So much for Golden State Warriors assistant Luke Walton already turning down the New York Knicks’ head coaching gig.
Various reports have been floating around over the last couple of days, most of them alleging some version of the same thing: The Knicks talked to Walton about or flat-out offered him their head coaching job only to be rebuffed.
But, apparently, none of that actually happened. At least not according to Walton’s current boss, Steve Kerr, per ESPN.com’s Marc Stein:
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Monday that lead assistant Luke Walton will receive permission to interview for any head-coaching job he wishes to pursue, but Kerr stressed that no team has formally requested to speak to Walton.
In his pregame media session Monday before Game 2 of the Warriors’ first-round series against Houston, Kerr made it clear that he has no issues with Walton’s regular communication with New York Knicks president Phil Jackson. Kerr said he is also in frequent contact with Jackson, who was once his coach in Chicago.
So maybe Walton’s chitchat with Knicks president Phil Jackson was really completely innocent, after all. But it won’t stay that way for long. The Knicks need a new coach and Walton checks in as an ideal candidate. He is familiar with Jackson’s vaunted triangle offense, but allows the team to win the press conference, as someone who isn’t in an exclusive relationship with that system.
If the Knicks don’t give official chase to Walton, you have to imagine it’s because Jackson already put out feelers and didn’t receive much interest in return. There is no way they just don’t include him in their coaching search; not even Jackson is that deluded (or fiercely married to the idea of Kurt Rambis).
Walton has a cushy gig with the Warriors and would likely need to find the perfect situation if he’s to leave. The Knicks are not that tempting. They have a long way to go before they’re even a playoff team. Walton could also be in line to succeed Kerr as the Warriors’ head coach should his back issues persist. And if there’s even a chance that he could inherit this team’s nucleus in the next half-decade, it makes more sense for him to stick around and enjoy the ride—or at least avoid the Knicks entirely.
