Oklahoma City GM Sam Presti gave no indication Derek Fisher is even considering returning to the Thunder as a player/unofficial assistant coach and said he won’t stand in his way of leaving for another club to coach or join the front office.
Knicks president Phil Jackson needed Presti’s permission to proceed with interviewing Fisher this week for his team’s head-coaching vacancy. The coaching search has hit nearly the seven-week mark.
“We have absolutely no reason to expect Derek to keep us informed of his plans,’’ Presti said during his season’s wrap-up press conference. “He’s going to have to make the decisions that are best for him. We wish him the best, as with any player that’s come through here. We want them to have fulfilling experiences as a professional but also as a person and reflect back on their time in Oklahoma City as a chance to do the best work of their career.
“That’s a player, or a staff member or anybody. I’m hopeful that he looks at that and he feels that he got better and improved in different ways while he was here.’’
Presti certainly sounded like he was talking about Fisher in the past tense, though the point guard hasn’t announced his retirement. The Lakers have some interest in Fisher for their head-coaching vacancy or, more likely, to groom in their front office. But will Lakers president Jeanie Buss want to steal Fisher from Jackson?
“I think he’ll be excellent in whatever he chooses to do,’’ Presti said. “I know everyone has said that. If he were to do something in the front office, I think he’d do well at that as well. But we don’t have a right to know what he’s doing.
“The only thing we have a right is to support him because he’s left an impact here in a positive way, as has players that have come before him that have gone on to exceptional coaching careers elsewhere like Kevin Ollie.’’
Presti was not asked about the tampering charges levied against Jackson for speaking openly about Fisher as a Knicks coaching candidate. Jackson responded in his own way in a tweet Wednesday, indicating he will not be deterred from informing the team’s fans through the media.
Jackson may feel under the gun as he has a mid-June trip to Turkey planned for his son’s wedding and wants the search over by then, as The Post reported.
Jackson’s first choice for coach was Steve Kerr, who Jackson said gave the Knicks a verbal commitment before backing out. In a story on Fisher’s lengthy blog tribute to Jackson, The Post reported if Kerr’s negotiations fall through and Golden State fires Mark Jackson, Fisher would be at the top of Jackson’s list. At the time, Jackson preferred Denver coach Brian Shaw to Fisher but didn’t know if he could pry him from the Nuggets.