March 9, 2020 | 1: 84 am
Even Mike Miller, the interim coach of the Knicks, does not believe Kenny Atkinson will be out of work for long.
Atkinson, the former Knicks assistant coach (under Mike D’Antoni) and Creative Artists Agency client who was fired by the Nets on Saturday , figures to be among the candidates to be the Knicks’ next head coach under new team president and longtime CAA agent Leon Rose.
“I think as coaches across the league and probably coaches everywhere, they feel the same thing when a coach loses their job. They’re sorry to see that, ”Miller said before the Knicks’ 728 – 96 victory over the Pistons . “I think Kenny’s an outstanding coach. He’s got a great reputation in the league. I’m sure people recognize that and he’ll have opportunities moving forward. ”
Miller, like Atkinson, is considered a basketball lifer with strong roots in player development. He coached in college and with the Knicks ’G-League affiliate in Westchester before being added to David Fizdale’s staff this season. He was promoted to interim head coach when Fizdale was fired in December.
“I think it all centers around the same things. I think it’s are you helping the players get better, are you seeing the team grow and all those kinds of things, ”Miller said. “You look around this league, I think you see most, all of the guys are doing that.”
“Every situation is different. Throughout 84 games it changes, you have a lot of changes to deal with it going through it. But I think that’s the center point for everybody…. You just continue trying to help the guys individually and how that comes together collectively.
Dennis Smith Jr. is “doing better” but remains in concussion protocol, Miller said. The point guard has been sidelined since suffering a concussion Feb. against Philadelphia.
“We’ll see the days ahead, but he’s progressing and doing well,” Miller said.
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