Mike D’Antoni Took the Money, and I Don’t Blame Him
Mike D’Antoni isn’t going to transform the Knicks into winners. Not with that roster, he’s not. We know this, he knows this, Knicks fans know this, and the Knicks themselves know this.
So what?
He got p-a-i-d!
A former associate of D’Antoni’s referred to him “the world’s greatest contrarian,” a view that makes his decision to join the Knicks a little more sensible.
“Mike’s looking forward to the challenge, and he feels he has the right resources to take it on,” D’Antoni’s agent, Warren LeGarie, said.
Replace “challenge” with “all of the new stuff that he’ll now be able to buy” and “the right resources” with “the right amount of zeros on his paycheck” and the above quote - plus, D’Antoni’s decision to take the job in New York - makes perfect sense.
D’Antoni has never seemed overly concerned with winning titles to begin with; he was reportedly angry with Steve Kerr because the GM had the gall to ask him to spend more time practicing defense, and wanted the players (namely, Amare Stoudemire) held accountable.
When he came back from Italy and started coaching in Phoenix, D’Antoni preached having fun and living life to the fullest, and he was lucky enough to have the athletes to make this possible.
In New York, unless the entire team is traded away, there will be no fun of any kind for anyone. But Mike will be smiling on the inside, all he’ll have to do is take a peek at the balance in his bank account.
39 Responses to “Mike D’Antoni Took the Money, and I Don’t Blame Him”
May.12 at 9:04 am
riggs says:
good way to cashout, coach for the knicks.
May.12 at 9:17 am
john marzan says:
hahaha… john paxson is a fool for playing games with mike.
May.12 at 9:40 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
He would have been such a good fit in Chi-town - Too bad it didn’t happen.. but as the article states you just can’t blame him. Cha-ching.. Dolan as usual is doling it out. At least this makes more sense than offering the likes of Larry Brown, Isaiah, Fallenbury, Quention R, Zach Big Mac, Eddy Curry Chicken, and the 2 JJ’s the code to the safe.
May.12 at 9:50 am
BETCATS says:
Pringles are for wh0res anyway. Gen. Avery Johnson to Phoniex
May.12 at 9:55 am
dpak says:
defintely not the only reason.
he was making decent money with the suns.
May.12 at 10:08 am
Benoit Benjamin says:
Word Dpak. nothing can top the thrill of playing that all-star roster. The man has love for the game.
May.12 at 10:14 am
Capital says:
I always knew he was a greedy coach. He’s more concerned with what with wardrobe adjustments than in-game adjustments. He isn’t a coach who will ever win a title wen the basketball gods have people like Jerry Sloan to reward one with. He can’t coach! How do you not win with Amare (Former R.O.Y.), Shaq (Former MVP), Nash (Former MVP), and Boris Diaw (Match up HELL)?! He doesn’t know what do with them and he won’t know what to do with all the potential and talent of the Knickerbockers.
May.12 at 10:53 am
data187 says:
i think he’ll have some success in nyc.
the knicks shouldn’t have trouble scoring with that roster. the knick’s problem, much like the sun’s is that they can’t defend.
the knicks will win more games next year, but i agree that they will never win the championship.
May.12 at 11:02 am
Diesel says:
As a Bulls fan it kills me to see Paxson fail to make yet another signing because he takes FOREVER to make a decision. I don’t even know who the Bulls go after now. And Avery is not a worthy coach. He has never out coached anyone.
May.12 at 11:15 am
Melvin says:
lets see how he make the knicks run..
May.12 at 11:34 am
what says:
That’s why his moms hate him.
May.12 at 11:37 am
Captain America says:
Money 4 nutin
May.12 at 11:47 am
underdog says:
Well, it’s a brave decision by D’Antoni. I mean there were better coaches, who didn’t manage to be successful in the Garden lately… I mean Lenny Wilkins and Larry Brown are in a different class. But, in the other hand, if you make the playoffs with this Knicks team, you’ve done something.
May.12 at 11:52 am
RV says:
the knicks will be the first team ever to use roller skates
May.12 at 11:56 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
That means they are trading for DWade RV?
May.12 at 12:46 pm
iLL wiLL says:
Mike D is straight G, he’ll do what he pleases. I can’t wait to see that Robinson/Marbury backcourt with Crawford, Q and DLee upfront.
May.12 at 1:34 pm
TADOne says:
Starbury = MVP?? I’m just glad that David Lee will finally get some burn.
May.12 at 1:35 pm
BxBaller says:
I’m not feeling the signing, but I’m still optimistic that we can at least make a run for the playoffs next season. You’re right iLL wILL the lineup of Nate, Steph, Jamal, Q, & DLee will be fun to watch, but they’re way too small. Hopefully they can add a big man that can run in the draft.
May.12 at 1:38 pm
sam says:
dont get hyped out about nothing, he is nothing without nash, he was nothing before nash either, sorry knicks fans!!!
May.12 at 2:02 pm
B. Long says:
I know this is probably wishful thinking, but I would love to see Steph get his groove back for at least one more year. If he gets the Knicks to the second round of the playoffs in the East next year it should be considered as great a coaching accomplishment as a Three-peat.
May.12 at 2:02 pm
B. Long says:
I know this is probably wishful thinking, but I would love to see Steph get his groove back for at least one more year. If he gets the Knicks to the second round of the playoffs in the East next year it should be considered as great a coaching accomplishment as a Three-peat.
May.12 at 2:33 pm
speedy says:
Every new coach will make a better job and the knicks a better team .
With Isiah they where stuck in a hole.
May.12 at 2:39 pm
Tuomas says:
“Hello Mike, and welcome to your shiny new job. One thing though: don’t be waitin’ for no Hawthorne effect here. We don’t do those.”
May.12 at 3:24 pm
RedRum says:
hey mutoni, do you have some kind of a grouch with Dantoni for kicking your beloved lakers arse twice? D is a great coach, I am sure Walsh will make the moves to accommodate his system. Let’s put things in perspective please… Dantoni took the Suns to the Western finals twice and won most games the last 4 years than any coach in the league. I am a Spurs fan, but the Suns were unlucky at times. I am sure he will do a great job in NYC
May.12 at 4:13 pm
sam says:
red rum the spurs are the most boring team i have ever seen, when you watch them its about as exciting as unloading the dishwasher.
May.12 at 4:59 pm
Hursty says:
good for him, the knicks cant get any worse…right?
May.12 at 5:46 pm
RedRum says:
sam, either you are only 11 years old or you have not played a minute of basketball in your life… let me know which players make crazier plays than parker and manu. let me know which team has better ball movement, shoots the ball well. what is exciting basketball? Did you watch the Spurs-Suns series? Did you watch game 1? Did you see Duncan nail a clutch 3? why were Shaqs lakers more fun? they were as very similar with the spurs actually. good D, good shooting, ball movement. This is how rings are won. This is how the Bulls did it, the Spurs, the laker, Isiah’s pistons, anyone the last 30 years. So can we please stop this “The Spurs are boring” crap?
May.12 at 6:08 pm
RedRum says:
apart from “Showtime” lakers, but go watch those Lakers teams and you will see how differently they played in the regular season and the play-offs…
May.12 at 7:31 pm
Free Vick says:
Slam will start jocking Steph again in 5…4…3…2…
May.12 at 8:28 pm
B. Long says:
I would have rather had a Steph cover on this ish than a Celtics. Bring the hate.
May.12 at 9:22 pm
Dacre says:
AVERY TO PHX.
can you imagine BOTH avery and nash wanting to give mark cuban what for?!?!?!
SUNS in 09!
May.12 at 9:24 pm
Dacre says:
Attention!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tHE PHOTO that is up on the link to “d’antoni got paid” is hillarious!! he’s doing gang signs!?!??!?!!?
there you go double P./
May.13 at 12:44 am
andrew says:
money money money mooooooneeeyy!
moooonnneeeyyy! p.s for da love of god let david lee start!
May.13 at 2:15 am
Hersey says:
RV, best comment EVAH. That $hit had me weak.
Spurs h8rs- Tony Parker and Ginobili ain’t boring.
May.13 at 2:19 am
sam says:
redrum spurs are boring im 18 years old and play national league basketball,and chris paul and tyson chandler make far crazier plays than a french man (with a hot wife) and an argentine, people are stopping watching the nba because of how boring the spurs are. and didnt tim danaghay play for the spurs last season?
May.13 at 4:19 am
LAN says:
i hope he keeps eddy curry
May.13 at 9:14 am
data187 says:
i bet steph and zach are gone. d’antoni likes 6′7″ - 6′10″ guys that can dribble and shoot. I’, looking at a balkman, lee, curry, richardson, and crawford starting.
May.13 at 11:20 am
Hoffman says:
I think he made the right decision as well. I doubt he’ll get through to Marbury but the Knicks roster is extremely talented. The key will be Randolph. Zach is surprisingly athletic and if he can get him to shed a few pounds and run up and down the floor, look out.
May.13 at 12:20 pm
Pat says:
I doubt Dolan is smart enough to have thought of this, but I’d bet that Walsh wanted Mike because PLAYERS want Mike. There’s gonna be several real goodies available in the next few years (Wade, Lebron, etc) and its probably a good idea to hire a coach who people wouldn’t mind playing for. As much as I would have preferred Mark Jackson, he’s an unknown entity in the coaching sphere.