Interesting Article on D'Antoni and the Knicks
After denying for two days that Mike D'Antoni was the Knicks' top choice to replace Isiah Thomas, team president Donnie Walsh offered the head coaching job to the Phoenix Suns head coach.
Several NBA sources say that D'Antoni will accept the Knicks' four-year, $24 million offer. Walsh was not available for comment.
D'Antoni had also spoken to the Bulls in recent days but Chicago was not prepared to match the Knicks' offer. It is unclear why Walsh spent two days refuting reports that D'Antoni was his No. 1 target but then again Walsh also said that he wanted the Knicks to get back to being a top defensive team. D'Antoni is regarded as an innovative offensive coach who doesn't stress defense.
"I think it is a terrible match," said one rival head coach. "I don't get it."
Walsh had also interviewed Mark Jackson, Rick Carlisle and Avery Johnson. Carlisle is set to become Johnson's replacement in Dallas while sources close to Jackson and Johnson claim that Walsh had led them to believe that they were the leading candidates for the Knicks job.
The Suns gave D'Antoni permission to speak to Chicago and the Knicks after the Suns were eliminated in five games. D'Antoni had tremendous success in Phoenix with a roster that included Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion. However, he and the team struggled once Suns GM Steve Kerr traded Marion to Miami for Shaquille O'Neal.
O'Neal doesn't fit D'Antoni's style much in the same way Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph won't fit D'Antoni's uptempo style.
Link:
RealGM: Wiretap Archives: Rival On D'Antoni: 'I Think It's A Terrible Match'