MILWAUKEE — Regrets? Mike D’Antoni has a few.
In a candid bombshell interview, D’Antoni told ESPNLosAngeles.com he never should have left Steve Nash in Phoenix and come to New York for the Knicks’ rebuilding program.
D’Antoni said the whole plan of breaking down the Knicks for two years to get under the salary cap for LeBron James wasn’t a perfect match for him. Of course, he was paid $24 million across nearly four seasons before he abruptly resigned last March without a single playoff win, no longer able to manage Carmelo Anthony’s ego. Owner James Dolan may regret it, too.
“I shouldn’t have gone to New York,” he said. “I should have stuck in there [in Phoenix] and battled. You don’t get to coach somebody like [Nash] too many times.It’s pretty sacred and you need to take care of it. I didn’t.”
D’Antoni said it was odd to have his job for the first two seasons build up a player’s stats in order to trade him. D’Antoni coached more than 50 players in four seasons — which sources have told The Post was his worst regret.
“We had a three-year plan and it was good,” D’Antoni says. “There were good aspects of it. But it was better the other way [in Phoenix].’’
The story says D’Antoni never has confessed his mistake to Nash. D’Antoni battled with Suns owner Robert Sarver over a few issues, including refusal to hire a defensive coach.
“I think we got frustrated and I got frustrated,’’ D’Antoni said of his Phoenix fallout. “That’s why I left. We were there, it seemed like we deserved it, and then it seemed like something happened all the time. Maybe we weren’t good enough either. We have to understand that. … I probably irrationally made a decision right when the season was over. You should take a month to figure it out. I shouldn’t have left. That was my fault.”
* The Knicks won’t say when ailing Jason Kidd (back spasms) will return, but Tyson Chandler sounded like it could be later than sooner and doesn’t want the veteran guard to rush back if he’s not 100 percent.
Kidd, who didn’t fly to Milwaukee, missed his second straight game last night in Milwaukee. The Knicks are calling him “day to day.’’
Coach Mike Woodson said he hopes to have Kidd back “shortly, but Chandler doesn’t want him to rush back too soon.
“It’s about getting healthy,” he said. “It’s a long run. We’ll win our share of games. If he ends up being out longer, we’ll be fine.’’
Chandler spoke to Kidd Thursday — the day after Kidd missed the Knicks’ historic first game in Brooklyn.
“I reached out to him,’’ Chandler said before the Knicks’ 102-88 win over the Bucks at Bradley Center. “I’m more concerned about his health. I didn’t even go there with him. I know he wanted to be there. I know he knows we need him. He doesn’t need any added pressure. We need him to be healthy for the long haul.
“I’m looking for this year to be a long one. I’m looking for him to be with us down the stretch. It’s more important he’s healthy than [playing] in November, December.’’