core.
Fingers Crossed.