The team has gone through a dozen head coaches since his abrupt resignation 19 games into the 2001-02 season. The Knicks have made the playoffs just three times since and only once advanced past the first round.
Van Gundy, meanwhile, is the last Knicks coach to take the team past the conference semifinals. His use of smaller lineups against bigger and stronger teams propelled the Knicks to victory more than a few times. Today, in an era defined by faster offenses and three-point shooting, such an approach is more than ideal.
And yet, Van Gundy has enjoyed a cushy TV deal with ESPN since being fired by the Houston Rockets in 2007.