New York Knicks Being Taught Triangle By Phil Jackson
New York Knicks team President Phil Jackson was on the court giving tutorials on the triangle offense this week.
The New York Knicks are longshots to make the postseason. Yet, they still find a way to make some headlines despite all of the losses on the court.
With the postseason unlikely, the Knicks should be focusing on evaluating talent for next season. They have started doing that, but with one caveat; it is to see how they fit and react to playing the triangle offense.
The Knicks, for good or bad, are committed to running the triangle offense. It is what Phil Jackson wants, and that much has been cemented in recent days.
According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, there were reports that Jackson was teaching the Knicks plays some things about the triangle offense. That report has turned out to be true, as head coach Jeff Hornacek shared some insight on Friday.
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"“He had our guards out there, just showing them a couple things that are kind of probably further along in the triangle process than we’re at now,” Hornacek said."
Yes, this is as crazy as it sounds. A person in the front office is on the court teaching the players an outdated system. Jackson is insistent that the Knicks run the triangle, but he is either unwilling or unable to commit to being the coach to truly teach it. The Knicks do not have the right personnel in some areas to pull it off, but things would be much easier if Jackson was on the sideline not in the front office.
All of the Knicks guards were part of the most recent session led by Jackson. Hornacek said that Jackson was teaching the players some parts of the triangle that are unlikely to be implemented this season on the court.
"“This is a little more kind of advanced, just so they see it and they have it in the back of their heads,” Hornacek said. “It’s good to kind of put that out there so when we do get to it at some point, whether it’s this year or next year, they’ll have seen it at least.”"
Yes, that is as stupid as it sounds. Why are the Knicks, a team supposedly still making a playoff push, working on parts of an offense they will not be using in games? Why waste valuable practice time on something that?
There are other things the Knicks could be working on during practice, such as perfecting whatever portion of the triangle they already know, in addition to whatever Hornacek also runs. Or how about some defense? The Knicks have struggled defensively all season; how about working on that side of the ball?
The offense has not been the problem for the Knicks this season, yet it seems to garner the most headlines. The triangle is an outdated system that needs specific players and coaches to execute. Yes, there are aspects of it used by other teams, but the system as a whole is not used by any team.
There have been players frustrated by the offense at times this season, according to sources. What is the point of adding on to that offense if it is one that players already dislike even in its simplest form?
Next: New York Knicks Takeaways From Trade Deadline
The Knicks are evaluating the roster for which players can play in the triangle. They will probably find out that very few of the players currently on the roster fit, which means the team could be undergoing another overhaul this offseason.