Scott Bordow: Breaking Suns’ news: Phoenix has hired Corliss Williamson as assistant coach. Meanwhile, Mike Woodson interviewed today but has yet to be hired
Mike Woodson Rumors
Marc Stein: The Suns have brought former Knicks coach Mike Woodson to Phoenix to discuss joining new coach Igor Kokoskov’s staff as top assistant, league sources say. @Gambo987 said on his radio show today that the decision has already been made to hire Woodson
Mike Woodson leaving Clippers
Adrian Wojnarowski: Assistant coach Mike Woodson won’t be returning to the Los Angeles Clippers staff next season, league sources tell ESPN. Woodson’s departure off Doc Rivers’ bench will create an opening for a top-level, defensive-minded assistant.
Ex-Knicks head coach Mike Woodson, who hired Fizdale when Woodson was a head coach in Atlanta, is also a candidate to join Fizdale’s staff. Howard, a current Miami assistant, interviewed for the Knicks job. Fizdale may want him on his staff but Miami would have to give the Knicks permission to allow him to leave, which is highly unlikely. The New York Post earlier reported that Smart was likely to be added to Fizdale’s staff. Another name to keep an eye on as an addition to the staff in some capacity? Memphis scout Adam Johansen, who worked with Fizdale in Miami and Memphis.
Mike Woodson still is gunning for a second stint as the Knicks’ head coach, but acknowledged he would listen if David Fizdale were to offer him an associate coaching job. That is, if Fizdale winds up beating him and nine other candidates for the Knicks’ job. When contacted by The Post, Woodson said: “I love David. I gave him his first job on the bench — I know he worked one season before in Golden State. We’re very close. I’m sure he would call.’’
Woodson also noted while with the Knicks he used a lot of two point-guard fronts — which is in vogue — with Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni. “I had one of the great isolation players in the game in [Carmelo Anthony], so I’m going to try to get my best player some shots,’’ Woodson said of his isolationist rep. “But do the homework and look at the numbers on 3-pointers attempted and made.” Woodson said he had “a great meeting’’ with Knicks president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry. “Everyone’s just waiting,’’ Woodson said.
Former Memphis coach David Fizdale, former Cleveland coach David Blatt and former Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer are among the candidates whom president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry have met with in recent weeks. Former Golden State coach Mark Jackson, Miami Heat assistant Juwan Howard, San Antonio assistant James Borrego, Toronto G League coach Jerry Stackhouse, Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga, Clippers assistant Mike Woodson and television analyst Kenny Smith are among the candidates the Knicks interviewed to replace Jeff Hornacek, who was fired after two seasons as coach in April.
