Category: New York Knicks Blog

Here’s New York Newsday with an update on the Knicks and their need for a new head coach:

Phil Jackson can now speak to Derek Fisher about the Knicks’ coaching vacancy, and that conversation could happen soon.

Fisher, 39, the leading candidate to coach the Knicks, saw his season and perhaps his playing career come to an end with the Thunder’s overtime loss to the Spurs in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals late Saturday night. Fisher is leaning toward retirement and told reporters after the game that he would need a little time to regroup and decide what he wants to do.

Jackson wants Fisher to coach the Knicks. Fisher also could be a candidate for the opening with his former team, the Lakers. He expects to speak to both teams.

“There’ll be, I’m sure, conversations and talks at some point,” Fisher said. “But this is still pretty raw and pretty fresh, what just happened.

Here’s ESPN New York reporting on the Knicks:

New York Knicks president Phil Jackson recently told point guard Raymond Felton that he will look to trade him in the offseason, a league source said.

Felton has two years remaining on a four-year, $15 million contract with a player option in the final season, so it may be difficult to find suitors for him.

But Jackson told Felton in a conversation the two had during exit interviews last month that he would explore trade possibilities involving the 29-year-old.

“He was pretty honest with him,” the source said. The conversation was first reported by SNY.tv.

The New York Knicks need a new head coach. And it still isn’t going to be Phil Jackson, who remains on the lookout for the perfect guy for the job. It was widely reported that Steve Kerr was thought to be that man, but he recently agreed to coach the Golden State Warriors. As for the Knicks, here’s the New York Post reporting:

The Knicks coaching search is expanding beyond geometry. Phil Jackson, according to an NBA source, is OK hiring a head coach who doesn’t specialize in the triangle.

According to the source, that means Mark Jackson is on Jackson’s tentative list that once included just one name. But now Steve Kerr is headed to Golden State and Jackson is headed on a more expansive search.

The Knicks believe Jackson’s “credibility’’ around the league will enable him to have the “flexibility” to hire an experienced coach willing to adapt to the principles of his triangle offense — or at least a facsimile.

According to a source, Jackson was to meet with Knicks general manager Steve Mills on Thursday night at Chicago’s pre-draft combine to go over some candidates. Jackson stayed away from the gym where players worked out, presumably to avoid media.

Here’s ESPN New York reporting on the Knicks and Steve Kerr:

Negotiations to finalize an agreement between Steve Kerr and the New York Knicks are progressing toward the final stages, sources close to the talks confirmed to ESPN New York.

In the wake of ESPN.com’s report Saturday that the Warriors fear Kerr is “too deep” into talks with the Knicks to take the Golden State job, one source told ESPN New York that negotiations between Kerr and the Knicks are “pretty far down the road.”

Another league source with knowledge of the talks said Sunday the discussions would “pick up” on Monday.

The New York Daily News first reported Sunday that the Knicks and Kerr are close to a deal. The paper reported that the two sides are optimistic that a deal would be in place early this week and Kerr may accompany Jackson to Chicago for the NBA draft combine, which begins Thursday.

Read NBA fan reaction or discuss your opinion in this basketball forum topic.

Here’s ESPN New York reporting:

Marv Albert has no doubt that Steve Kerr can coach in the NBA.

“He would make a tremendous coach, whatever he decides to do,” Albert, Kerr’s broadcast partner on TNT, said in a phone interview earlier this week. “He has all the qualities, in terms of like-ability, and what he knows about the game. He’s been a general manager (and) he was a player who also knows Xs and Os. I think he’d be terrific.”

One thing that worries Albert, the former voice of the Knicks, is team owner James Dolan.

Albert says that Dolan needs to leave president Phil Jackson and whomever he hires as his head coach “alone.”

“Dolan has to let them, leave them alone. That’s No. 1. And it hasn’t happened in the past,” Albert said.

Here’s New York Newsday reporting on former Knicks head coach Mike Woodson:

As the Knicks continue pursuing Steve Kerr to be their new coach, their old one is hoping to get back in the game.

Mike Woodson, whom the Knicks fired April 21, said he wants to coach next season.

“My interest right now is still coaching,” Woodson said during a phone interview promoting his golf tournament in Las Vegas in July. “I enjoy doing it. I’ve been doing it for the last 20-plus years and I love the NBA.”

Woodson still has one season remaining on his Knicks contract, but he said he doesn’t want to take a year off. The Lakers, Jazz and Warriors have openings. But it doesn’t appear Woodson is a candidate for them at this point.

Here’s the New York Post with an update on Steve Kerr and the vacant New York Knicks head coaching job:

Steve Kerr likely is making his swan song for TNT on Saturday night when he announces Game 7 of the Grizzlies-Thunder series in Oklahoma City. According to an NBA source, Kerr likely will make his final decision on accepting the Knicks head-coaching job soon after the weekend.

As The Post reported, the Lakers’ coaching vacancy is a non-factor for Kerr, who is not a candidate. The Lakers are in store for a prolonged search after Mike D’Antoni resigned, and neither side has interest.

However, one thing that can derail Kerr’s getting hired by the Knicks is if the Warriors lose their first-round series to the Clippers on Saturday and coach Mark Jackson is let go. Kerr, whose family lives in San Diego, may listen if approached by the Warriors. Kerr is represented by former Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum.

If the Warriors move on, Kerr and the Knicks are likely to move on to marriage, thanks to president Phil Jackson.