From Marc Berman:
Former Knicks interim coach Mike Miller is unlikely to return to the Knicks as he explores other coaching opportunities, according to a source. Miller is under contract for next season, as The Post reported last month.
Miller could return to the Knicks in a scouting capacity, if he doesn’t find another position.
A source told The Post after Tom Thibodeau was hired that Miller was disappointed and may not campaign for a return to the staff despite his solid work after taking over for David Fizdale on Dec. 4. Miller went 17-27 as interim coach.
According to sources, Thibodeau had agreed to allow the front office have heavy input into the coaching staff and that has prevented him from immediately hiring his usual guys such as Ed Pinckney, the Greer brothers and Dice Yashimoto, who is working for the University of Georgia. It is believed, however, that Andy Greer and Yoshimoto are still under consideration.
Sources contend Knicks vice president William Wesley pushed for Kentucky assistant Kenny Payne, Johnnie Bryant and Mike Woodson, whose hiring appears imminent. That made Miller’s inclusion dicey because Thibodeau would be limited in hiring his own guys.
Sources contend Miller was considered strongly for the permanent job after a solid interview.
It’s a shame, as Herb Williams was able to go back to being an assistant coach after being the interim coach after Lenny Wilkins was fired in 2005. He remained an assistant coach for the next decade, working for four other coaches in the process.
However, it is fair to say that the Knicks’ hiring of Johnnie Bryant away from Utah almost certainly included Bryant being made the lead assistant, so it wouldn’t just be a demotion for Miller, but a demotion to not even lead assistant, which I could see stinging a bit.
Good luck to Miller on his coaching opportunities. I hope he at least gets a lead assistant gig somewhere. I doubt he’d be the guy in Chicago, but hey, maybe they’ll give him a shot (or, again, hire him as lead assistant. I think he’s clearly good enough to be a lead assistant).