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D'Antoni accepts offer to coach Knicks

Associated Press

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Updated: May 11, 2008, 12:01 PM EDT
NEW YORK (AP) - Mike D'Antoni has agreed to coach the New York Knicks, bringing his entertaining offensive style from the Phoenix Suns to a team coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history.

The Knicks released a statement Saturday night saying they had agreed in principle with D'Antoni and that a press conference would be held once the contract had been completed.

Big Apple bound

Mike D'Antoni
Mike D'Antoni
Knicks
Head coach

Year
Team
W
L
2007-08
PHO
55
27
2006-07
PHO
61
21
2005-06
PHO
54
28
2004-05
PHO
62
20
2003-04
PHO
21
40
1998-99
DEN
14
36
TOT
6
267
172

D'Antoni had two years and $8.5 million left on his Phoenix contract. Suns owner Robert Sarver wouldn't confirm that D'Antoni had taken the New York job earlier Saturday, but said, "Mike called me this morning to thank me, so I figured this was up."

The offer is reportedly for $24 million over four years, making him one of the NBA's highest-paid coaches. The Chicago Bulls also interviewed D'Antoni for their coaching job.

Messages were left for D'Antoni and his agent, Warren LeGarie.

D'Antoni replaces Isiah Thomas, who was fired in April after the Knicks went 23-59, tying the franchise record for losses in a season. D'Antoni will become the Knicks' sixth different coach since the start of the 2002-03 season.

The 57-year-old D'Antoni led the Suns to a 55-27 record last season and was coach of the year in 2005. He had a 232-96 regular-season record the past four years, but the Suns were eliminated in the first round by San Antonio last month. The Suns then gave D'Antoni permission to pursue other openings.

"We appreciate all of Mike's efforts and contributions these past five years and wish him well in his next challenge," Suns president and general manager Steve Kerr said in a statement. "We will now be methodical in the process of finding our next head coach and we're excited about the potential candidates."

New Knicks president Donnie Walsh had been looking for a coach since removing Thomas on April 18. Walsh previously met with former Knicks guard and television analyst Mark Jackson and Knicks assistant Herb Williams. But Walsh took his time to see what coaches would become available during the postseason.

He found one who won at least 54 games each of the last four seasons. The Knicks, meanwhile, are coming off their seventh straight losing season and haven't won a playoff game since 2001.

They've been just as dysfunctional off the court, with Thomas and Madison Square Garden found to have sexually harassed a former team employee and forced to pay $11.5 million. The affable D'Antoni should improve the Knicks' image, even if it won't be easy to make a winner out of the team.

Walsh acknowledges it will take time to rebuild the Knicks, and their roster seems ill-suited for D'Antoni's uptempo style. They are slow in the frontcourt with Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph, and the point guard situation is unclear with Stephon Marbury missing most of last season and coming off ankle surgery.

But D'Antoni quickly made Phoenix a winner after becoming their coach 21 games into the 2003-04 season. A short time later, the Suns traded Marbury and Penny Hardaway to the Knicks, clearing the way for the offseason blockbuster signing of Steve Nash.

Nash was a perfect fit for D'Antoni, and the Suns quickly became NBA darlings, their refreshing style far more entertaining than the plodding game of most teams. In the 2004-05 season, the Suns won 62 games, tying a franchise record, leading to coach of the year honors for D'Antoni and the first of two MVP awards for Nash.

But the Suns never made it to the finals under D'Antoni, losing to San Antonio three times and Dallas once. The acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal in February was designed to toughen the team and a better match for the Spurs. But after the Suns' five-game loss, D'Antoni's future with the organization became a subject of speculation.

Kerr, hired a year ago, acknowledged differences in philosophy, and eventually gave D'Antoni permission to speak with other teams.

Nash said Friday he believed D'Antoni would stay in Phoenix, and it's unclear where the Suns look now. But Kerr most likely will go after a more defensive-minded coach since defense was the biggest weakness under D'Antoni.

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D'antoni,<br /> BIG MISTAKE!! Should've stayed in PHX! We just got the best center in the NBA and you don't think that he can win us a championship since SHAQ has 4 rings? When the SUNS win the finals next year, you'll try to come back to us! GO SUNS! BOO KNICKS!<br /> From the #1 Suns Fan,<br /> J-26

FNnYAwEsMeFNnYAwEsMe
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they have to pay stinkbury either way so can we please dump this guy now.....or keep him and let him tie j.james and e curry sneakers since they are so overweight they cant reach there toes

WEBEKINGWEBEKING
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I don't understand why this move for D'antoni is getting criticized. OK, he didn't win a championship w/ the Suns because unfortunately they had some bad luck last year w/ that horrible call which cost them the series they played against the Spurs! D'antoni used the high pick and roll all the time w/ Nash & Stoudemire which worked to perfection.<br /><br />Marbury has always thrived in the high pick and roll and no one criticized getting Marbury when Isaiah traded for him and if everyone remembers correctly, the Knicks were playing great basketball with the pick & roll using Kurt Thomas, Keith Van Horn, Michael Doleac (remember him?)& Allan Houston but then Isaiah made a trade for Tim Thomas and the team chemistry changed after that and they made the playoffs, but got swept by the Nets in the first round. After that, Isaiah got Crawford & Curry (stupid moves) traded Kurt Thomas (stupid!)and got away from using the pick and roll. <br />OK, it's true Marbury has a bad attitude and is a cancer to the team, but it's because Isaiah frustrated him and took him out of his game.I think he's still a very talented player who will give his all in his "walk" year and he's always wanted to be a Knick but the press has made him to be the scapegoat of most of the Knicks failures and it's not fair. <br /><br />I think there will be improvement w/ the Knicks this next year.

27times27times
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I don't understand why this move for D'antoni is getting criticized. OK, he didn't win a championship w/ the Suns because unfortunately they had some bad luck last year w/ that horroble call which cost them the series and they played the Spurs! D'antoni used the high pick and roll all the time w/ Nash & Stoudemire whiched worked to perfection.<br /><br />Marbury has always thrived in the high pick and roll and no one criticized getting Marbury when Isaiah traded for him and if everyone remembers correctly, the Knicks were playing great basketball with the pick & roll using Kurt Thomas, Keith Van Horn, Michael Doleac (remember him?)& Allan Houston but then Isaiah made a trade for Tim Thomas and the team chemistry changed after and got swept by the Nets in the first round. After that, Isaiah got Crawford & Curry (stupid moves) traded Kurt Thomas (stupid!)and got away from using the pick and roll. OK, it's true Marbury has a bad attitude and is a cancer, but I think he's a very talented player who will give his all in his walk year and he's always wanted to be a Knick but the press has made him to be the scapegoat of most of the failures and it's not fair. <br /><br />I think there will be improvement w/ the Knicks this next year.

27times27times
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there still gonna suck

brownbearlionbrownbearlion
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John Paxson is a moron. Could have had Gasol, KG and even Kobe and you ended up with (wait for it) LARRY HUGHES <br />and you will probably end up with Avery Johnson as head coach. I don't think D Wade wants to come anymore

LionRichLionRich
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Like the Yankees I guess New YorkerS just don't appreciate defense i would say the Giants but they play in Jersey. LOL. LAST TIME i checked Mark Jackson has no coaching experience is that the Knicks need? <br />Good hire by Donnie even if the Knicks lose at least it will be entertaining

LionRichLionRich
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John Paxson, you again failed to pull the trigger. You just don't have what it takes. Going on 10 years since MJ, lots of high draft picks and no hope for a turn-around. Are you afraid? A little gun-shy? Or are you just a ****?

jagsbearsfanjagsbearsfan
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I think Mark Jackson would have been a terrible fit he's another player coach and although they say oh they are able to relate to the players more sometimes the respect is what's lacking. The knicks don't have a terrible roaster however they lack team chemistry and disple, although that may have been a knonk on D'Antoni with the Suns I don't think that will be the case with the Knicks, they'll give him the respect because everyone in that Knicks locker room is exspendable. To get away from the Thomas era you had to go in the opposite direction D'Antoni gives them that.

MarctMarct
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tHE kNICKS aRE iNSANE!!! wHY oH wHY, tHEY hAD tO wASTE mORE mONEY! mARK jACKSON wOULD hAVE bEEN a bETTER fIT fOR tHIS tEAM

thebestthereiswasnwillbethebestthereiswasnwillbe
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I tell you what i bet the KNICKS win more games than the SUNS and a championship before them too, yes its miller-time Knicks still have a few talents and young guns that love an up-tempo style Young players love to run and gun and DONNIE knows what he his doing lets give both him and coach a chance. RESPECT go knicks knicks for life

mgmiller1mgmiller1
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Yankeeclipper<br />I agree with you the so call experts only coach team with good players thank-you D'Antoni miney or not you still took a bad team and you will win first some say we couldnt get mr D now we got him they hate the move He is a proven winner like it or not and stop listening to the ny haters media bandwogoners they only love ny teams when they win they hated the Giants too Knicks for life go knicks go Donnie nice first move and keep it up RESPECT

mgmiller1mgmiller1
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I think D'Antoni was a good move for the Knick's they need a coach in there not that there's anything wrong with player coach's but they need to get any from that for a while. D'Antoni brings some creditablilty there from his Sun's team, also I think although there a east coast tem they have the ability and players to run more of a west coast up and down offense. I do like what Donnie Walsh has done so far, he didn't completely embarrass I.Thomas although everyone knows he's on his way out and he's brought in a coach that has a good chance of getting this Knicks team back ion the right direction. I think if Walsh is able to get a couple of bad pieces out of NY(Z.Randolpf& Crawford) you could have a above .500 team within two or three season's. But I think you'll see a positive change in NY, and Starbury will have one more chance to show in prove in NY.

MarctMarct
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Actually, this is a great move for the Suns.<br /><br />You had a good team, but never a great one. You had all of the players there in previous yrs, and never won a title.<br /><br />Because of your poor defense.<br /><br />Kerr will bring in a coach that will help him rebuild the team (you don't need much), stressing Defense.<br /><br />Not sexy, but wins Titles (see Spurs, Pistons, Miami)<br /><br />Kerr has played for Jackson and Pop; he's played with the 2 best players at their respective positions in history, Jordan and Duncan; He's hit huge, Champioship shots, and directly impacted Title runs for 2 different franchises.<br /><br />I think I'd give him a chance, if I were a true Suns fan...

whiteflyerwhiteflyer
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feel sorry 4 DAntoni he inherited the circus of the nba, poor guy is gonna go bald coaching there..


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knicks need a real point guard and a finisher to be successful with d antoni... he got the pieces in phoenix but whoever figured out that steve nash was that great

apinedaapineda
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i believe suns still very good just run into the hottest team of this decade san antonio spurs nowadays its all about tim duncan other team really just waiting for duncan to retire

apinedaapineda
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i have been a knicks fan since patrick ewing, but im to tell you that the knicks will never bbe the same..all we do is rebuild and what does it get us nothing goodbye knicks you have lost me as a fan....but i wish you guys the best of luck.. later


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Dump Kerr. That's all I can say. What a loss.

TheRealHipTheRealHip
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