NBA News Wire

Kerr not a Lakers candidate

Alan Draper profile picture
Sports Editor
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Steve Kerr, who is favored to be the next coach of the New York Knicks, is not even on the Los Angeles Lakers’ list of candidates, the New York Post reported Friday.

According to the report, the Lakers believe Kerr is too far along in the Knicks’ hiring process. Knicks president Phil Jackson is engaged to Lakers president Jeanie Buss.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Jackson informed Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony during a dinner meeting earlier this week that he expects to hire Kerr.

The Knicks are looking to replace Mike Woodson, who was fired at the end of the regular season. The Lakers are also looking for a new coach after Mike D’Antoni resigned Thursday.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the Lakers have plenty of candidates, including George Karl, Jeff Van Gundy, Byron Scott, Kurt Rambis, Kevin Ollie and John Calipari (who has since eliminated himself as a candidate). The Lakers also reportedly want to seek permission to speak with Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau.

Former Arizona coach Lute Olson told the Post the perception that Kerr prefers to stay on the West Coast (he lives in San Diego) is not accurate. Kerr played for Olson at Arizona in the 1980s.

Olson said Kerr’s children are now in college and his wife, Margot, approved of him moving to the East Coast without her if he gets the Knicks’ job. Kerr helped the Bulls win three NBA titles in the 1990s as a player when Jackson was coach.

Kerr is currently an analyst for TNT. Negotiations between Kerr and the Knicks are expected to heat up next week after the first round of the playoffs end.

Alan is an expert gambling writer who works as one of the chief editors for Basketball Insiders. He has been covering online gambling and sports betting for over 8 years, having written for the likes of Sportlens, Compare.bet, The Sports Daily, 90min, and TopRatedCasinos.co.uk. His particular specialisms include US online casinos and gambling regulations, and soccer and basketball betting. Based in London, Alan holds an MA in English Literature and is a passionate supporter of Chelsea FC.

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