ESPN - = Sources: Knicks could be in competition with Bulls for D'Antoni

Updated: May 8, 2008, 3:03 = AM ET

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The New York=20 Knicks are well aware of Mike D'Antoni's strong desire to coach the = Chicago = Bulls, as=20 well as Chicago's strong interest in hiring D'Antoni.=20

D'Antoni

They're simply ignoring all that.=20

NBA coaching sources told ESPN.com on Wednesday that the Knicks = continue to=20 regard D'Antoni as their No. 1 target to replace Isiah Thomas and are = preparing=20 a "staggering" financial offer they hope will prove too steep for = Chicago to=20 compete with, thus convincing D'Antoni to spurn the Bulls.=20

It was widely assumed in coaching circles -- and even by the = Knicks to=20 some degree -- that New York's involvement was pursued by the D'Antoni = camp=20 mostly to get Chicago to increase its offer. But sources close to the = situation=20 were stressing Wednesday night that the rough monetary estimates in = circulation=20 from the Knicks, believed to be $6 million or more annually, are too = substantial=20 not to make them a real threat to the Bulls.=20

Collins Staying In Booth

=20

Doug Collins says he has "no interest" in coaching again.=20

So it appears you can scratch one more name from the list of = potential=20 successors to fill the expected void left in Phoenix by Mike D'Antoni.=20

After calling the Lakers' victory over Utah for TNT on Wednesday = night in=20 Los Angeles, Collins told ESPN.com that he has not heard from the Suns = =85 and=20 that he would rebuff their interest if they do call.=20

"Steve has not talked to me, but I have no desire to do that," = Collins=20 said, referring to Suns president and former TNT colleague Steve Kerr. = "I=20 consider it a compliment when people mention me, but I just love my life = now.=20 The work that has to be done and the headaches you have to put up with = today,=20 I'm not willing to pay that price. It's just too tough.=20

"I get a chance to see my children now and my grandchildren. I've = probably given up the competitive side of myself, but it's such a tough = ride and=20 tough grind unless you have the [clout] of someone like Phil Jackson or = Gregg=20 Popovich or Jerry Sloan."=20

Collins, 56, has coached Chicago, Detroit and Washington and now = lives in=20 the Phoenix area, which only increased the volume on recent rumblings = that he's=20 a natural Suns candidate. But Collins has also turned down two recent = offers to=20 take over the Milwaukee Bucks, first in the summer of 2005 and again = last month=20 before the Bucks hired their new GM-coach tandem of John Hammond and = Scott=20 Skiles.=20

--=20 Marc Stein=20

Yet sources maintain that Chicago remains D'Antoni's preferred=20 destination and the favorite to land him, now nearly one week since it=20 emerged that the Phoenix = Suns coach=20 and the Bulls were a likely match. It's believed that neither the Bulls = nor the=20 Knicks have formally extended a contract proposal, but The Chicago = Tribune=20 reported on its Web site Wednesday night that the Bulls are determined = to "pay=20 D'Antoni only on their teams" and won't engage in a "protracted price = war" with=20 the Knicks.=20

One source told ESPN.com that the Knicks are likely to move = quickly if=20 they can't get D'Antoni by following up with an offer to Mark Jackson or = the=20 recently fired Avery Johnson, with Jackson believed to hold a = considerable edge=20 given his extended status as the front-runner in New York before = D'Antoni became=20 available.

Financial might is clearly the best asset New York can sell as a=20 franchise after two 23-59 records in the past three seasons. New team = president=20 Donnie Walsh has not been shy about admitting that the Knicks have only = just=20 begun work on an extensive makeover that, based on Walsh's vision, would = finally=20 create some salary-cap flexibility for this free-spending franchise = entering the=20 summer of 2010, when 2003 draftees LeB= ron=20 James, Dwy= ane=20 Wade and Chr= is Bosh=20 are scheduled to be free agents.=20

The chance to work with well-regarded Walsh is another plus point = in the=20 Knicks' attempt to beat the Bulls to D'Antoni. Whether that -- along = with the=20 money -- is enough of a lure to persuade D'Antoni to revise his = Chicago-or-bust=20 stance remains to be seen. Don't forget that the Knicks are unlikely to = contend=20 for anything in the near future and would present D'Antoni with an = ill-fitting=20 lack of speed and 3-point shooting on a roster headlined by Suns = cast-off Ste= phon=20 Marbury and plodding big men Edd= y Curry=20 and Zac= h=20 Randolph.=20

Finances, meanwhile, are believed to be the only factor that = could cause=20 the Bulls to pull back (or be trumped) now.=20

ESPN.com reported Tuesday that Bulls general manager John Paxson came = away=20 from two interviews with D'Antoni in Phoenix impressed and seriously = interested=20 in the coach who wants to leave the Suns in part because of a tense = working=20 relationship with Paxson's good friend, Suns president Stev= e Kerr.=20 Sources said that Paxson huddled Tuesday with Bulls owner Jerry = Reinsdorf to=20 discuss the viability of hiring D'Antoni.=20

Concerns that D'Antoni's offensive bent would clash with Paxson's = philosophy -- which is much more conservative and defensively focused, = like that=20 of his pal and Phoenix counterpart Kerr -- appear to have been allayed. = Sources=20 say that Reinsdorf himself has voiced an interest in the Bulls' going = back to a=20 more defined offensive system like they had in their Mich= ael=20 Jordan/Scot= tie=20 Pippen/Phil Jackson heyday. D'Antoni obviously doesn't run Jackson's = famed=20 triangle offense, but Chicago management is said to be intrigued and = excited by=20 the possibility of coupling D'Antoni's creativity with several skilled = young=20 players who've been linked to Phoenix in trades in recent years (Joa= kim=20 Noah, Tyr= us=20 Thomas and Tha= bo=20 Sefolosha) as well a budding star (Luo= l Deng)=20 who was drafted with a pick traded by the Suns to Chicago.=20

The bigger mystery remains how much Chicago is willing to spend on = its next=20 coach, with Reinsdorf already committed to paying Scott Skiles an = estimated $4=20 million next season.=20

When Skiles was dismissed on Christmas Eve 2007, Reinsdorf agreed = to=20 rescind the offset from Skiles' contract and pay him all but $1 million = of the=20 remaining $6 million owed. As a result, Skiles walked away with a = guaranteed $5=20 million send-off that was not erased by the estimated $18 million over = four=20 years he just received from the Milwaukee = Bucks.=20

Chicago, then, would be spending more than $8 million on head = coaches=20 next season if D'Antoni were to receive an annual salary in his current = wage=20 bracket. If the Bulls are asked to respond to the Knicks' generosity by = taking=20 D'Antoni past the $5 million barrier annually, sources say Chicago could = still=20 decide it's more prudent to pursue a more affordable coach with less = experience,=20 such as Boston assistant Tom Thibodeau, who is widely credited with = providing=20 the schemes that helped Kev= in=20 Garnett transform the Celtics' defense this season.=20

The Tribune reported on its Web site Tuesday night that the = Bulls'=20 interest in defense-first Johnson is declining, which could be another=20 indication that the Bulls are focused on landing D'Antoni. The Arizona = Republic=20 reported that the Suns would not seek additional compensation when = D'Antoni's=20 inevitable departure materializes, simply hoping to relieve themselves = of the=20 two seasons left on his Suns deal at $4 million and $4.5 million.=20

Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. To e-mail = him, click=20 here.

Inside NBA

=20

Chris=20 Paul is all smiles and hugs off the court. Don't be fooled by it. CP3 = has a mean=20 streak. J.A. Adande

=20

Boston's=20 ringleader is ringless. And guiding a title-starved franchise. That = means no=20 sleep for KG. Gene Wojciechowski

=20

Get=20 10 drops of NBA knowledge and the latest highlights and scores from = Tuesday's=20 NBA action. Daily Dime TV

=20

The=20 Hornets are playing with urgency in these playoffs. Why? Tyson Chandler = gives=20 you some insight in his blog. Wednesday Bullets

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} = catch(e){}=0A= =0A= $$('#' + this.options.conversation_id_prefix + 'container = .conversation-form-toggle').each(function(node)=0A= {=0A= $(node).observe('click',function(evt)=0A= {=0A= $(this.options.conversation_id_prefix + = 'submit-post-form').show().scrollTo();=0A= Event.stop(evt);=0A= }.bind(this));=0A= }.bind(this));=0A= =0A= $$('#' + this.options.conversation_id_prefix + 'container = .conversation-form').each(function(node)=0A= {=0A= $(node).observe('submit',function(evt)=0A= {=0A= $A( node.getElementsByTagName('textarea') ).each( function( = textarea ){=0A= textarea.value =3D conversation_protect_accented_characters( = textarea.value );=0A= });=0A= }.bind(this));=0A= }.bind(this));=0A= =0A= if(this.options.conversation_show_post_form)=0A= {=0A= try{ $(this.options.conversation_id_prefix + = 'cancel-button').hide(); } catch(e){}=0A= }=0A= else=0A= {=0A= try{ $(this.options.conversation_id_prefix + = 'cancel-button').observe('click',function(evt)=0A= {=0A= $(Event.findElement(evt,'form')).hide();=0A= Event.stop(evt);=0A= }); } catch(e){}=0A= }=0A= =0A= this.activate_ignore_links();=0A= this.activate_delete_links();=0A= this.activate_edit_links();=0A= this.activate_violation_links();=0A= },=0A= activate_delete_links: function()=0A= {=0A= var nodes =3D $$('#' + this.options.conversation_id_prefix + = 'message-list a.conversation-item-delete');=0A= =0A= nodes.each(function(node)=0A= {=0A= $(node).observe('click',this.delete_click_listener);=0A= }.bind(this));=0A= },=0A= activate_edit_links: function()=0A= {=0A= var nodes =3D $$('#' + this.options.conversation_id_prefix + = 'message-list a.conversation-item-edit');=0A= =0A= nodes.each(function(node)=0A= {=0A= $(node).observe('click',this.edit_click_listener);=0A= }.bind(this));=0A= },=0A= handle_page_click: function(evt)=0A= {=0A= Event.stop(evt);=0A= var el =3D $(Event.findElement(evt,'a'));=0A= =0A= if(el.hasClassName('conversation-page-item-open'))=0A= {=0A= return;=0A= }=0A= =0A= var query_string =3D decodeURIComponent(el.href.split('feed=3D')[1]);=0A= var args =3D query_string.toQueryParams();=0A= var container_id =3D $(this.options.conversation_page_id_prefix + = args.page + '-container');=0A= =0A= this.page =3D args.page;=0A= =0A= this.hide_others();=0A= if($(container_id).empty())=0A= {=0A= var script =3D document.createElement('script');=0A= var base =3D this.options.conversation_feed_url.split('?')[0];=0A= var src =3D base + '?' + query_string + = '&callbackParam=3Dlocal&callback=3Dcoversation_handle_page_load';=0A= =0A= script.src =3D src;=0A= script.type =3D 'text/javascript';=0A= =0A= $$('head')[0].appendChild(script);=0A= }=0A= else=0A= {=0A= $(this.options.conversation_page_id_prefix + args.page + = '-link').removeClassName('conversation-page-item-progress');=0A= $(this.options.conversation_page_id_prefix + args.page + = '-link').removeClassName('conversation-page-item-closed');=0A= $(this.options.conversation_page_id_prefix + args.page + = '-link').addClassName('conversation-page-item-open');=0A= try{=0A= $($(this.options.conversation_page_id_prefix + args.page + = '-link').parentNode).addClassName('conversation-page-item-parent-open');=0A= }catch(e){ }=0A= $(this.options.conversation_page_id_prefix + args.page).scrollTo();=0A= }=0A= },=0A= activate_violation_links: function(elem)=0A= {=0A= var nodes =3D $$('#' + this.options.conversation_id_prefix + = 'message-list a.conversation-item-report');=0A= =0A= nodes.each(function(node)=0A= {=0A= $(node).observe('click',this.violation_click_listener);=0A= }.bind(this));=0A= },=0A= activate_ignore_links: function()=0A= {=0A= $$('#' + this.options.conversation_id_prefix + 'message-list = .conversation-item-ignore').each(function(node)=0A= {=0A= $(node).observe('click',this.ignore_click_listener);=0A= }.bind(this));=0A= },=0A= prospero_response: function()=0A= {=0A= this.response =3D this.response || window['ProsperoResponse' + = this.options.conversation_script_key];=0A= =0A= return this.response;=0A= },=0A= build_context: function(context)=0A= {=0A= if(!context)=0A= {=0A= try{ context =3D this.prospero_response().ContentElement; 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}=0A= catch(e){ var pages =3D []; }=0A= =0A= if(this.options.conversation_reverse_pagination && = this.options.conversation_pagination_type !=3D 'between')=0A= {=0A= pages.reverse();=0A= }=0A= var tag =3D this.options.conversation_pagination_type !=3D 'between' = ? 'div' : 'ul';=0A= if(pages.length < 2 && this.options.conversation_pagination_type !=3D = 'between') return;=0A= this.write_to_buffer('<' + tag + ' id=3D"' + = this.options.conversation_id_prefix + 'page-list" = class=3D"conversation-pagination">');=0A= =0A= var greatest =3D parseInt( this.meta['@messageCount'] );=0A= var end =3D parseInt( (this.options.conversation_reverse_pagination) = ? this.count : this.meta['@messageCount'] );=0A= =0A= pages.each(function(page)=0A= {=0A= var range =3D parseInt(this.count);=0A= var start =3D end - range + 1; //((pages.length - page['@name']) * = range) + 1;=0A= =0A= =0A= if( start < 1 ) start =3D 1;=0A= =0A= var text =3D (this.options.conversation_pagination_type =3D=3D = 'between') ? TranslationLookUp.look_up('Comments', = this.options.conversation_lang) : page['@name'];=0A= var class_name =3D (page['@name'] =3D=3D this.page) ? = 'conversation-page-item-open' : 'conversation-page-item-closed';=0A= =0A= =0A= /*if(page =3D=3D pages[pages.length-1] && = !this.options.conversation_reverse_pagination)=0A= {=0A= range =3D this.meta['@messageCount'];=0A= end =3D range;=0A= }=0A= else if(page =3D=3D pages[0] && = this.options.conversation_reverse_pagination)=0A= {=0A= range =3D this.meta['@messageCount'];=0A= end =3D range;=0A= }*/=0A= page.start =3D start;=0A= page.end =3D end;=0A= page.class_name =3D class_name;=0A= page.text =3D text;=0A= page.next =3D page =3D=3D pages.last() ? '': ', ';=0A= =0A= if(this.options.conversation_reverse_pagination)=0A= {=0A= end =3D end + range;=0A= }=0A= else=0A= {=0A= end =3D start - 1;=0A= }=0A= =0A= if( page.end > greatest )=0A= {=0A= page.end =3D greatest;=0A= }=0A= =0A= var c_page =3D this.pf.create(page);=0A= this.write_to_buffer(c_page.to_string());=0A= }.bind(this));=0A= this.write_to_buffer('');=0A= },=0A= build_message_list: function(messages,exclude_ul)=0A= {=0A= if(!messages)=0A= {=0A= if(this.options.conversation_feed_type !=3D 'talkback' && = this.options.conversation_feed_type !=3D 'featuredmsgs')=0A= {=0A= messages =3D [];=0A= base =3D null;=0A= =0A= try{ base =3D this.prospero_response().ContentElement.Forum[0]; }=0A= catch(e){}=0A= =0A= if( base && base.Folder && base.Folder.each )=0A= {=0A= base.Folder.each( function( item )=0A= {=0A= item.Discussion.each( function( sub_item )=0A= {=0A= if( sub_item && sub_item.Message )=0A= {=0A= sub_item.Message.each( function ( m )=0A= {=0A= for( var i in sub_item )=0A= {=0A= m[i] =3D sub_item[i];=0A= }=0A= messages.push( m );=0A= });=0A= }=0A= });=0A= });=0A= }=0A= }=0A= else=0A= {=0A= try{ messages =3D = this.prospero_response().ContentElement.Forum[0].Folder[0].Discussion[0].= Message; }=0A= catch(e){ messages =3D []; }=0A= =0A= }=0A= if( this.options.conversation_reverse_messages )=0A= {=0A= messages.reverse();=0A= }=0A= }=0A= =0A= =0A= if(!messages.length && this.options.conversation_send_to_if_not_found = && location.href.indexOf('target_tsn') !=3D -1)=0A= {=0A= location.href =3D this.options.conversation_send_to_if_not_found;=0A= }=0A= else if(!messages.length && = this.options.conversation_no_items_message)=0A= {=0A= this.write_to_buffer('

');=0A= this.write_to_buffer(this.options.conversation_no_items_message);=0A= this.write_to_buffer('

');=0A= }=0A= else=0A= {=0A= if(!exclude_ul) this.write_to_buffer('

');=0A= messages.each(function(i,count)=0A= {=0A= i.row =3D count % 2 =3D=3D 0 ? 'even' : 'odd';=0A= var message =3D this.build_message_object(this.mf.create(i));=0A= this.write_to_buffer(message.to_string());=0A= }.bind(this));=0A= if(!exclude_ul) this.write_to_buffer('');=0A= }=0A= },=0A= render: function()=0A= {=0A= if(this.options.conversation_attach_point)=0A= {=0A= Event.onDOMReady(=0A= function()=0A= {=0A= this.post_render();=0A= }.bind(this)=0A= );=0A= }=0A= else=0A= {=0A= this.post_render();=0A= }=0A= },=0A= post_render: function()=0A= {=0A= try { = $(this.options.conversation_attach_point).update(this.empty_buffer()); } = catch(e){ }=0A= this.store_in_buffer =3D true;=0A= if(this.options.conversation_pagination_type =3D=3D 'between' && = this.options.conversation_feed_type !=3D 'featuredmsgs')=0A= {=0A= try {=0A= var el =3D $(this.options.conversation_id_prefix + 'message-list');=0A= el.remove();=0A= $(this.options.conversation_page_id_prefix + this.page + = '-container').appendChild(el);=0A= delete(el);=0A= }catch(e){}=0A= }=0A= =0A= this.apply_behaviors();=0A= },=0A= build_options: function()=0A= {=0A= var options =3D {};=0A= var return_url =3D location.href;=0A= =0A= if( location.href.indexOf('?') > -1 ){ return_url +=3D = '&prosaction=3Dnewpost'; }=0A= else { return_url +=3D '?prosaction=3Dnewpost'; }=0A= =0A= =0A= var error_url =3D (location.href.indexOf('?') =3D=3D -1) ? = location.href + '?prosaction=3Dnewpost' : location.href + = '&prosaction=3Dnewpost';=0A= var vars =3D {=0A= conversation_post_submit_image: __static_base + = '/profile/i/btn_postComment.gif',=0A= conversation_post_edit_image: __static_base + = '/profile/i/btn_submit.gif',=0A= conversation_post_cancel_image: __static_base + = '/profile/i/btn_cancel.gif',=0A= conversation_attach_point: null,=0A= conversation_pagination_type: 'bottom',=0A= conversation_feed_url: '',=0A= conversation_reverse_pagination: true,=0A= conversation_reverse_page_text: false,=0A= conversation_violation_text: 'Report Violation',=0A= conversation_violation_cancel_text: 'Cancel',=0A= conversation_ignore_text: 'Ignore User',=0A= conversation_edit_text: ' 3D""

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(.+)<\/h2>/);=0A= }=0A= =0A= //var text_found =3D (title_matches && title_matches.length) ? = title_matches[1] : '';=0A= =0A= var text_found =3D header;=0A= =0A= try{ title_el.value =3D text_found; } catch(e){}=0A= =0A= textarea.value =3D textarea.value.replace(/
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Sources: Knicks could be in competition with = Bulls for=20 D'Antoni

Collins Staying In Booth

Also See

More NBA Headlines

Inside NBA

' + = message.title + '

\=0A= \=0A= Report a Violation\=0A=

(.+)<\/h2>/);=0A= }=0A= =0A= //var text_found =3D (title_matches && title_matches.length) ? = title_matches[1] : '';=0A= =0A= var text_found =3D header;=0A= =0A= try{ title_el.value =3D text_found; } catch(e){}=0A= =0A= textarea.value =3D textarea.value.replace(/