Fizdale on adding toughness to Knicks: 'I don't want cupcakes'

David Fizdale is doing the Gotham media rounds after being named the newest head coach of the New York Knicks, and he says he'd like to add some toughness to the team.

"Long and tough," Fizdale told ESPN's Jalen Rose and Michelle Beadle on an ideal addition. "But he's gotta have an edge to him. I don't want soft guys here. I don't want cupcakes."

Fizdale is certainly saying all the right things to a disenfranchised Knicks fan base, one that has now seen 11 head coaches and only four playoff appearances since 2001.

"We gotta make it to where people don't want to come to (Madison Square) Garden ... we gotta get it to where people get embarrassed in the Garden."

Unfortunately, Charles Oakley remains banned from MSG for a while yet.

The Knicks have about $70 million in guaranteed contracts on the books for next season, with the major related question mark being Enes Kanter's player option. New York could theoretically fit in a big-name free agent under the salary cap, but franchise cornerstone Kristaps Porzingis' status for next season also remains up in the air.