5-on-5: What's next for Porzingis, Melo and Knicks with Hornacek in?

— -- Former Suns coach Jeff Hornacek is reportedly headed to New York.

Now that they have a new coach, what should the Knicks do this offseason? Is it time to trade Carmelo Anthony and build around Kristaps Porzingis?

Our NBA Insiders go 5-on-5.

1. What's your take on the hiring of Jeff Hornacek?

Amin Elhassan, ESPN Insider: Interesting! The news broke during Billy Donovan's pregame presser, and the reaction from everyone was exactly the same: wide-eyed surprise. Hornacek's a fine coach, but there was definitely little expectation Phil Jackson would go "outside the family" for this hire.

Did Hornacek and his representatives sell the Knicks on a willingness to run a triangle-centric offense? Or did Jackson sell Hornacek on the flexibility of running something other than the triangle? We'll find out.

Micah Adams, ESPN Stats and Info: It's a head scratcher. On one hand, maybe it's a good sign if Phil Jackson decided he didn't need a "triangle guy."

On the other hand, you'd think the Knicks would be able to bring in someone with a more distinguished track record. While Hornacek wasn't to blame for the roster mismanagement in Phoenix, two-and-a-half seasons with no playoff appearances isn't exactly a resume to get Knicks fans excited.

Bradford Doolittle, ESPN Insider: I have no problem with Jeff Hornacek as a coach. In fact, in the right situation, I think he'd be a difference-maker. This? It reeks of dysfunction.

No matter how it's spun, everything we know about Phil Jackson is that he wants his teams to play a certain way, with certain types of players, overseen by guys with whom he has history. That's not Hornacek, so we can only assume this hire is a product of unseen pressures.

Royce Webb, ESPN Insider: It might come down to 3-point shooting, and particularly Hornacek encouraging Kristaps Porzingis to let it fly. Hornacek was a great shooter in his day, and the Phoenix teams he coached were above average in 3-point rate (how often a team shoots 3s).

Meanwhile, Phil Jackson's Knicks have been below average in 3-point rate, and only 27 percent of Porzingis' shots were 3s in his rookie season. He needs to improve his accuracy, yes, but his efficiency will go up if he gets behind the line.

Kevin Pelton, ESPN Insider: I'm pleasantly surprised. I expected the Knicks to hire Kurt Rambis, whose track record as a head coach is not good. Hornacek represents an encouraging willingness to look outside the Jackson tree for coaching talent.

2. What else do you foresee and advise for the Knicks this offseason?

Elhassan: Nobody's signing in New York for anything less than above-market value, so you can strike names like Kevin Durant, Al Horford and Mike Conley off the list. Trying to quick fix this team isn't going to work -- they now have a lucrative centerpiece to build around in Kristaps Porzingis, so the smart play is to find young vets who fit his developmental timeline.

Adams: Don't do anything out of desperation. The future is Porzingis and they should be doing everything they can to put pieces around him that fit. Obviously, every team wants Durant, including the Knicks. But short of that, they should target Conley or Ish Smith or Matthew Dellavedova, who is a restricted free agent. I'd explore the market for Carmelo Anthony, too.

Doolittle: They'll take a run at the big free agents. From a ready-to-win standpoint, they are far from the best option for the likes of Durant, Horford and Conley. When that fails, they'll throw money at second-tier guys because they're the Knicks and they've operated that way for 40 years. My advice would be a bona fide rebuild around Porzingis.

Webb: The Knicks have New York City and cap space, but what else with which to lure a star free agent? They need to take the Portland route of getting pre-peak players at discount rates rather than "established" role players. Will they be that patient? Doubt it. But they might have to settle for that route, like it or not.

Pelton: Something broadly similar to last summer: After striking out on the top free agents, the Knicks give short-term deals to second-tier free agents who don't move the needle. I'd advise trying to look for young free agents who match Porzingis' timeline, not Carmelo Anthony's.

3. Is it time for the Knicks and Carmelo Anthony to part ways?

Elhassan: Melo's no-trade clause notwithstanding, it's time to aggressively shop him. If they can get a first-round pick for him, great. But waiting until after the first week of free agency might yield some desperate suitors who have struck out in the market and want something to show for their cap space.

Adams: Yes. Hanging on to Anthony and spending cap space on veterans only ensures that the Knicks won't be bad enough to add other high-level pieces through the draft. He's still good enough that teams close to contention might consider giving up a young piece to land him.

And there are several desirable destinations for which Anthony might consider waiving his no-trade clause. Would Miami give up Justise Winslow? How about calling OKC about Serge Ibaka? Or Boston with any combination of their young guards or picks?

Doolittle: It has been time for that for quite awhile. The disconnect between what Anthony needs from the rest of his career and what the Knicks can give him is a big as ever. If the Knicks' offseason plays out as I suspect, this might finally be the summer when Anthony forces his way out. To the Rockets. Clippers. Heat. Anywhere.

Webb: Yes. We've seen what Melo has to offer the Knicks. Meanwhile he turns 32 this month and needs to slide into a supporting role for a contending team. He wanted to create a legacy in New York, but the real opportunity is elsewhere, as a professional scorer and big-brother type for a team that can go deeper into the postseason.

Pelton: From their standpoint, yes. But despite his financial incentive to approve a trade and the resulting trade bonus, Anthony seems relatively happy in the Big Apple. As long as that is the case, Anthony's no-trade clause means he isn't going anywhere.

4. Which is most accurate about team president Phil Jackson?

A. He's part of the solution in New York.
B. He's part of the problem in New York.
C. He won't be there long enough to be either one.

Elhassan: C. Whispers turn into screams, and screams to hollers, that Phil's got one foot out of the door in New York. At this point, I'd be stunned if he's around to see the 2017-18 season in Madison Square Garden. However, what he decides to do over the next 12 months could have a massive impact on the future of the franchise.

Adams: B. When Jackson came to New York, I think many just assumed that his name married to the Knicks brand would sell itself. Everyone would want to play for Jackson, the Knicks would roll out a star-studded lineup and all would be rosy in the Garden. Except it hasn't happened. Rather, it mostly has been one odd thing after another.

Doolittle: The evidence at hand suggests C. Whether he should have been hired with no front-office experience is something we can debate forever. But he was hired, with decades of evidence showing how he likes to do things there for all to see. You have to let Jackson chase his vision, or he'll be gone.

Webb: A. Jackson probably can't or won't do much to solve the systemic, fundamental issues that predated him and will outlast him. Still, if he provides a more stable front office, moves Melo and can count Hornacek and Porzingis on the positive side of the ledger before he leaves town, that makes him part of the solution, potentially.

Pelton: C, since it's still too early to say on answers A and B, and the Lakers rumors won't die. But Jackson has made some positive moves.

5. If the Knicks were a stock and you were looking five years ahead, would you buy, sell or hold?

Elhassan: Call me a pessimist, but I'm eternally holding so long as the franchise remains under the control of Jim Dolan. I am steadfast in my belief that ownership is the biggest determinant of success/failure in the NBA, and even if the Knicks could manage a one- or two-year spurt of positivity, eventually Dolan's meddling would send the franchise back to the abyss it has occupied for much of his tenure as principal owner.

Adams: Sell. While the Knicks already have one cornerstone in Porzingis and the market to attract another one, there's just almost no evidence that points toward them putting it together. Over the past decade, their high-end acquisitions have not panned out. And outside of Porzingis, they have almost nothing left from the draft that's noteworthy, either.

Doolittle: Sell. Anthony and Jackson might not be around much longer, but Dolan will, and faulty ownership is never a good long-term bet. Look, maybe Jackson wanted Hornacek and expects him to install the triangle. Maybe he was coerced into the hire and will let Hornacek do things his way. No matter what, I expect someone isn't going to be satisfied.

Webb: Hold. The Knicks have won 49 games total in two seasons, and presumably it won't get much worse than that. It's impossible to recommend a "buy" for a team that has shown so little ingenuity in the Dolan years, but mediocrity is within their sights.

Pelton: Hold. At some point, Porzingis could anchor a good team and the Knicks seem to have stopped digging a hole in terms of trading draft picks. But there's still little supporting young talent.