Report: Phil Jackson tells Carmelo Anthony he plans to hire Steve Kerr
Knicks star Carmelo Anthony averaged a career-high 8.1 rebounds this past season. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Images)
New York Knicks president Phil Jackson has told forward Carmelo Anthony that he is expecting to hire Steve Kerr as the team's next coach, reports Chris Herring of the Wall Street Journal.
According to the report, Jackson told Anthony about his plans for Kerr when the two had dinner last week. Kerr has never coached professionally and has spent the last few years as an analyst on TNT.
The team is seeking to replace Mike Woodson, who was fired last month after the team went 37-45 and missed the playoffs this past season.
Anthony, who averaged 27.4 points and 8.1 rebounds last season, said he plans on opting out of his contract during this offseason. If he re-signs with the Knicks, he could sign a five-year deal, worth $129 million.
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More from the Wall Street Journal:
"In sitting down with Anthony, who has made it abundantly clear that he wants to play for a winning team next season, Jackson wanted to allay any concerns Anthony might have about Kerr's inexperience as a coach. (Kerr, who played under Jackson with the Chicago Bulls, has never coached at any level.) Jackson tried to do that, the sources said, by telling Anthony that he'd be both visible and available on the sidelines while the team takes part in training camp."
