Patrick Ewing's currently an assistant in Orlando, working on sharpening Dwight Howard's game. Rumor has it we might want him back to coach our own big men. Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel (who subscribes to the D'Antoni school of grooming) reports:

If Magic Assistant Coach Patrick Ewing wants to return to his old team, the New York Knicks, in a similar role, the Magic would have to excuse him from the one year he has left on his contract.

Ewing has long talked about returning to New York, but mostly as a head coach of the Knicks.

New Knicks Coach Mike D'Antoni said that Ewing was on his list of potential assistant coaching candidates.

"I know what he did in New York and I know that he's done a good job since he left," D'Antoni told reporters. "He will definitely be considered."

I'd love the move. Ewing would give us some nice PR, a proven tutor for Curry, Randolph, and Morris, and, looking way ahead, a potential heir to D'Antoni's head coaching spot. I hope this rumor is for real.

I'll be out of town this weekend so computer access will be limited. I'll still try to get on and post, but I might not be all that on top of things. Have a good one.

We called it, folks! When Isiah Thomas wasn't completely eliminated from the Knicks' front office, we all speculated that he might be headed overseas to do some scouting. Sure enough, Europe's got its most notorious visitor since the Bubonic Plague. From Fox Sports:

According to a source close to Thomas, president Donnie Walsh dispatched Thomas last week to France and Italy. Not a bad absentee job. Thomas is not just there for the cuisine and wine. Walsh wanted him to scout two lottery possibilities in Danilo Gallinari and Nicolas Batum.

It was Thomas' first assignment since being fired as head coach April 18, two days after the season, and reassigned to a role with no title. Walsh said he would seek his advice, and The Post reported the former Knicks president/coach likely would have no office.

There's a chance Thomas also will show up for the pre-draft camp in Orlando, May 27-30.

Thomas watched Gallinari, who plays for Milan, and Batum, of Lemans, in their club-league games. This week the Italian League and French League hold their playoffs. D'Antoni once played for Milan.

Walsh said the Knicks, who don't have a foreign player, will be more involved internationally with D'Antoni.

"I think Mike has a great feel for international players," Walsh said.

If you don't know, Gallinari and Batum are Italian and French respectively, and are long, sweet-shooting swingmen who might very faithfully fit D'Antoni's system. They're both projected to in the middle or late part of the lottery. While neither is the point guard we'd probably be looking for if we were to trade or fall into the lower lottery, both are certainly worth a look.

Meanwhile, it's good to know that Isiah is staying occupied and useful, and any hint at the Knicks finally exploring overseas is a welcome one.

Today's press conference introduced new Head Coach Mike D'Antoni to the New York media and fans. The general upshot was a little different from that expressed by Donnie Walsh during his own introduction. Both men stressed preparation for the playoffs and putting a fun, competitive product on the floor. D'Antoni insisted that he didn't come to "start from zero", and was ready to win with the roster he's been given. Walsh stressed that the Knicks were trying to become "competitive as quickly as possible", which is nice, but no mention was made of rebuilding or getting under the cap. Granted, saying "well we're just gonna suck for a couple years, but then hopefully get LeBron" isn't really appropriate at a press conference. Overall, Walsh and D'Antoni seem to have good rapport, and we can be confident that both are ready to devote themselves to bettering this team. At this point, that's all we can ask for.

Meanwhile, Stephon Marbury was unexpectedly but unquestionably the star of the show. After the presser,  Q and Steph (our former Suns) were asked about the hiring and next season (as was Nate, but I missed that one). Q was fairly uninteresting. Stephon was quite the opposite (via Game On!) :

Deranged grin: check. Miami Vice outfit: check. Inexplicably sweat-drenched skin: check. "Running in the mountains" with his brother in L.A: check. We missed you, Steph.

Yo. Hope everybody's staying dry on this dreary Monday. A few things to check out as we begin an era under a new coach:

- J.E. Skeets has the best roundup of D'Antoni reactions (expect some D'Angst, D'Animosity, and D'Anger).

- The best one I've read comes from  Knickerblogger, where David Crockett weighs the  potential pros and cons of the D'Antoni hire.  The team's probably not going to be anything special anytime soon with some serious changes, but we do have a  number of young, useful players under the lumpy, misshapen surface. Also love this part:

Finally, the other thing I love is that it is relatively easy to find complimentary players for D’Antoni’s style at fairly reasonable prices. Raja Bell, James Jones, Anthony Parker, T.J. Ford, Kurt Thomas, and Boris Diaw were all basically considered minor acquisitions when they joined Phoenix or Toronto (Phoenix’s closest imitator).

Great point. D'Antoni's system is an excellent one for cheap nobodies to become somebodies. If you can run fast and hit a jump shot, you can probably make it with the Knicks now.

- The consensus in those not completely opposed to the hire is that D'Antoni is a tough, adaptable guy. He's got an odd career of proving himself, and all this hating from the cynical media just might stoke that fire. Howard Beck sums it up best.

- Is this move geared towards a future coup for LBJ? I can't say it isn't.

- In other news, the Dolans and Cablevision weren't satisfied with the amount of money they spent on D'Antoni, and have purchased Newsday. Considering that the company does a portion of the reporting on the Knicks, I'm wondering if anything is going to change around there...

That's all for now. Have a pleasant evening.

From ESPN:

Mike D'Antoni has accepted an offer to coach the New York Knicks, according to a media reports.

The former Phoenix Suns coach, who was also sought by the Chicago Bulls, has accepted a four-year, $24 million deal to take over the Knicks, according to reports by Sports Illustrated and The Boston Globe, both citing a league source.

The Knicks did not immediately confirm that D'Antoni is New York-bound.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith had previously reported that the Knicks had outlined a four-year, $24 million offer for D'Antoni.

First of all, you think the Knicks would show me some courtesy after over a year of blogging about them. I was on the road home from school when I got a call from a friend that D'Antoni had been hired. Sorry for the lateness and thanks to JoshL for jumping on the news.

Anyway...that escalated quickly, no? I barely had time to ponder D'Antoni coaching the Knicks before he was named our man. I'm picking up a lot of discontent here and around the blogosphere and that's perfectly understandable. D'Antoni comes across as an easy-going, offensive-minded coach not exactly suited for turning around a flimsy, defensively inept squad. I understand that. 

As the optimist, I'd like everyone to remember a few things before we write off Donnie Walsh and the hiring and the future of this team:

1. NBA Coach of the Year 2004-2005.

2. D'Antoni's hiring might mean a roster overhaul that transforms the Knicks into a faster, sleeker, more visually palatable offensive machine. We could be cool again. Imagine that.

3. Conversely, D'Antoni might very well be willing to change his pace a little, surround himself with a good staff, and inspire the Knicks to play defense. He's not that old, not that experienced, and not necessarily dead-set on a certain coaching method. Isn't it possible that he's just a smart guy who knows how to work with his roster?

4. Mustache.

5. D'Antoni's presence and personal background (Italizan citizenship, time scouting for the Spurs) might inspire the Knicks to finally catch up in overseas scouting. We might have our first meaningful foreign draft pick of my lifetime.

6.  In the wake of Isiah, it'll be nice to have a guy who's relatively straightforward and likable and is a good face for the franchise.

7. Seriously, have you seen that mustache?

In short, I understand the displeasure with the move, but why don't we let things take their course before we attack the franchise? I'm as wary as you are, but let's not embody the stereotype of New York fans by being bitchy and fatalistic. Have faith, brethren.

There was some talk of the Knicks reaching out to Mike D'Antoni despite his closeness with the Chicago Bulls. Turns out we're reaching out with fat stacks of cash in our hands. From ESPN:

The New York Knicks on Thursday outlined the lucrative parameters of a five-year deal they're prepared to give new No. 1 coaching target Mike D'Antoni, according to NBA coaching sources.

A rival proposal from the Chicago Bulls-- the team many still favor to land D'Antoni -- is expected by Sunday at the latest, sources said.

Although Knicks president Donnie Walsh, through a team spokesman, insisted Thursday night that the Knicks have not offered "anyone" a coaching contract, that might just be a technicality. Sources close to the process say D'Antoni, who celebrated his 57th birthday Thursday, has had advanced discussions with the Knicks about leaving the desert for Manhattan.

The Phoenix Suns' coach will naturally wait to hear what the Bulls present before continuing or breaking off his dialogue with New York, given his well-established interest in the Bulls' opening and his standing as Chicago's top choice.

But the latest estimates on the five-year package New York is prepared to formally put on the table fall in the $30 million range. Although that figure had been projected Wednesday by coaching sources to be even more "staggering," it's a level of annual compensation exceeded by only a few coaches in the game, such as Phil Jackson and recent coaching retiree Pat Riley.

ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher, quoting a source close to D'Antoni, reported on SportsCenter early Friday that D'Antoni is leaning toward taking the New York job.

It remains to be seen how high the Bulls are willing to go financially in comparison and how much security their pitch will afford. The Chicago Tribune reported in Thursday's editions the Bulls are determined to "pay D'Antoni only on their terms" and won't engage in a "protracted price war" with the Knicks.

What could be the logic behind this? Is D'Antoni really our top choice? Are we just toying with the Bulls? I will say that if D'Antoni's going to take that rumored hefty contract from us, he better be ready to grind. That cash won't look so pretty when he realizes he's got a team with no direction and no Steve Nash on his hands. The article goes on to say that Monday is a tentative date for D'Antoni to make a decision, so we'll sit tight until then.

From Yahoo! Sports, it looks like those rumors of the Knicks and Avery Johnson having mutual interest are true.

New York Knicks president Donnie Walsh is racking up the mileage. On Tuesday, he's scheduled to fly to Houston in team owner Jim Dolan's private plane to meet with Avery Johnson regarding the Knicks' coaching vacancy.

Earlier Monday, Sports Illustrated's Jack McCallum reported that Walsh had also jetted to Phoenix to meet with Suns coach Mike D'Antoni. Suns GM Steve Kerr announced Monday he has given D'Antoni permission to speak with other teams. Chicago Bulls officials also reportedly have spoken with D'Antoni.

Knicks spokesperson Jonathan Supranowitz said he could not confirm either of the team's meetings with Johnson or D'Antoni.

Good to know that Supranowitz is still as deceptive as ever. Nothing better than a mute spokesperson.

Anyway, it's good to know that Walsh is, as rumored, exploring a variety of options and not just settling on Jackson. Preacher (I'm calling him "Preacher" now, at least occasionally, because of his role in Eddie) may not even be the leading candidate anymore, for all we know. Maybe he never was. Maybe he doesn't even exist. Leave your thoughts on Walsh/Johnson '08 and the potential that Mark Jackson is a shape-shifting entity from another realm in the comments. Peace.

(Tip of the hat to Brett Edwards at the Fanhouse)

With thanks to our good friends at Bright Side of the Sun, KTAR in Arizona is reporting that Mike D'Antoni has been granted permission to talk to the Knicks and Bulls about vacant coaching positions.

D'Antoni was previously denied permission to speak with any team, Suns GM Steve Kerr told KTAR last week.

Kerr and owner Robert Sarver met with D'Antoni for a lunch meeting on Friday to discuss his future with Phoenix, but it was reported a decision would not be made until later in the week.

ESPN.com reported Friday that Chicago has emerged as the most likely landing spot for D'Antoni if he leaves Phoenix.

Bulls management contacted D'Antoni's agent last week, according to sources close to the subject.

D'Antoni, who has two years and $8.5 million left on his contract, would likely have to resign if he departed for Chicago.

First off, Chicago sounds like a better bet for D'Antoni. But say he is really interested in the Knicks spot? What do we think of him? Do remember that his only NBA coaching work was leading a run-and-gun offense with a two-time MVP at the point and an array of All-Star caliber weapons at other positions. He seems like a great guy and a fun coach, but does he fit a turnaround project with serious defensive flaws? I'm not so sure. Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Our Knicks are currently in the throes of a coaching search. Donnie Walsh is moving as quietly as he can to survey the field and get in touch with potential candidates. Our range of suitors varies from guys with real experience (Johnson, Carlisle) to guys with only second-banana experience (Herb Williams, Thibodeau, Ewing?) to guys with none at all (Jackson).

In our discussions and in the news, there's been chatter about some of the apparent front-runners, like Mark Jackson, being too green for such a messy project as the Knicks. There's no doubt that what we need here is a culture change, and I just haven't seen coaching experience work in that department. This echoes some of the sentiments in Starktastic's diary and the comments below. There's a certain amount of pretense and pomp that comes with a veteran coach, and these cowboys aren't necessarily going to cope well with the sorry state of the Knicks and the onslaught from the New York media shitting upon their egos. If you want proof, look at our last three coaching hires. Wilkens curled up in the fetal position and caved. Brown got testy and threw the whole team under the bus (good luck with that guy, Charlotte!), and Isiah was Isiah.

I guess what I'm saying is sometimes you need somebody with a clear head and something to prove- someone who doesn't have their sexy track record as a safety net. It's gonna take someone really with patience and courage to turn the Knicks around, and coaches with a history of success aren't necessarily steeped in such values. If this sounds a little like another debate in national affairs, it should.

I'm not trying to shoot down the prospects of Johnson or Carlisle or whoever. I just think that, unless your experience is in making poop into delicious sandwiches, you're experience means nothing in New York.

Anyway, the recent news is that Jackson is still Walsh's front-runner, but that Avery Johnson has rightfully been added to the list. Also from today's news, we get this gem:

Yesterday Walsh declined comment through a Knicks spokesman.

One rival executive, who asked not to be identified because he wasn't authorized to speak on the subject, said recently that the longer Walsh waits, the more it looks like he wants to see who else will become available.

Wow. That executive better keep his identity under wraps, because that kind of dirt could get him in some serious trouble. How much of an "executive" are you really when you lack the authorization to comment on the elementary concept  of chronology?

Sit tight. This coaching search does appear to be a long haul, but it's worth discussing in the meantime what brand of leader we're looking for. Does experience matter? Does inexperience matter? Speak up in the comments.

Happy Monday, Posters and Toasters. Hope everyone is enjoying the playoffs and took as much pleasure in seeing Jason Kidd tossed last night as I did. Donnie Walsh and the Knicks are still hard at work, so here are some relevant links...

- Add another name to the mix- a name with which we're all familiar. Kenny Smith is now being reported as a candidate for the vacant GM position. We all know "The Jet" from his announcing on TNT and MSG. He's an articulate, intelligent guy who knows basketball. Interesting prospect for the management spot. (Tip of the hat to the Fanhouse).

- Looks like we've got even more competition for available coaching candidates out there.

- A legendary Knick with some actual coaching experience is feeling a little sad that he hasn't gotten a call from Mr. Walsh. I'm of the opinion that Patrick definitely needs a look. Not only is he a smart dude with some coaching under his belt, but he's beloved in New York. It's be a fantastic PR move.

- Good to know that some of James Dolan's wasted bank is going to a good cause. And by a good cause I do not mean Stephon Marbury's "Feed the Ostriches" fund.

Dassit for now, babies. Enjoy the playoffs. Draft things will start up pretty soon. Peace.