Knicks Fire Jeff Hornacek After 2 Seasons; Team Eyeing Villanova’s Jay Wright As Potential New Coach

Jeff Hornacek’s short time with the New York Knicks is over.

Jeff Hornacek Fired by Knicks

The team announced Wednesday night after their regular-season finale — a 110-98 victory over the Cavaliers in Cleveland — that it was firing their head coach after just two seasons.

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The coach had one year remaining on his contract. Hornacek — a former Phoenix Suns coach — led the Knicks to a 60-104 overall record, the sixth-worst in the NBA during the last two years, per ESPN Stats & Information.

“Jeff is a true professional who has worked tirelessly for this organization the last two seasons,” Knicks president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry said in a joint statement. “We sincerely appreciate his efforts and considerable contributions to the team and wish him well in his future endeavors.”

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Kurt Rambis, an associate head coach under Hornacek, was also fired.

“Kurt has been a big part of the Knicks over these last four seasons, as both an associate head coach and interim head coach,” Perry and Mills stated. “We thank him for his dedication to New York and wish him the best moving forward.”

Hornacek was one of several NBA head coaches fired by Thursday morning. Frank Vogel of the Orlando Magic was also fired after a two-season tenure.

The Knicks (29-53) finished 11th in the Eastern Conference.

Among the people the team is reportedly considering to replace Hornacek are former Cavaliers coach David Blatt, former Memphis Grizzlies coach David Fizdale and former Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson. 

The Knicks are also reportedly hoping to contact Jerry Stackhouse, the head coach of the Toronto Raptors’ G-League affiliate Toronto 905.

However, according to a New York Daily News article, the Knicks are also looking to contact Villanova men’s basketball head coach Jay Wright to meet with him about possibly replacing Hornacek.

Wright just led the Wildcats to their second NCAA title in three years. He has been with Villanova since 2001. Wright’s team has only missed the NCAA Tournament once and has advanced to three Final Fours in the last 13 years.

Since Wright has built such a strong team at Nova in recent years, some people believe he may not be so keen to leave the program just yet.

The Knicks haven’t reached the postseason in five years and only count one playoff series victory in the last 18 seasons.