It sounds like Jeff Hornacek wants a PG — can he lure one? – New York Post
New Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek possessed a bounty of point guards when he ruled the Phoenix sidelines — at one juncture juggling three studs in Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas.
In New York, with the point-guard cupboard bare, Hornacek sounded like he was campaigning to add one in free agency. The Knicks trotted out Jose Calderon, 34, and rookie Jerian Grant as the point-guard tandem in 2015-16. In March, the Knicks gambled in signing a rehabbing Tony Wroten, battling back from ACL surgery and who has yet to play for the club.
“We have a young player that’s obviously inexperienced after his first year,’’ Hornacek said at Friday’s press conference. “He’ll get better and better. Jose is kind of later in his career. If we can find a middle guy to bridge those two guys, it would be good. There’s a lot of guys out there. I’m sure Phil [Jackson, team president] and Steve [Mills, general manager] are looking at everything.’’
“If there’s something out there in free agency to bring in that guy, in between, that can help guide the younger guard and assist the older point guard, that would make the team better,’’ Hornacek added.
Of course, everything could change if Wroten returns to his Philadelphia form, and Jackson has high hopes. But Wroten still is a risk. The Post reported last week Wroten has had two ACL surgeries on his right knee, including one in high school playing football.
It’s not a strong crop of free-agent point guards, with Memphis’ Mike Conley leading the top tier. Resurgent Rajon Rondo, Carmelo Anthony’s choice, is next, but some in the organization believe he hangs onto the ball too much. Brandon Jennings, D.J. Augustin, Ty Lawson, Jeremy Lin, Miami’s unsung Tyler Johnson, Aaron Brooks and Mario Chalmers are also free agents. Sources have indicated the Knicks consider Lawson’s off-court issues too big a risk and Lin’s defense too gaping.
Hornacek has done well utilizing point guards, and the offense could use an elite ballhandler if he goes through with speeding up the Knicks, using more pick-and-rolls while still using the triangle in halfcourt sets.
Hornacek and Dragic in 2014Photo: AP
“I’ve had good success with points guards in Phoenix to get them to new levels as younger players,’’ Hornacek said. “Our team in Phoenix was really geared for up-tempo. I had a lot of little guys. I’d like to push it as much as possible to get easy buckets and you can always get into sets after that.”
With lots of attention paid to Hornacek’s triangle-with-tweaks, his defensive philosophy has gone overlooked. The Knicks’ backcourt — amid a 32-50 season, didn’t defend well at the perimeter, and Hornacek acknowledged the lapse, saying he would strive “to put more pressure on the ball.’’
“With big guys on the roster, we can’t just rely on those guys to protect the basket,’’ Hornacek said. “It starts with guards putting pressure on the ball.’’
Hornacek’s hiring over, say, Kurt Rambis, may make the Knicks a more attractive free-agent destination based on a perception he is modernizing the maligned triangle. But Charley Rosen, Jackson’s confidant, believes it’s all semantics.
“Either you run the triangle or don’t run the triangle — it’s like you’re either pregnant or not pregnant,’’ Rosen said.
Hornacek said he believes free agents are more likely to come because of the Big Apple’s energy.
“I grew up in a suburb of Chicago,’’ Hornacek said. “I think of sports towns, I think of Chicago, Boston, New York, maybe Philly. The passion in those cities. Something every athlete wants to be around. My hope is now that I’m here, we can get some of those players to come here. If you want to win, what better place to win than New York?”
Jackson seemed uncomfortable during the press conference, cutting it off prematurely before asked if he planned to finish his five-year contract. Hornacek said he didn’t discuss that with Jackson, but added his contract was set at three years strategically.
“He had three years left so he wanted to make it as mine,’’ Hornacek said. “Phil wants to bring winning basketball back to New York. I’m excited he brought me along to help do that.’’
Seton Hall combo guard Isaiah Whitehead, out of Lincoln High, tweeted he worked out for Phil Jackson’s Knicks Saturday. Whitehead is projected in some mock drafts as an early second-round selection. The Knicks have no picks but are trying to buy at least one second-round selection.
