Mike Woodson said he still hopes to talk to Phil Jackson about remaining as head coach next season, but wouldn’t say if he will help the Knicks team president conduct exit meetings Thursday and Friday with the players.
Woodson said he’d like to find out his status “soon” and he likely will in the next 48 hours.
Woodson is not expected to be retained to finish the final year of his contract and almost assuredly coached his final game Wednesday in a 95-92 win over Toronto, going out on a four-game winning streak. That Woodson said he “won’t comment’’ on whether he’ll join Jackson for the exit meetings spoke volumes about his tenuous status.
Despite guiding the Knicks to a 37-45 record this season, Woodson showed his swashbuckling side when he said, before Wednesday’s game, he still thinks he’s “the only guy’’ for this job.
“If they bring me back, I’m going to make damn sure this doesn’t happen again,’’ Woodson said. “I hope [I’ll know] soon. There’s been enough said about my job all year from you guys. Hopefully soon I’ll know my destination on where I’m going to be.’’
Woodson has one year left on his pact at about $3.3 million. The Knicks’ failure to make the playoffs after last season’s 54-28 gem has him on the firing line, especially with the notion Jackson wants to bring in a new coach to mold in his image.
As Jackson left the Garden Wednesday night, he waved to a small group of media waiting for him at his van but declined to answer questions.
J.R. Smith came to Woodson’s defense after the game.
“I think he’s in a tough situation, a situation he’s been in all year,’’ Smith said. “Not knowing his place or where he’s going to be, whether going to be here or not here. I hate it has to be him because he’s a great person and great coach. I don’t know what it is last year from this year. You get so many praises then so many [slights], it’s amazing.’’
Woodson thinks he should come back because of all the injuries that peppered this disastrous season.
“I said this couple of weeks ago, I’m the only guy for this job and I don’t say that in a braggadocio way,’’ Woodson said. “I’ve always said that. I feel good about what I do as a coach. I know the system works.”
Woodson was a terrific 18-6 as interim coach in 2012 taking over for Mike D’Antoni. He led the Knicks to their first Atlantic Division title since 1993-94 last season, but they fell to the Pacers in the second round of the playoffs. According to sources, Knicks owner James Dolan wasn’t pleased with Woodson’s coaching performance against Indiana.
This season, Woodson can be blamed for the spate of losses in the final minute — a predictable late-game offense that certainly didn’t allow Carmelo Anthony to become a late-game hero. Woodson was also pilloried in January for failing to call a timeout in the final seconds of a loss to Washington to set up a final possession.
“Last season was last season,’’ Woodson said when asked if his 2012-13 record should be a factor. “Totally different personnel. I don’t know how much it will play. I’m not sitting here begging, saying that it should play a major role in me staying here. I can’t make that decision. That’s got to come from the top.’’
If Jackson hires a coach with no experience such as Steve Kerr, a former Suns general manager with whom he is close, it would be a gamble. But Woodson also has not been out of the second round in his head-coaching career and his offense doesn’t resemble Jackson’s selfless attack, instead often resorting to isolation plays for Anthony and Smith.
However, credit Woodson for making Anthony a much better rebounder and defender. At his first practice as head coach, he huddled with Anthony to read him the riot act regarding being a better all-around player, according to a league source.
“I don’t need to ask,’’ Woodson said about his future. “As a coach, I put myself in position to do the right thing and I think I have done the right thing, unfortunately we had some misfortune in terms of injuries. I never used that once as an excuse. Eventually when that time comes, they’ll let me know what they want to do.’’
Woodson was asked if he’d consider staying with the franchise in a different role and said it depended what the position was.
Jackson has no pattern of dealing with coaching firings or hirings as he is in his first month as a team president. A league source familiar with Jackson’s thinking said he would be more “deliberate’’ than not.
Woodson said he doesn’t have a timetable for a sit-down with Jackson, but it could come Thursday or Friday.
“We’ve had our little chats,’’ Woodson said. “Again the big chat will be my job security, where I’m going to be. That will eventually come, I’m sure.’’