Chaney +2 assistsants fired ; Wilkens hired

[slinslin]

Chaney, two assistants fired; Lenny Wilkens hired

By CHRIS SHERIDAN, AP Basketball Writer
January 14, 2004
NEW YORK (AP) -- Don Chaney and his two top assistant coaches were fired by the New York Knicks, and Lenny Wilkens was hired as the team's new head coach Wednesday, according to ousted assistant Brendan Malone.

``They fired Don, myself and Lon Kruger,'' Malone said as he left Madison Square Garden two hours before the Knicks' game against the Orlando Magic. Malone said Wilkens, the NBA leader in career coaching victories, would be the new coach.

The team called a news conference for team president Isiah Thomas to make an announcement.

The changes came on a bizarre day, even by the Knicks' standards. Chaney put the team through its morning shootaround after reading in a newspaper that he would be replaced by former NBA coach and current TV analyst Mike Fratello.

Fratello later released a statement saying he had no agreement ``in place,'' and then came the news of Wilkens' hiring.

It was the latest in a series of major changes made by Thomas, who took over for fired team president Scott Layden late last month.

Shouldn't the Suns add at least one new assistant since D'Antoni was promoted?

 

[elindholm]

Hmm, the Wilkens/Marbury pairing should be interesting.

 

[jbeecham]

The Suns hired Todd Quinter to replace D'Antoni when he was made the head coach. I don't think there was ever an article on it.

http://www.nba.com/suns/roster/

 

[fordronken]

Originally posted by jbeecham
The Suns hired Todd Quinter to replace D'Antoni when he was made the head coach. I don't think there was ever an article on it.

http://www.nba.com/suns/roster/

Who is this guy?

 

[capologist]

Quinter has been working with the Suns for years, mostly in a scouting capacity. He has been showing up as an assistant coach on the team’s NBA.com roster page at least since the beginning of this season.

 

[jbeecham]

Originally posted by capologist
Quinter has been working with the Suns for years, mostly in a scouting capacity. He has been showing up as an assistant coach on the team’s NBA.com roster page at least since the beginning of this season.

I didn't know that Quinter has been with us for that long. I just noticed his name had been added to the assistants list a little while after D'Antoni was promoted.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by jbeecham
I didn't know that Quinter has been with us for that long. I just noticed his name had been added to the assistants list a little while after D'Antoni was promoted.

Marbury (and Hardaway) has had two coaches fired on him in one season and three coaches since 2001.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Odd, there were rumors this morning it was going to be Fratello

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by thegrahamcrackr
Odd, there were rumors this morning it was going to be Fratello

There are always rumors about Fratello. He must have a really good PR guy.

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by George O'Brien
There are always rumors about Fratello. He must have a really good PR guy.

I was sure Mike Fratello was going to be the new New York Knicks head coach as early as last week. It was the way he was talking about the team on TV. I also heard that he had talked to Isaiah Thomas after one of the games. This morning I almost came on the message board and posted a "I knew it" message.

Joe Mama