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Frank Vogel is free! The Indiana Pacers coach was let go Thursday morning by team president Larry Bird in an press conference that damn near matched our own Phil Jackson's exit interview in terms of smug, rambling, spit-firing horse crap:
Larry Bird: "It’s time for a new voice around here."
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) May 5, 2016
Vogel is done.
Larry Bird says #Pacers job is desirable: "We're Hoosiers, and we treat people - well, other than today - we treat people pretty good."
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) May 5, 2016
Bird: I think he did fine but it's all about motivating players and getting them to play at a higher level.
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) May 5, 2016
Bird said Vogel wasn't fired just that his contract wasn't renewed. Said if called for reference, he'd say "He's the best... The real deal."
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) May 5, 2016
Bird: My experience has been good coaches leave after 3 years. #Pacers pic.twitter.com/TiF5gpcTZX
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) May 5, 2016
As we have previously discussed, Frank Vogel is an excellent basketball coach who does have somewhat of a connection to Phil through his former associate head coach, Brian Shaw. Do you believe in fate? If so, the idea of the Knicks finding a great coach due to the hubris of the Indiana Pacers' president/NBA legend is just too juicy to resist. We deserve this, my friends. We deserve this.
Sadly, the Knicks aren't the only team missing a coach.
Rockets Could Interview 10-15 Head Coaching Candidates (Mike D'Antoni, Sam Cassell, Frank Vogel on list): https://t.co/8OJ9S2EOpa
— RealGM (@RealGM) May 5, 2016
The Sacramento Kings could also make a run -- both franchises are expected to interview (or have already interviewed) David Blatt, thus far the only confirmed non-Kurt Rambis candidate on the Phil Jackson's' radar.
Friends of David Blatt say he has returned to Israel and is awaiting word.
— Stefan Bondy (@SBondyNYDN) May 5, 2016
Crap! This could prove an elegant answer to the question of who has the more coachable roster: New York or Houston. Nine out of 10 NBA experts will probably go with the Rockets, but I believe the Robin Lopez/Carmelo Anthony/Kristaps Porzingis/Jerian Grant core trumps James Harden, Clint Capela, Patrick Beverley and the dried-up husk of whatever remains of Houston's roster. As for the Kings, they have a worse reputation than the Knicks at this point. The Knicks could actually prove the most compelling candidate. if the front office could just get its shit together.