Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |
Barring an unforeseen change, Westchester Knicks G League coach Mike Miller will join David Fizdale's staff next season, per SNY sources.
Miller was named G League coach of the year in 2017-18.
Assistant Howard Eisley left the Knicks recently to join Juwan Howard's staff at Michigan, creating an opening on staff.
Since becoming Westchester's head coach in 2015, Miller has gone 108-92. In each of the past two years, Westchester lost in the conference semis.
Miller has run the same offense as the Knicks head coach while at Westchester, whether it was Derek Fisher, Jeff Hornacek or David Fizdale.
The Athletic mentioned last week that Miller was a candidate for the opening created by Eisley's departure.
Miller joins a staff that includes Keith Smart, Kaleb Canales, Jud Buechler, Pat Sullivan and Royal Ivey. New York prides itself on the player development acumen on the coaching staff. Ivey was a key player development coach in Oklahoma City and remains so in New York.
According to SNY sources, several teams with assistant coaching vacancies have expressed interest in Ivey. Ivey has not interviewed with any teams, sources say. New York would need to grant permission for teams to interview Ivey.
It wouldn't be surprising if New York did everything it could to retain the 37-year-old coach - including denying interview requests from teams - in the face of outside interest.
Ivey, a former Cardozo HS star, is well respected throughout the organization and is close with free agent Kevin Durant, whom the Knicks will strongly pursue this summer.
Durant is expected to miss the entire 2019-20 season while rehabbing from an Achillies tear.
