With the hiring of Phil Jackson, many fans believed the Knicks made the right move to hire Derek Fisher as their head coach while others did not. The Knicks lost Iman Shumpert, Tyson Chandler, and J.R. Smith to the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Dallas Mavericks, leaving a huge hole in the team’s roster for management to fill. Although the team lost a couple of good NBA players to rival teams, there are also a few players that have been improving and stepping up their game. The addition of rookie power forward/center Kristaps Porzingis also contributed to the team’s overall ability to compete in the NBA. Of course, the Knicks still had their star player  Carmelo Anthony. The biggest question is: are the Knicks having a terrible season because of the players they have or because of the head coach that is leading them? According to ESPN.com, the Knicks have a record of 23-32 through their first 55 games of the season and are 3rd in the Atlantic Division. The team leader, Carmelo Anthony, is averaging 21.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.2 assists a game, while Jose Calderon is averaging 1.0 steals a game, and Kristaps Porzingis is averaging 1.9 blocks a game.

After the firing of Derek Fisher, Porzingis spoke to the media about his thoughts on the matter:”It was tough for me to find out. We have to move forward from this and keep going and learn from the coaching that we have.” Of course, the firing was met with much surprise considering Phil Jackson coached Derek Fisher for several years with the Lakers. Many believed their bond would make the Knicks successful, but Jackson decided enough was enough. Fisher was fired and the Knicks are now left without a head coach.

With Fisher out of the picture, the Knicks are already looking for new coaching possibilities that would better suit the team. Some coaches in question include former Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and Golden State Warriors assistant coach Luke Walton. According to FoxSports.com, “Phil Jackson just declared war on the Lakers.” This means that not only are the Knicks looking forward to having Luke Walton as their head coach this offseason, but the Lakers are also competing to get him and replace their head coach, Byron Scott. The Knicks also have a chance to make some maneuvers and get good players before the trade deadline ends on February 18. However, it seems like the Knicks are in for another miserable and losing season.