Report: Knicks Contact Frank Vogel About Coaching Vacancy
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Knicks have reportedly reached out to former Pacers coach Frank Vogel to gauge his interest in their head coaching vacancy.
A source close to Vogel told the New York Post that Knicks general manager Steve Mills contacted the coach's reps. The source, however, stressed that Knicks president Phil Jackson has not yet decided on how he plans to proceed.
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It seems Vogel does have interest in the job, the report said.
Jackson is currently vacationing at his lake house in Montana.
The Pacers announced Thursday that they were not renewing Vogel's expiring contract.
Vogel, 42, was 250-181 in 5½ seasons with the Pacers. He led the team to the playoffs five times, including a first-round loss to the Toronto Raptors this season. The Pacers became known as one of the better defensive teams in the NBA under Vogel's leadership, but Pacers president Larry Bird said he started thinking it might be time for a change around the All-Star break in an effort to get a coach to breathe life into a sometimes-stagnant offense.
Vogel, a native of Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, led Indiana to the Eastern Conference finals in 2012-13 and 2013-14. The only season Vogel did not lead Indiana to the playoffs was last year, when star forward Paul George missed most of the year after breaking his leg in a scrimmage with USA Basketball.
With George back fully healthy this season, the Pacers pushed the second-seeded Raptors to seven games in the first round before losing.
Jackson said last month he is looking for a coach he knows and who will run the triangle offense. There are some connections between Jackson and Vogel, albeit not strong ones. Vogel worked as an advance scout on Jackson's Lakers staff in 2006, but Vogel said he only had one conversation with the coach. Vogel also hired Brian Shaw, who played for and coached under Jackson, as an assistant coach in 2011 because he wanted to work with someone who learned from Jackson.
Jackson is considering Kurt Rambis, who served as interim coach after Derek Fisher was fired in February, and former Cavaliers coach David Blatt.
The Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings are also searching for new coaches. Vogel interviewed with Houston in 2011 and has ties to Rockets general manager Daryl Morey.
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