MIKE IS ON: Former Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni was named the new coach of the Lakers yesterday, and will make $12 million over three years. The speedball guru beat out Zen Master Phil Jackson for the job. (Getty Images)
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ORLANDO — The unbeaten Knicks are amidst a perfect present under Mike Woodson but had to deal with their imperfect past yesterday with news former coach Mike D’Antoni was hired to a 3-year, $12 million deal by the Lakers.
Carmelo Anthony, whose distaste with D’Antoni’s speedball offense led to his mid-March resignation, said he is “happy for him,” claimed they had a “good relationship’’ and added Kobe Bryant is “excited’’ about the hire. The Lakers selected D’Antoni over Phil Jackson, who may have overplayed his hand.
Anthony, D’Antoni and Bryant were all together in July and August as part of the U.S. Olympic Team that won a gold medal in London.
But while Anthony and D’Antoni got along during the Olympics, their union in New York ended poorly. D’Antoni resigned on March 14, hours after The Post reported Anthony preferred a trade unless he had assurance D’Antoni was gone next season.
“I’m happy for him,’’ Anthony said before the 4-0 Knicks flew to Orlando where they will face the Magic tonight. “ I knew he was trying to take time off and get healthy. He didn’t know what was going to happen. It worked out for him. This summer with him and Kobe, maybe they had something under the table, I don’t know. It will be fun. I know Kobe is excited about that.’’
There’s no handwringing in New York over “what-might- have-been’’ with D’Antoni or Jackson, whom Knicks owner James Dolan also bypassed for Woodson. The Knicks, with Woodson, couldn’t be doing any better.
But Anthony said D’Antoni makes a good fit in Los Angeles, particularly because he is reunited with point guard Steve Nash, and will bring “a positive energy.’’
“You don’t have to bring too much to that team that they have,’’ Anthony said. “Two bigs. Kobe, Steve Nash. Steve is used to that open offense, that spread offense [in Phoenix]. Kobe played with D’Antoni a couple of times on the USA team. Dwight [Howard] was actually on one of those teams. That offense will be quite familiar to them.’’
As the NBA’s only unbeaten team at 4-0, Woodson has done an excellent job motivating Anthony to play on both ends of the court. Anthony never adapted to D’Antoni’s freewheeling offense. Sources say D’Antoni never felt he had the backing of ownership to be stern with Anthony and reduce his minutes. Anthony believes they weren’t enemies.
“Despite all the hoopla and BS going on between me and Mike, we actually had a pretty good relationship, especially behind closed doors and practice,’’ Anthony said. “We actually talked a lot about basketball.’’
D’Antoni posted a 121-167 record as Knicks coach. His friends believe a fluctuating roster that saw him coach more than 50 players in nearly four seasons cost him any chance at success.
D’Antoni had knee-replacement surgery 2 ¹/₂ weeks ago and may not be allowed on the bench for the time being. But he should be all well when the Lakers visit the Garden on Dec. 13 and when Woodson’s club invades Staples Center on Christmas. D’Antoni shouldn’t expect a standing ovation as he got in Phoenix upon his return.
“They’re getting a great coach and he’s going to do a great job with those guys,’’ Steve Novak said. “Him and Steve Nash are pretty familiar with each other. [D’Antoni] will have another assistant coach on the floor and Kobe is familiar with him, which is nice when a coach comes in without training camp and guys have played for him.
“Everyone knows what an offensive genius he is and gets everyone going,’’ Novak added. “That’s what the Lakers are looking for. ‘’
Woodson has often praised D’Antoni’s offensive system and keeps some of its principles regarding the pick-and-roll. D’Antoni hired Woodson as an assistant before last season to run the defense.
“I’m very excited for him,’’ Woodson said. “I think he’s a guy who’s meant to be a coach. He’s done a lot of great things over the years and he’ll do extremely well there. He’s landed a great team.”
“The guy gave me an opportunity to continue my work as a coach and I learned a lot of from Mike, different ways of playing offensive pick and rolls. He’s great at it. Some of the things Mike did, I’m still doing. I’ve added some things, but I like a lot of things he did from an offensive standpoint.’’
Asked what prevented D’Antoni from achieving his Phoenix success, Novak said: “There were a lot of ups and downs when he was here, but there were unbelievable highlights. He really got things going at times. Other times he seemed like we weren’t able to play as well as we should have.’’