Lowered Expectations

Mike Dantoni has recently been linked to the New York Knicks as their newest coach. Most analysts and columnists are ripping into him, saying he is "all about the money" and that the Knick's job is the worst job of his possible options. I'm here to tell you that the analysts are wrong...heres why.

First off, coaches are constantly hired and fired, so Dantoni taking the best offer is absolutely what is best for him and his family. You never know if you will get another chance to bank on your talents, so he should take the best offer he can and run with it. The critics of the move are hypocrites, because I guarantee that if they were in the same situation they would also take the money. Very few people would throw away the chance to better their situation financially just because it isn't the ideal situation for a work environment.

Secondly, the New York Knicks position is the best of the available positions Dantoni has. The reason I say this is two fold. One, there are no expectations on him to start. No one expects the team to succeed right away, so if he misses the playoffs again he won't be fired immediately, but if he does make the playoffs with that team next year he will get praise for doing so. And it's not like the talent isn't there, he just needs to make the pieces work. Also, staying with the Suns clearly was not working, and the Bulls job is not an ideal one for anyone. Sure, they came off a disappointing year this year, but expectations are still high for the team based off past seasons. If they don't contend in the East right away with Dantoni he will immediately be on the hot seat.

Third, the Knicks are starting to turn the corner. The Isiah Thomas regime is over and Donnie Walsh has started the rebuilding process, and he is a veteran GM who will do it the right way. Also, New York is still considered one of the teams the greats go to, so when they free up money for free agents they will be able to compete for just about any player. Maybe that means getting Lebron, maybe not, but either way they still have the prestige factor on their side. Nevermind the fact that the current roster, as constructed, will be a playoff team next year should Dantoni officially take the position. And please, write that down, because I will not be wrong on this. The team is built for him to run it.

~Aaron Jackson