Former Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni has already spoken on the phone with Lakers stars Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant and the tentative plan is to fly into La-La land Wednesday for a Thursday press conference, according to one of his confidants.
“Are you kidding, it’s a lovefest with those guys,’’ the confidant said of Nash and Bryant calling D’Antoni.
Because of his role with the Olympic Team, D’Antoni delayed his knee-replacement surgery until the day after Halloween and is undergoing daily physical therapy. The confidant said D’Antoni will continue his therapy at the Lakers training facility in El Segundo, Calif.
The Lakers trainers will determine when he is allowed to sit on the bench for games but he will still run the club, according to the confidant. Dan D’Antoni, Mike’s brother who is expected to join the Lakers staff, said it could be two weeks.
D’Antoni’s doctors shot up his knee to enable him to be an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic Team. His bad knee had caused him the back pain that he coached with in his final season with the Knicks.
D’Antoni resigned last March because he didn’t feel he could coach Carmelo Anthony any longer. After his first two seasons were spent with then Knicks president Donnie Walsh clearing cap space, D’Antoni never got to reap the rewards.
“He did the dirty work,’’ the confidant said. “But he didn’t get the pleasure. He got paid very well and has no regrets. Now Carmelo is under the bullet. Carmelo has everything he wants.’’
After his procedure, D’Antoni was stuck at the Hospital for Special Surgery for several extra days as he couldn’t get back to his Westchester home because of Hurricane Sandy, delaying his rehab. He had fully expected to not seek a job until after the season and watch his son, Mike Jr., play his senior year in high school until the Lakers selected him over Phil Jackson, who claims he was offered the job first and felt he had until Monday to give an answer..
“He had it all planned out,’’ the confidant said of D’Antoni. “What happened was like the Perfect Storm of his career. He couldn’t pass up this chance.’’