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Bickerstaff could help Jackson's Knicks cause

BY ALAN HAHN | alan.hahn@newsday.com

May 9, 2008

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Mark Jackson, the apparent front-runner, has been put on the back burner while Donnie Walsh looks into the prospects of a more experienced candidate, such as Mike D'Antoni.

Jackson, despite no prior experience, had Walsh intrigued enough to consider him a top candidate for the Knicks' coaching vacancy. The two met last month in Phoenix and a person with knowledge of the situation told Newsday that the Knicks president did not come away from the interview as convinced about Jackson as he had hoped to be.

Remember that Walsh told the story that in 1997, after Larry Brown left the Pacers, his search for a replacement began and ended with Larry Bird, who had no prior coaching experience. But Walsh said he came away from his interview with Bird impressed enough to offer him the job without interviewing anyone else.

That doesn't mean Jackson, 43, who is currently working as an NBA analyst for ABC/ESPN, won't wind up with the job. In fact, the anticipated availability of Bernie Bickerstaff - who is reportedly leaving the Charlotte Bobcats' front office - helps Jackson's cause because Bickerstaff would likely be a choice as a top assistant. Walsh is known to hold Bickerstaff in high regard as a basketball man.

But in the meanwhile, shelving Jackson does allow Walsh to give serious consideration to more experienced candidates.

There were reports yesterday that Walsh was prepared to make a "staggering" contract offer, as ESPN.com described it, to D'Antoni and another that said D'Antoni's agent, Warren LeGarie, was expecting to meet with Walsh in New York. Both proved to be fiction, which has been a byproduct of the rampant speculation that has dominated the search since Avery Johnson was fired by Dallas and D'Antoni was given permission by Phoenix to talk to other teams.

Walsh did not meet with LeGarie, who flew from Greece to San Francisco through New York, and there were no contract offers made or negotiated.

"Contrary to a report," Walsh said last night through a team spokesman, "we have not offered anyone a coaching contract."

The Chicago Bulls, who were believed to be the best scenario for D'Antoni, have apparently hit the brakes on discussions to hire him and executive John Paxson is believed to be turning his focus on Boston associate coach Tom Thibodeau, who may not be available for an interview until after the Celtics are done with the playoffs.

Johnson, meanwhile, has 11 million reasons (the money owed to him by Dallas) to bide his time and wait for the right job to open up. "I don't know if he's made up his mind," a person close to Johnson said regarding his options for next season, which include taking time off. Johnson would be the lead candidate for any job that opens during the next season.

Or he could wind up in Atlanta if Mike Woodson is not retained by whomever replaces outgoing GM Billy Knight. The Hawks might be D'Antoni's only other option, as well, if things don't work out in Chicago or New York. A return to Phoenix seems unlikely and D'Antoni's play might be to wait out the summer and force the Suns to hire a new coach and offer him a buyout of the $8.5 million left on his contract.