It was another day in which external matters dominated what transpired on the court for the Knicks. Or in their often topsy-turvy world, Friday.
ESPN reported Knicks general manager Steve Mills recently met with Phil Jackson offering a coaching job while others, including The Post, reported the team is interested in the legendary coach for a front-office job.
Just another day for the Knicks.
“I don’t know what’s going on. I stay out of it man. I focus on basketball, that’s my job. Stay out of it,” Amar’e Stoudemire said. “I guess when you’re not winning, it opens the doors for a lot of rumors, you know? Our job is to win. If we win, there wouldn’t be any of these distractions.”
Just another distraction for the Knicks.
“I hope not, not at this point. We’ve been through it this year. … We’ve been able to weather through most distractions so far this year and hopefully we can get over this one,” Stoudemire said.
“We can’t worry about things we can’t control. We can control playing hard,” said J.R. Smith, who stepped up in defense of coach Mike Woodson. “I think he’s done a great job since he’s taken over. To have a bad year, I don’t think he should take the blame for everything. The players should take the blame for that and we should move on as a unit instead of singling people out.”
Players, of course, were aware of all the rumors and reports about Jackson, although most claimed no inside knowledge. Both Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony learned of it in the trainer’s room before the Knicks stomped the Jazz, 108-81, at the Garden.
“Of course you hear it. I heard it when I came in today. In the training room, that’s all that’s on [TV],” Anthony said. “So you see the stuff. But as far as me, personally I haven’t heard anything of that nature. So it’s hard for me to speak on something I don’t know about.”
And yes, Woodson has heard all of it, too. But no, Woodson does not want to comment.
“I really don’t have an opinion on it. I really don’t. As I sit here today I’m the coach of the New York Knicks. I’m not going to entertain anything about Phil. I have a great deal of respect for Phil, but I’m not going to entertain anything about Phil Jackson.”
Kenyon Martin (ankle) is out of his walking boot but “as far as doing anything on the floor, still not there yet,” Woodson said.