Knicks president Phil Jackson reportedly wants his former assistant, player and current Nuggets coach Brian Shaw to come run Jackson's new team in New York. But Nuggets president Josh Kroenke issued a big in-your-dreams message on Thursday night.
Kroenke made it clear that move to the Big Apple isn't going to happen, eliminating Shaw from the Knicks' coaching search, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
"Brian has said publicly — and privately to us — that his desire is to be here, and we feel strongly about him as our coach," Kroenke told Yahoo!. "I don't foresee a scenario or circumstance where he's going to be anywhere but with the Nuggets next season."
The Knicks have not asked for permission to talk to Shaw, according to the report. If Kroenke's words ring true, there's probably no need for Jackson to bother.
“I’m happy where I am,” Shaw told the New York Post on Tuesday . “I have a job here, so all the speculation that’s out there, that’s just speculation.”
Shaw, who ironically along with Jackson was a candidate for the Lakers' head coaching job a few years ago when now-resigned Mike D'Antoni was hired, has been a hot name for both the current Knicks and Lakers openings.
We can't blame Kroenke for pouring water on the fire. Denver is committed to Shaw, who just completed his first season as a head coach in the NBA — Denver went 36-46 this season — and who everybody seems to want.
Thunder point guard Derek Fisher, another former player of Jackson's, appears to be the front-runner for New York with Shaw's name removed.
But Fisher isn't even a lock to take the position if offered. Assuming Shaw in fact is not interested in the Knicks job, that's two point guards to turn down his former coach's offer — former Bull Steve Kerr declined and took the Warriors gig, instead.
Could Phil go 0-for-3?