David Blatt, the head coach with the highest wining percentage to ever be fired, is now back on the market. While he still is without a head coaching job for next year, there are a few teams that stand out as potential fits for Blatt to get a fresh start.
When David Blatt left Israel and returned the States to coach the Cleveland Cavaliers, he, along with most people, assumed the team he was inheriting was young and not nearly a finished product. But then a talented veteran forward named LeBron James signed with the team. That was followed by trading Andrew Wiggins for another talented veteran named Kevin Love. Suddenly, the team was no longer in development, with minor expectations. Now the team he took over was a veteran-laden squad that had only one expectation: winning a championship.
And while he did lead them to the Finals in his first year, and they were a 1-seed this year at the time of his firing, rumors of locker room problems were persistent through his tenure.
Despite his plenty of experience overseas, Blatt still has had only a short time in the NBA, and an ideal setting for him would be with a much less experienced team that can develop with him.
One landing spot for Blatt could be in New York with Phil Jackson and the Knicks. While not necessarily a young team, the Knicks are rebuilding, centering their future around Kristaps Porzingis. In a recent article by Harvey Araton of the New York Times, he revealed how Blatt presented his strengths to Jackson in his interview last month:
“He pitched himself to Jackson as a defensive-minded coach who, while playing collegiately at Princeton, was reared on the joy of a deliberate, five-man offense and therefore amenable to embracing Jackson’s beloved triangle. He reminded Jackson that he initially went to Cleveland in 2014 to coach a young, undisciplined Cavaliers team, a work in progress. “
Blatt clearly touched on some of the talking points Jackson is looking for in his coach. Obviously, being willing to implement the triangle offense is a great start, and New York has the potential to be a strong defensive unit that he can help mold. It likely wasn’t a good idea for Blatt’s first NBA experience to be attempting to lead a team with the best player on Earth to the Finals, so a new start with a team in transition would, in theory, be a much better place for him.
Jackson does want someone who he had previous ties with, something Blatt does not have, but general manager Steve Mills was teammates with Blatt at Princeton, potentially helping the connection issues.
However, Blatt to New York is no sure thing. Jackson does want someone he knows, and current interim head coach Kurt Rambis is, unfortunately for Knicks fans, very much in the discussion. Luke Walton is out of the picture now with his move to LA, but another name that is an option now is Frank Vogel. Vogel also doesn’t have direct connections with Jackson, but has publicly spoken of his admiration for him and fits a lot of the characteristics Jackson is looking for.
If Blatt doesn’t find a home in New York, he has a couple other options. Blatt is set to interview with the Kings, which aren’t really a good fit for any head coach, but they have very low expectations that would give him the chance to mold them into his own team, an opportunity he didn’t get in Cleveland. However, the just-fired David Joerger of Memphis is being heavily linked with Sacramento, seemingly putting him to the front of the list, and pushing Blatt back down.
The Pacers could be another option for Blatt, as a strong defensive-minded team that needs a new direction on offense. The Cavs were very successful on offense under Blatt, although it is likely they would succeed on that end regardless of coach. Larry Bird wants to play faster, which is something Blatt’s team have not done, but he should at least get some consideration in Indiana.
Blatt’s future is not clear. The best fit for him, and the place where he appears to be in the strongest contention, is New York. His style will likely fit with Jackson’s mentality, and it will give him the opportunity to make a team his own.
Even if he can’t land the Knicks job, David Blatt deserves another opportunity in the NBA, and it’s only a matter of time until he gets that chance.
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