It looks like Mike Woodson's days guiding the New York Knicks from the sidelines are numbered.

With New York sliding further down in the NBA standings, reports have started to surface that Woodson, who guided the Knicks to their first Atlantic Division championship in 19 seasons, could be fired before or after the NBA All-Star break.

With New York currently standing at a 20-32 record at the NBA All-Star break, Knicks fans and players are reportedly starting to grow restless, and for good reason. New York sports fans are among the most passionate-and the most impatient-fans that you can find, in just about any sport. Winning is not just expected; it's demanded. And for a basketball-loving city whose oldest NBA franchise hasn't hoisted an NBA championship banner to the rafters of legendary Madison Square Garden since 1973, for the Knicks to fall so flat after showing so much promise last season--beating the world champion Miami Heat in three of four contests and reaching the semifinals in the playoffs-to take such a step back is unacceptable.

Apparently, the Knicks' players feel it, too

"This was a must-win for our mental standpoint," Raymond Felton told ESPN prior to the Knicks 106-101 loss to Sacramento on Wednesday, the fifth loss for New York in six games.

"I didn't expect to be in this situation that we're in right now," said Carmelo Anthony. "If somebody would have told us that before the season, I'd have put any amount of money that they were lying." 

That's a telling statement coming from the Knicks' most valuable player and biggest attraction. This summer, Anthony, the team's lone All-Star and one of the biggest names in the NBA, can opt out of his contract with New York, leaving the Knicks with the very real possibility that their franchise star, their biggest asset in attracting other big-name free agents, could split in a New York minute to greener pastures like Los Angeles.

And if that happens, what then? Even with a ton of cap space in 2015 after Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler come off the books, would any self-respecting superstar want to touch a team that's falling apart, has questionable leadership, no superstars to join with, is coming off what is shaping to be a laughingstock of a season and has no real championship prospects outside of a major overhaul that could take a few seasons?

Is that what they're supposed to pitch to Rajon Rondo, Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and other big stars who will be up for grabs next summer? You'd have an easier time selling Red Sox memorabilia in the Bronx than selling that pitch to those big stars that New York desperately need to contend for a title legitimately.

Last week, according to the New York Daily News, Knicks owner James Dolan reportedly met privately with Melo and one other unnamed player to discuss the state of the team and, apparently, whether or not a coaching change is necessary. Couple that with the fact that some players are reportedly starting to lose faith in Woodson and the writing on the wall is starting to become plain as day: Woodson's time is running out. And fast.

Whether or not Woodson goes is a question that's starting to look like it might only be a matter of time. But one key question remains: who replaces him? Either of their assistant coaches, Jim Todd and Herb Williams, would likely be the interim coaches for the time being. But ultimately, for the Knicks to have a shot at starting a legitimate NBA title run while looking attractive enough to retain Anthony and bring in some of the big fish out there in free agency, they're going to need someone with a solid winning reputation at the helm for the head coach's job. And while that someone might not be the legendary Phil Jackson, who has already said he wouldn't have taken the job in New York--if he was offered, which they did not--and would likely be too expensive to bring on, there are a few decent candidates out there that could turn the Knicks back into winners again.

Here's a look at a few of those names:

Jeff Van Gundy

He's been here before. He's made it here before. When he took over the Knicks' head coaching job for the fired Don Nelson in 1996 in midseason, nobody outside of the great Pat Riley knew who Van Gundy was. Over that six-year span he was here, Van Gundy established himself as a brilliant coach with a defense-first philosophy that led Patrick Ewing's Knicks to the NBA playoffs six times and an unprecedented run to the NBA Finals in 1999 as the eighth seed in the East. He hasn't coached a game since Houston fired him in 2007, but the itch still has to be there for Van Gundy despite his cushy broadcasting gig with the NBA.

If there's a coach out there who knows how to win in New York, it's him. But for that to happen, Dolan would have to bury any ill feelings he may have towards Van Gundy for walking off the job in 2001. If that doesn't happen, there won't be any return voyage to New York for Van Gundy.

Jerry Sloan

The Hall of Fame coach built his reputation as one of the greatest coaches in basketball history in small market Utah, where he won more than 1,000 games and led the Jazz to seven division championships and two back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998 over a 20-plus-year span.  He might have stepped away from the game, but with the right contract and the right talent on the roster, New York could be getting back one of the best coaches in NBA history.

Avery Johnson

The former coach of the Brooklyn Nets,  Johnson was looking intriguing before he was fired in January amid reports of his stained relationship with Nets star Deron Williams.  Johnson was an extremely intelligent point guard during his playing days and the former 2006 NBA Coach of the Year has had success coaching the Dallas Mavericks in the past. Could he be the one to help the Knicks solve the championship riddle?

Lionel Hollins

The former coach of the Memphis Grizzlies helped turn the small market Grizzlies into a perennial playoff contender, took them to the Western Conference Finals last season and preached defense to what became one of the NBA's most formidable defensive teams. Smart, respected and driven to win, Hollins looks like he was tailor-made to make it in The Big Apple. While his offensive schemes may not be as fantastic as his defensive ones, Hollins has the planning of a winner, and with a proven scorer like Anthony, and perhaps another star on the way in 2015, he'll have the horses on offense for a serious New York run at the NBA title.

George Karl

Last season's Coach of the Year, Karl is a proven winner, having enjoyed success in his stints with Seattle, Milwaukee and most recently, Denver, where he coached Anthony. However, his comment in December about Anthony as a player who "produces individual success but doesn't produce championships" is hard to overlook. Clearly, he doesn't have much faith in Melo being able to take the Knicks to the next level. Maybe that can be worked out behind closed doors should New York opt to chase Karl, but odds are that they may pass, given that they will not likely want to incur Anthony's ire or give him any more reasons to stage his "Escape From New York" plan.

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