The New York Knicks recently met with Frank Vogel and David Blatt to discuss its vacant head coaching job, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
Phil Jackson met face-to-face with former Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel last week, the Daily News has learned.
The clandestine meeting, which is believed to have taken place in Los Angeles, also included Knicks general manager Steve Mills, according to a team source.
Frank Vogel, former coach of the Indiana Pacers, is reportedly also under consideration for the Grizzlies, Rockets, and Magic head coaching job.
Two weeks ago, Pacers President Larry Bird made the shocking announcement that Vogel will not return with the team. In six seasons as head coach, Frank Vogel guided the Pacers to a combined 250-181 record. Now, many teams including the Knicks are interested in his services.
As previously reported, the Knicks had expressed interest in Frank Vogel just days after the team parted ways with him. Now, talks have gradually become more serious, as a face to face meeting between both sides finally took place last week.
Frank Isola continued:
Jackson then met with Blatt, former Cleveland Cavaliers coach who was once Mills’ college teammate. Blatt appears to be the preferred choice of Mills, and if the Knicks hired Blatt, it could be interpreted as Dolan stepping in and siding with Mills, who figures to outlast Jackson in New York anyway.
Blatt and Vogel both remain in the running although it was erroneously reported by SNY’s website two weeks ago that the Knicks and Blatt were close to an agreement. The fact that Jackson met with Vogel last week demonstrates that Jackson is undecided. Vogel spent one season as a scout under Jackson, but the two did not work closely together.
After guiding the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in his first season as head coach, David Blatt was ultimately fired by the team earlier in the season. Tyronn Lue later was promoted as interim head coach.
Unlike Frank Vogel, David Blatt has already met with the Knicks at least once to discuss the job. The interest in Vogel and Blatt is far from new and has been stemming from the franchise for weeks.
Blatt, 56, guided the Cavaliers to an 83-40 record over his near two-season stint with the team.
The Knicks have a decision to make. Reports have indicated that Kurt Rambis is the likely option, Phil Jackson’s preferred option, but other candidates certainly remain in the mix. As Isola noted, David Blatt, Frank Vogel, and Kurt Rambis are all still in the race to become the next Knicks head coach.
