The New York Knicks are interested in hiring Luke Walton as head coach starting next season, as reports revealed the Golden State Warriors assistant coach has already sat down with team president Phil Jackson.
Ian Begley of ESPN indicated that Jackson recently reached out to gauge his interest in the coaching vacancy in New York but no commitment were made during the meeting.
Walton is reportedly one of the top candidates for the job because of his familiarity with the triangle offense after playing several seasons under Jackson during their time together with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 36-year-old coach is expected to become one of the most coveted coaches this summer after his impressive performance earlier in the season. Walton coached the Warriors to a 39-4 record while head coach Steve Kerr was recovering from a back surgery.
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It is still unclear at this point, though, whether or not Walton will be open to leaving the Warriors, especially if they successfully defend their title this season.
Bill Walton, the assistant coach's father, indicated that if given the chance, he will convince his son to stay with the Warriors and turn down big-money deals this summer.
"It doesn't get any better than what he's got right now -- ever in life -- and money will not make that happen again," Walton said. "It's there now. Head-coaching jobs, they're open for a reason, and what he's got -- just stay there."
Aside from Walton, interim coach Kurt Rambis is also considered as a strong candidate for the vacancy. The 58-year-old coach said in a recent interview that he thinks the Knicks can turn things around quickly next season if they can get the right pieces in the offseason.
"If we get the right pieces and continue to grow as a team and everything, we see this turning around real quick," Rambis told reporters on Sunday. "The potential is there to turn it around really quick."
Former Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt, former Chicago Bulls mentor Tim Thibodeau were also linked to the Knicks but both coaches have no experience utilizing the vaunted triangle offense, which helped Jackson win 11 NBA championships as a coach.
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