Steve Kerr hasn’t decided yet whether he’ll become the head coach of the Knicks. But if he ends up in New York, Kerr will have a strong supporter in Amar'e Stoudemire.
“I like Steve Kerr. For one, when he was a GM (in Phoenix, when Stoudemire was with the Suns) he was always preaching about winning and winning a title and that's something that I adored about him,” Stoudemire said earlier this week on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” on ESPN Radio. “And then also, secondly, he has a formula to win; he's been a winner in this league before. He wants to win. And he reminds me of somewhat of a player-coach that knows the game and knows what players go through as far as ups and downs throughout the year and that's going to help him.”
Listen to the complete Amar'e Stoudemire interview:
Kerr, according to an NBA source, is with his family in San Diego contemplating offers to coach the Knicks and the Warriors or remaining with TNT as a broadcaster. The Knicks are believed to be the favorite, thanks to Kerr’s strong ties to Knicks president Phil Jackson. It is unclear if either team has made a formal contract offer.
The Knicks are expected to offer a deal that is close in length to the five-year contract Jackson signed in March. If New York ends up in a bidding war with Golden State over Kerr’s services, it would surprise many around the league if Knicks owner James Dolan loses that fight.
There is one aspect of the Kerr-Golden State dynamic that appears in the Knicks’ favor. There is somewhat of a split in the Warriors organization in its support for Kerr. Two sources told ESPNNewYork.com on Thursday that management prefers Kerr but some players have privately expressed support for another candidate, Stan Van Gundy.
If Kerr ends up in New York, Stoudemire is confident he can thrive under the leadership of Kerr and Jackson. The 11-year veteran pointed out that versatile big men such as Pau Gasol have thrived in Jackson’s triangle offense.
“I think what he looks for in bigs are bigs that have multiple skills,” Stoudemire said. “You better shoot the ball from the outside, put the ball on the floor when need be, make great passes out of double-teams, sort of being a pressure-release guy. Versatile bigs are what I think he looks for and that's what I am.”
Stoudemire is entering the final season of a five-year, $100 million pact he signed with the Knicks in 2010. His future under the Jackson regime is unclear. There has been speculation Jackson may look to move Stoudemire in a trade this summer in an effort to create salary cap space. Stoudemire is owed $23.4 million next season.
Jackson, though, was complimentary of Stoudemire’s play late in the 2013-14 season. The 31-year-old started the final 20 games and averaged 16 points on 57 percent shooting in that span.
"We’re all happy to see Amar'e have a resurgence here," Jackson said in early April. "It’s been a long, hard struggle for him, rehabbing and trying to get himself ready for this opportunity and we’re happy to see that."
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