New York Knicks: 3 moves that will help them make the playoffs in 2021

Hiring Kenny Atkinson

After 22 games – and a 4-18 – start to the season, the Knicks elected to part ways with David Fizdale. Interim head coach Mike Miller did a fairly good job with the team (leading them to a 17-27 record). Though, it’s highly unlikely that the Knicks will elect to keep Miller as the head coach.

New York will likely begin a large-scale search for their next head coach, with Miller as a possible candidate. One candidate that the team should pursue strongly is Kenny Atkinson, who mutually parted ways with the Brooklyn Nets just days before the NBA instituted its hiatus.

Atkinson spent three and a half seasons with the Nets and helped lead them to the postseason once, and was well on his way to doing so again this season before he was fired. Overall, he finished with a 118-190 record with the Nets.

Though, what can’t be overlooked is the situation that Brooklyn was when he took the job in 2016-17. He was equipped with a team that was quickly entering a long rebuild and one that didn’t have many assets on the roster.

Atkinson helped develop that roster into a playoff team, even before the arrival of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant last summer. Atkinson would be an excellent hire for the Knicks and even before his firing, was considered as one of the rising coaches in the NBA. The Knicks should jump all over this opportunity.