D'oh -- D'Antoni to Knicks
After a week of courting Mike D'Antoni, the Bulls still had reservations, while the New York Knicks reached for the company checkbook.
So now the former Phoenix Suns coach has a job in New York and can be crossed off the list of candidates for the Bulls' coaching vacancy. D'Antoni agreed to a deal reportedly worth $24 million over four years.
At this point, it appears the Bulls' coaching search, which began on April 17, will drag on for a few more weeks, perhaps into late June.
When D'Antoni was first given permission to speak to other teams, the Bulls were widely believed to be his preferred destination. So what went wrong?
Bulls general manager John Paxson hit it off with D'Antoni when the two met in Phoenix last Sunday, but Paxson apparently still had questions about whether D'Antoni would commit to the defensive side. The Suns were the NBA's top scoring team in three of his four full seasons.
One reason D'Antoni is leaving Phoenix is because he didn't see eye-to-eye with Suns GM Steve Kerr, the former Bulls folk hero, regarding a defensive focus. The Bulls believe D'Antoni is a quality coach, but he has an independent nature and likes to do things his own way.
D'Antoni was expected to meet with Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf on Friday evening in Arizona, but that discussion obviously went nowhere.
Beyond defensive philosophy, the Bulls were also not willing to match New York's offer. The Bulls are focused on paying "fair market value" of $3-4 million for their new hire. At $6 million per season, D'Antoni will be among the NBA's highest-paid coaches.
Four names remain at the top of the Bulls' wish list, though it appears now that the co-favorites are former Dallas coach Avery Johnson and Boston assistant Tom Thibodeau.
Also under consideration are broadcaster Mark Jackson, who already interviewed with Paxson, and Detroit assistant Michael Curry.
Johnson possesses most of the qualities Paxson is seeking. He's regarded as a strong leader who will stress defense and relate well to the players, having spent 16 years in the NBA as a well-traveled point guard.
Johnson spent less than one season as an assistant coach, however, so the Bulls would expect to have some experienced NBA minds on Johnson's staff. Paxson has not yet met with Johnson and will continue to bide his time.
No matter what else happens, it appears Paxson is committed to waiting for the chance to interview Thibodeau, a long-time Jeff Van Gundy assistant who helped turn the Celtics into the league's top defensive team. If Boston reaches the NBA Finals, Thibodeau wouldn't be free until late June.
Jackson remains a long shot. The Bulls see the long-time point guard as an intriguing candidate, but are concerned that he has never coached before. Jackson has so far refused the Bulls' suggestion that he start as an assistant.
There has been talk that the Pistons might hang on to Curry, believing he'll be the eventual successor to Flip Saunders. If that transition occurs this year, Saunders would join the list of Bulls' candidates.