Mike D’Antoni told interim Knicks GM Glen Grunwald at a private meeting before Wednesday’s morning shootaround he didn’t feel he could “positively affect the team’’ anymore.
More to the point, D’Antoni no longer felt he could “affect” Carmelo Anthony to buy into his speedball system and be a team player.
On the day The Post reported Anthony wanted to be traded by Thursday’s NBA deadline unless he had an assurance D’Antoni would not be around next season, the Knicks coach made it easy for Anthony.
D’Antoni quit instead, three weeks after Jeremy Lin had become a global phenomenon under his watch until Anthony’s return sent the Knicks into a 2-8 plunge and 18-24 record.
With 24 games remaining and the club on the fast track of missing the playoffs, assistant coach Mike Woodson took over the reins night vs. Portland. And Knicks owner James Dolan must hope Phil Jackson wants to join this ugly mess this summer for a lottery team that likely won’t have a lottery pick.
“After speaking with Mike Woodson, Mike understands we will be re-evaluating him at the end of the season,’’ Dolan said.
The D’Antoni Era ended in ugly fashion and well short of expectations when he resigned shortly after the morning shootaround in what owner Dolan called “a mutual agreement.’’
The press conference before the game was somber and the locker room was worse, with all players refusing to talk except one, rookie Iman Shumpert.
“It was a surprise this morning,’’ Grunwald said. “I’m disappointed this happened.’’
“It wasn’t just Carmelo,’’ Grunwald added. “It was our whole team not playing up to where we thought it could be. Mike was as frustrated as anyone about that. That’s what led him to that decision. That maybe it needs to be a new approach.’’
A new coach who will get along with Anthony and get the best out of him. Anthony, according to a source, likes Woodson. D’Antoni thought the offense should run through new sensation Lin and felt it was impossible to employ that structure with Anthony.
“It was emphatically a resignation,’’ a person familiar with the situation said.
D’Antoni called Grunwald and assistant GM Allan Houston into their office before the shootaround to tell them he didn’t think he could lead the club any longer. Grunwald then called Dolan to hurry into the Greenburgh facility to continue discussions.
“It was not an event planned in any way,’’ Dolan said in rare remarks. “We had a very honest discussion. He clearly felt it was best for the organization if he would not continue as coach of the team. He did offer to stay. But after a long discussion we agreed that it was best for the team to have a new voice and new coach.’’
D’Antoni’s assistants, Phil Weber and Dan D’Antoni, also stepped down, presumably too close to D’Antoni to stay. Herb Williams and Kenny Atkinson, a guru for Lin, stayed. There are no plans to hire another assistant.
“I think he felt it was best for organization,’’ Grunwald said of Mike D’Antoni. “It was a selfless move. He felt he had done all he could and didn’t see another way to positively affect the team. He felt maybe it was time for another voice and coach.’’
D’Antoni ran the morning shootaround knowing he likely was gone. Anthony denied he wanted to be traded if D’Antoni wasn’t fired, saying he was tired of “anonymous sources.’’ But obviously D’Antoni believed it to be true as their relationship never clicked.
In his last meeting with reporters as Knicks coach, D’Antoni didn’t give any hints he had given up, but took the blame for the six-game slide and six-under record that has them in ninth place in the Eastern Conference.
“My job is to make them fit,’’ said D’Antoni, who has been experiencing major chronic back pain since February. “We haven’t been able to do that. Bottom line is we’re not playing well and that’s my responsibility.’’
And that was the end of D’Antoni’s nearly four-season Knicks stint. He never understood the lack of patience in New York and the “Fire D’Antoni’’ chants in the last home game had to sting just weeks after an 8-1 surge made the Knicks the talk of the sports world.
Woodson, the defensive assistant, said he would change the speedball offense over time and add more postups for Amar’e Stoudemire.
“The season is not over,’’ Dolan said.
It just seemed like it was.
“There’s still a lot at stake here,’’ Woodson said. “I understand expectations are high. I knew that coming in. That’s the way it should be. We still have an opportunity to do something special. I’m going to hold these guys accountable for that.‘’