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Mark Jackson might now be a Knicks head coaching candidate

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.

NBA Board of Governors approve sale of Milwaukee Bucks

The NBA Board of Governors has unanimously approved the sale of the Milwaukee Bucks to Wesley Edens and Marc Lasry.

“We are pleased that Wes Edens and Marc Lasry have been approved as the new owners of the Milwaukee Bucks,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “The Bucks and their fans will benefit greatly from their vast business experience, energy and strong commitment to Milwaukee. I would like to thank Senator Kohl again for his unprecedented and historic financial gift toward the construction of a new Milwaukee arena and for his outstanding service to the league and his community over his nearly 30-year tenure.”

The transaction is expected to close shortly.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the sale price of the Bucks is $550 million.

No retirement plans for Paul Pierce just yet

Here’s ESPN New York reporting on Nets forward Paul Pierce. Brooklyn was eliminated yesterday by the Miami Heat in the second round of the 2014 NBA playoffs.

Paul Pierce’s first season with the Brooklyn Nets is over.

And the veteran forward isn’t sure if it will be his last, either.

Pierce said after the Miami Heat’s series-clinching 96-94 Game 5 win over the Nets that he believes he still has a year or two left in his tank. Where the unrestricted free agent-to-be will play next is uncertain.

“I haven’t really put much thought into it,” Pierce said of what his future holds and if he wants to remain a Net. “I put my whole focus into this season, it’s my last year of the contract. I will sit back and talk to the family and see where my options are from there and go from there.”

Pierce, 36, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and the Nets own his Bird Rights, which allows them to offer him more money than any other team.

Tyreke Evans undergoes knee surgery, recovery time is 6-8 weeks

New Orleans Pelicans guard Tyreke Evans underwent minor arthroscopic surgery yesterday to clean out scar tissue in his right knee, the team announced. Evans will begin rehab on his right knee immediately. His expected timetable for recovery is 6-8 weeks.

Evans appeared in 72 games this season and averaged 14.5 points, 5.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 28.2 minutes per game.

Warriors, Steve Kerr have coaching job agreement

The Golden State Warriors have reached an agreement in principle for Steve Kerr, a 15-year NBA veteran and five-time NBA Champion as a player, to become the team’s new head coach, the team announced this evening.

Once the agreement is finalized, a press conference will be scheduled.

According to the Bay Area News Group, “Kerr and the Warriors are finalizing a five-year deal worth about $25 million as he spurned the New York Knicks, who reportedly offered a four-year contract to the TNT analyst. “It’s great on a basketball level to inherit a good team and a young team with high-character players and a front office I’m already familiar with and feel very confident in and comfortable with,” Kerr told Bay Area News Group columnist Tim Kawakami. “Yeah … it felt right immediately.” Kerr, 48, comes to the Warriors with no head coaching experience just like predecessor Mark Jackson, who was fired eight days earlier after leading the team to back-to-back playoff appearances.”

Warriors will hire Steve Kerr for coaching job

Steve Kerr has turned down Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks to accept a five-year, $25 million offer to become the Golden State Warriors’ next coach, saying “it just felt like the right move on many levels.”

“They have a good young team. The location is ideal,” Kerr said in a phone interview with NBA.com on Wednesday night. “My daughter goes to Cal and plays volleyball. My oldest son is in college in San Diego and our youngest is a junior in high school. It’s just a short flight for them.”

Kerr had been in talks with the Knicks about becoming their next coach after Jackson took over as team president in March.

— ESPN.com

Utah Jazz may be interested in John Stockton as coach

Here’s ESPN.com reporting an interesting possibility:

The Utah Jazz, as part of a broad coaching search expected to feature some 20 candidates, plan to reach out to Jazz legend John Stockton to gauge whether he has any interest in the position, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

Sources told ESPN.com that Jazz officials intend to at least pose the question to the Hall of Fame guard about his willingness to move into coaching, while mindful of Stockton’s lack of previous coaching experience and the fact that he has long loathed the sort of spotlight associated with the job.

Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey declined comment Tuesday night about Stockton or any other prospective candidates when reached by ESPN.com.

Sale of Milwaukee Bucks likely coming soon

Here’s ESPN.com reporting on the Bucks:

The $550 million sale of the Milwaukee Bucks to hedge fund billionaires Wesley Edens and Marc Lasry is expected to be finalized by the NBA on Thursday, a source involved in the process told ESPN.com.

In the wake of the Donald Sterling scandal, there was a push within the league to have an extra thorough vetting of the new owners, sources said. That process, however, is complete and the league’s Board of Governors will approve the transaction that was initially signed last month.

The timing of the sale will allow Edens and Lasry to take control of the team before next Tuesday’s draft lottery in New York, which was a priority. The Bucks, at 25 percent, have the highest odds to win the lottery after an NBA-worst 15-67 season. The high draft choice in what is expected to be a deep draft was one of the attractive selling points of the team.

Carmelo Anthony might start his own hat line

Here’s TMZ reporting on some off-court fun:

Carmelo Anthony could be the next John B. Stetson … because the NBA superstar tells TMZ Sports he’s gunning to start his very own HAT LINE … and it’s gonna be awesome.

Anthony is a huge fan of fancy headgear … from fedoras to berets and even baseball hats — and most recently rocked a top hat to the Met Gala in NYC.

So, when we heard he was going to be starting his own line — we had to ask about it … and yesterday in New York, the big man confirmed the wheels are definitely in motion.

Detroit Pistons hire Stan Van Gundy as head coach and president of basketball operations

The Detroit Pistons have a new leader. The team announced today that Stan Van Gundy has been appointed head coach and president of basketball operations.

“Stan is a proven winner in our league. He instills his teams with passion, purpose and toughness. He is a great teacher who will help our players grow and develop,” said Pistons Owner Tom Gores. “Stan is more than just a great coach, he’s a great leader. What I’m most excited about is how Stan can help us shape the franchise and instill what it means to be the best. He’s also a great communicator. My time with Stan has me convinced that he will bring our players, team and community to a very proud place.”

“It is an honor to be chosen to help Tom Gores build the Pistons into a team that competes for championships,” said Van Gundy. “Tom’s vision of building for the future, while seeking immediate improvement is a challenge that I embrace. We will work to put a team on the floor that reflects the franchise’s rich tradition and embodies the toughness and work ethic of fans in the Detroit area.”

Van Gundy has an NBA career regular-season record of 371-208 (.641) in seven-plus seasons as a head coach and has reached the NBA Playoffs seven times. His .641 winning percentage is sixth-highest among NBA coaches with 500 or more games of head coaching experience. Van Gundy became the seventh-fastest NBA coach to record 300 wins (12/25/10 vs. Boston), has coached the Eastern Conference All-Star team twice (2005, 2010) and has earned NBA Coach of the Month honors six times during his career.

Van Gundy joins the Pistons after serving five years as head coach of the Orlando Magic from 2007-2012, where he led the Magic to a 259-135 (.692) regular-season record, five playoff appearances and an NBA Finals appearance in 2009. His 2008-09 team led the league in defensive efficiency. In 2009-10, Van Gundy guided the Magic to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season after compiling a 59-23 (.720) regular-season record. It was the second-best mark in the NBA, and Orlando captured the Southeast Division title for the third consecutive season.

Van Gundy served as head coach of the Miami Heat for two-plus seasons from 2003-05, posting a regular season record of 112-73 (.605) and a postseason mark of 17-11 (.607). His 112 coaching victories are the fourth-most in the franchise’s history and he led Miami to its third-best regular-season record in club history during the 2004-05 season (59-23). Van Gundy led Miami to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2005 as well as leading the Heat to the Eastern Conference Semifinals in consecutive years (2004, 2005) for the first time in team history.

Van Gundy spent 12 years with the Heat, arriving prior to the 1995-96 season and served as assistant coach under Pat Riley for two seasons. He was promoted to assistant head coach in 1997, a position he held for six seasons. Van Gundy was the team’s lead assistant until being named head coach on Oct. 24, 2003. He resigned as head coach on Dec. 12, 2005 for personal reasons, but remained with the organization as an NBA scout and later a consultant.

Prior to his tenure with Miami, Van Gundy coached at the University of Wisconsin for three seasons, including head coach in 1994-95. He began his coaching career as an assistant at the University of Vermont from 1981-83, then served as head coach at Castleton State College (VT) from 1983-86. After stints as an assistant coach at Canisius College (1986-87) and Fordham (1987-88), he was head coach at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell from 1988-92. In eight years as a college head coach, Van Gundy compiled a record of 135-92 (.595).

A native of Indio, Ca., Van Gundy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Bachelor of Science in physical education from SUNY-Brockport in 1981. While at SUNY-Brockport, Van Gundy played basketball for his father, Bill.