Steve Mills has begun to lay the internal groundwork for the New York Knicks to eventually fire David Fizdale.

Mills is attempting to sell James Dolan that the Knicks' roster should be competitive in the Eastern Conference and that Fizdale is to blame.

Fizdale is in Year 2 on a four-year, $22 million contract.

Rival coaches and executives see issues with the roster that lacks legitimate NBA guard play.

"Everyone is moving to their positions now," a league source close to management and the coaching staff told ESPN. "This is how they'll make (Fizdale) the fall guy."

Mills was beginning to formulate the plan even before their blowout loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers that culminated in a postgame press conference featuring himself and Scott Perry.