Kentucky head coach John Calipari vehemently denied that he reached out to the New York Knicks “through mediators” to express interest in the position of president of basketball operations that was vacated after the team fired phil jackson recently.
Calipari, through his Twitter account, clarified that “no one has contacted the Knicks on my behalf. I am the coach at Kentucky and will be for a long time!” In another tweet, Calipari said “even in Egypt I can’t escape the rumors. Are you kidding me?! It’s 5 in the morning here, and this is what I wake up to?”
The 58-year-old Calipari had no NBA front-office experience but coached the then New Jersey Nets for three years, where he garnered a 72-112 record from 1996 to 1999.
He joined the Kentucky Wildcats in 2009 where he excelled as a mentor, going 249-53 with a national title.
This year, the Wildcats have signed Calipari to a contract extension that will keep him with the team through 2024. He will earn $8 million every year after the 2017-18 campaign. The Knicks fired Jackson after three years as team president. In 2014, he was signed to a five-year deal that paid him $12 million annually. The Knicks reportedly bought out the remaining two years and $12 million on his deal.
Ex-Cavs general manager David Griffin being eyed by Knicks
The Knicks are reportedly talking to former Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin about the possibility of taking over Jackson’s post.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Knicks were in touch with Griffin as they explore the possibility of hiring him as a possible replacement for Jackson. The Cavaliers did not sign Griffin to a contract extension before his deal expired on June 30. In his three years as manager, Griffin was instrumental in the Cavaliers’ title run last season.
Isiah Thomas not interested in Jackson’s post
Former New York Knicks coach and president of basketball operations Isiah Thomas denied that he’s interested in taking over the post left by Jackson. He tweeted Thursday that he was not interested in leaving his present job as president of WNBA’s New York Liberty to join the Knicks’ front office.
In his tweet, Thomas wished the Knicks and Jackson the best.
Thomas worked with the Knicks from 2003 to 2008. Aside from being the president of basketball operations, Thomas coached the Knicks from 2006 to 2008 and garnered a record of the 56-108 record before he was fired. The Knicks are also interested in Toronto Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri.
