Mark Jackson—Chauncey Billups Deserved Knicks Hire Says Al Harrington

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 05: Al Harrington attends Lexus Uptown Honors Hollywood at Neue House Hollywood on February 05, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images)

The New York Knicks are in a rebuilding mode.

The orange and blue named Tom Thibodeau as head coach and have Leon Rose and William Wesley in their fron office.

Their roster currently house RJ Barrett, Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, Dennis Smith Jr, Julius Randle and more.

While Chris Paul trade discussions are plentiful, what’s missing in the meantime? “Everything,” former Knicks Al Harrington tells me.

“Where do we start? We don’t have a star. I get a lot of love from the Knicks organization so I’m just talking as a fan. I just – it just seems like that we can’t get out our own way. It’s just things. We have no luck. It’s weird man and I’m a die-hard – you know, not as hard as Spike Lee. I won’t say that. He’s the OG of that and they kicked him out arena; which is crazy. But, we just can’t get out our own way man… I don’t know but, I’ma die with my Knicks. I don’t know. We need everything; we need a star. I guess we got a coach; like I said, Thibodeau is a good coach but, I think that Wes, I think that Leon and all those guys can bring some pizazz back into The Garden but I personally think if it was me, I would’ve hired young man.”

Drafted at the age of 18, Al Harrington was one of the youngest NBA players in league history.

The Orange, New Jersey native played 16 seasons in the NBA and suited up for the Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, and Washington Wizards. Harrington briefly played overseas with the Fujian Sturgeons of the Chinese Basketball Association.

Harrington wants to see more done. “Like I would’ve hired young,” he told me.

“I would’ve brought in somebody like Chauncey Billups as my general manager, I would have hired Mark Jackson as the head coach…like I would’ve spoke to the culture of the Knicks like, — they gotta make the Knicks… because as a free agent it’s like, how can you not consider New York? It’s New York City! It’s so much opportunity here. It’s something that they’re not selling. I think when you think about the people that have been there in the past that have been in charge of selling on the Knicks and selling the opportunity, they’re just out of touch. They don’t even know. With the Knicks, the general manager should be driving around in a Cullinan, you know what I’m sayin’? Like, it’s just a vibe. It’s New York bro! It’s the greatest place on Earth! So you have to bring that energy! When the players walk out, I want to see my GM jumping in the back of a Cullinan going home at night like, “We the Knicks bro! This is Broadway! Everything starts here!” and I must think that’s the vibe that they’re missing; the lifestyle and – every free should want to play for the Knicks. Like n****s should be knocking down the door trying to figure out how to put on a Knick uniform. And they’re just missing it man. But I think that Wes with his relationships hopefully and like you said with all the guys that they got and Steve Stoute; so hopefully Steve and them can revive that thing for us and get us back on the right track. Because like I said, that’s New York and New York is always supposed to be good man…”