2:47pm: Kerr said that he anticipates hearing from Jackson about the team’s coaching vacancy, reiterated his desire to coach, and said that he’d be interested in the Knicks job in radio appearances today on SiriusXM’s NBA Radio and ESPN Chicago 1000. Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com passes the news along via Twitter.
MONDAY, 8:44am: Kerr’s friends say he may wait to see which other coaching jobs come open before saying yes to the Knicks, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Kerr intends to work his full playoff schedule for TNT, which runs through the conference finals, and he hasn’t spoken to his bosses about adjusting it to accommodate a coaching gig, Isola hears.
FRIDAY, 8:17am: Steve Kerr “absolutely expects” the Knicks to offer him their head coaching job, and he intends to accept such an offer, a source tells George Willis of the New York Post. Kerr has already spoken to TNT about adjusting his broadcasting schedule for the playoffs so he can start working for the Knicks, Willis hears.
Kerr has reportedly been the front-runner for the job for a while, and his name was linked to the Knicks as a possible candidate even when the team was still negotiating its deal with Phil Jackson. Mike Woodson is under contract to coach the team in 2014/15, but the Knicks had reportedly been planning to fire him if they failed to make the playoffs. Even after falling short of the postseason, Woodson received strong public support from Carmelo Anthony, who on Thursday referred to Woodson as “almost a father figure, a friend, a guy I can bounce stuff off of,” notes Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Woodson still appears on his way out, according to Isola, who hears from a source who says that Woodson and Jackson will speak Friday, and either set up a meeting for next week or discuss the terms of their parting.
Several teams apparently would like to bring Kerr aboard as an executive, but his focus is on coaching. Marc Berman of the New York Post suggests Jim Cleamons as a potential candidate to become the top assistant coach for the Knicks if they hire Kerr as head coach.