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New York •Derek Fisher has agreed to become the next coach of the New York Knicks and will be introduced at a news conference Tuesday morning, a person familiar with the situation said.
The Knicks did not confirm the hiring, other than saying they were planning a "major announcement."
The 39-year-old Fisher just completed his 18th season, finishing his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He played under Knicks President Phil Jackson with the Los Angeles Lakers, and helped that franchise win five NBA titles.
Fisher would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer, though it was widely known that this season would be his last as a player. And once the Knicks failed to close a deal with Steve Kerr — who wound up accepting an offer from Golden State — Fisher was believed to be the next target on Jackson's list.
Jackson was fined $25,000 for the league last week for a tampering violation involving Fisher. He was still under contract with the Thunder when Jackson told New York reporters that Fisher was "on my list of guys that could be very good candidates" to replace Mike Woodson on the Knicks' sideline.
Fisher surely could still play. He has just suspected for a while that his time has come to do something else.
"Coaching allows for you to positively impact other people's lives," Fisher told reporters during his exit interview after Oklahoma City's season ended. "To help a group of people find success, whether they have or haven't before, you're all working together for a common goal."
Fisher's hiring means that next season, both teams in New York will have former point guards barely removed from playing days at the helms.
It worked for the Brooklyn Nets, who made the Eastern Conference semifinals this season with first-year coach Jason Kidd, and now the Knicks will hope that Fisher can have the same success.
His hiring is the first significant step in what's expected to be a broad makeover of the team by Jackson, who was hired late in the regular season to turn around the fortunes of a franchise that has won just one playoff series in the past 14 years.
Over that 14-year span, the Knicks have won a mere 10 playoff games. Fisher played in 134 playoff wins during that stretch.
Alvin Gentry gets second interview with Cavaliers
Cleveland • A person familiar with the Cavaliers' coaching search says Los Angeles Clippers assistant Alvin Gentry will have a second interview for the vacancy.
Gentry is the first known candidate to meet for a second time with the Cavs, who fired Mike Brown — for the second time — on May 12.
Also Monday, a person familiar with the interview says former Cavaliers star guard Mark Price will meet with club officials about the coaching vacancy Tuesday.
A smooth-shooting point guard, Price was a four-time All-Star in nine seasons with the Cavaliers. His No. 25 jersey was retired by the team in 1999.
Price spent last season as an assistant coach with Charlotte. He's the sixth known candidate to meet with Cleveland.
The Cavs hope to have a coach in place before the June 26 NBA draft. Cleveland has the No. 1 overall pick.
Jordan: Hornets in position to upgrade roster
Michael Jordan anticipates the Charlotte Hornets will make another big splash this offseason.
Jordan said Monday with three draft picks and more than $13 million to spend in free agency the Hornets are in position to make a "big difference" in upgrading their roster.
"I think we made a difference last year with Big Al (Jefferson) and some of the acquisitions — and I don't anticipate this year being any different," Jordan said.
Behind Jefferson, who was recently named third-team All-NBA, Charlotte made the playoffs for the first time since 2010 — the year Jordan took over as majority owner.
Jordan is hoping Jefferson's success will convince other big-name free agents to come to Charlotte.
"I always thought Charlotte was a great destination," Jordan said. "Big Al has proven that you can come here and make a big difference. Hopefully we can look at that and attract some other superstars."
Jordan spoke Monday following a presentation at Hornets Nest Elementary school in which he, along with Lowe's and Fox SportsSouth, donated $250,000 to Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. The event marked the organization's first community service initiative since the changing its name from Bobcats to Hornets last month.
The Hornets have the ninth, 24th and 45h picks in this month's draft.
If forward Josh McRoberts decides not to opt out of contract the Hornets will have all five starters from last season under contract — and still have at least $13 million to spend under the NBA salary cap. If McRoberts opts out the team could have closer to $17 million free under the cap.
"This year we have a lot of flexibility and I've been speaking to that over the last three or four years — flexibility is very important and we are going to use every resource to try to better the team," Jordan said.
Charlotte finished last season 43-39 and earned the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
However, Jefferson injured his foot in the first game of the NBA playoffs and Charlotte was swept by the Miami Heat.
Still, it was a big step in the right direction for a franchise that went 28-120 over the two previous seasons, by far the worst record in the NBA during that span.
Jordan said he was "very proud" of what his team accomplished under first-year coach Steve Clifford.
"The guys came out and took the initiative from coach and he was able to bond (them) and put together a good effort from the team," Jordan said.
Jordan said Jefferson, who signed a three-year, $41 million contract last July 4 — the largest ever given out by the franchise — was better than advertised.
But he said what was even more surprising is how quickly his new teammates adjusted to playing with a dominant low post presence.
"Everybody surrounded him and we got better," Jordan said. "McRoberts was a huge part of that. So I think we got better as the year went along."
Jordan said Jefferson, who was the only player in the Eastern Conference to average 20 points and 10 rebounds per game last season, deserved to be an All-Star.
Jordan honored Jefferson by taking out a full-page advertisement Sunday in the Charlotte Observer after the 6-foot-10 center was named third-team All-NBA.
Jefferson has proven to be the franchise's best free agent signing ever.
The ad praised ''Big Al'' for his ''dedication and commitment to the franchise'' and congratulated him for winning the Eastern Conference Player of the Month twice during the season.
Jordan wouldn't say specifically what position the team might look to upgrade this offseason, instead saying he wants to find players who truly want to play in Charlotte.
Another key, he said, is developing a core of young players including Kemba Walker, Jeffery Taylor, Michael-Kidd-Gilchrist and Cody Zeller.
"We have a bunch of young talent that we still are trying to nourish into some better basketball players," Jordan said. "So summer is when we have to make our big leap."