CHICAGO – It wasn’t the Knicks’ roster. It wasn’t the money. It wasn’t the Broadway plays. It definitely wasn’t Stephon Marbury’s presence on the club.
Mike D’Antoni chose New York over “The Second City” because Knick president Donnie Walsh seemed to want him more than the Bulls did.
“Donnie recruited me – it seemed the other guys [in Chicago] wanted me, but it was a feeling-out process,” D’Antoni said yesterday before his Knicks lost 105-100 to the Bulls at United Center. “Donnie came in guns blazing and got me.”
And though admitting the Bulls were closer to winning, the ex-Sun coach said he didn’t care.
“I just had the gut feeling New York was the place,” D’Antoni said. “I knew it was a tougher job, bigger job, bigger stage. I took the challenge.”
Bull owner Jerry Reinsdorf pounded D’Antoni after D’Antoni made his choice in May. Reinsdorf said D’Antoni “misled” the Bulls and acted “somewhat rude” because he never called Bull brass to say he was taking the Knicks’ four-year, $24 million offer.
The Bulls never made a formal offer. D’Antoni said that even if the Bulls had matched the Knick offer, he was Broadway-bound.
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D’Antoni said Walsh plans to meet with Cuttino Mobley today or tomorrow to go over the heart-test results, with Mobley leaning toward retirement. Mobley has been tested for the potentially deadly hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
The Knicks would gain a roster spot if he retired and can trade for a shooting guard making $1.4 million or less with one of their two trade exceptions.
The Knicks also can sign Patrick Ewing Jr. if a second spot opens up with Stephon Marbury‘s release. According to a source, Ewing Jr. is about to sign a D-League contract and hopes to be assigned to Reno, the Knicks’ affiliate. It’s an indication the club is in no hurry to release Marbury. …
Marbury took a two-day business trip to L.A. for Starbury Corp. matters as he waits for the Knicks to release him. … Walsh was at the Garden for the Jimmy V Classic last night, undoubtedly taking in lottery candidate Stephen Curry. Warrior GM Chris Mullin, expected to be fired in Golden State, and Walsh were under the same roof. Sources indicate Walsh could hire Mullin this offseason to be his right-hand man.