Marv Albert Told Steve Kerr 'It Never Ends Well' With Knicks
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It's no secret that Knicks President Phil Jackson had his heart set on Steve Kerr.
But the Zen Master didn't get what his heart desired. Kerr surprisingly rejected the 'Bockers and agreed to become the head coach of the Golden State Warriors.
Why did the former TNT analyst choose Golden State over New York?
Well, not only did the former Suns general manager receive a lucrative contract, but he got the opportunity to stay on the West Coast and coach a team with plenty of talent and potential.
But was there more to the decision?
Marv Albert, Kerr's former broadcasting partner, was famously the voice of the Knicks for 37 seasons. His tenure with the organization, as we all know, ended in ugly fashion in 2004. Albert was fired by Knicks owner James Dolan.
Albert, who knows a thing or two about the Knicks' culture, gave Kerr a heavy dose of harsh reality -- from his perspective, at least.
"Well, I told him it never ends well there," Albert told Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News. "Just look at recent history. It's because of one man (Dolan). There is no happiness there. I say this with all kinds of friends I have there and (the ones) at the MSG Network. Everybody hates being there. For coaches it's very difficult. Steve couldn't accept anyone (from MSG's PR staff) following him around with a tape recorder.
"Like Phil, Steve is a guy who wants to say what he wants to say. He's very opinionated, which doesn't always work when you are at the Garden."
But Albert denies that he encouraged Kerr to turn down the Knicks' offer.
"That's not true," Albert told Raissman in regard to such accusations. "I didn't know and I didn't want to know what was going on. Everybody was calling me, texting me, looking for information. Steve, on purpose, didn't give us (the TNT crew) any details."
With Kerr now off the board, it remains to be seen who Plan B will be for Jackson.
New York is reportedly eyeing Derek Fisher, who played for Jackson on the Lakers from 1999-2004 and again from 2007-2011.
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