You’ve heard the names of former coaches out of work who could turn into Knicks coaching candidates this summer if Don Chaney doesn’t get the club into the playoffs.
Mike Dunleavy and Mike Fratello are atop the list, but there’s another out there who could get an interview if Chaney is fired at season’s end – former Sixer and Magic coach Matt Guokas.
Guokas, fired as an analyst by NBC after last season, is looking to get back into the game. In a conversation with The Post Friday, Guokas said his desire to return to the bench is as strong as ever. Guokas, 57, coached the Magic in their first four years of expansion existence before bolting for NBC in 1993-94. Since NBC gave him the shaft, Guokas, who works Cavalier broadcasts and may do NCAA Tournament games for CBS, has a yen again to coach.
“As far as coaching or management in general, if something comes up, I’d love to listen to anybody at this point,” Guokas said. “Now is not the time to be talking about a coaching situation though.
“Coaching is something, once you do it, there’s so many parts you love about it and certainly I’ve dreamed about coming back.”
Guokas has made two inquiries over the past four years but nothing materialized. And Guokas made it clear he doesn’t want to be accused of lobbying for any job, including the Knicks.
Orlando GM John Gabriel said Guokas is “a great candidate,” adding, “He can adapt to any situation.” Gabriel believes the mass of losses with an expansion team made his resume less desirable. His Magic were 18-64 in 1989-90, followed by 31-51 and 21-61 clips. In Guokas’ last season, he got the Magic to .500. Guokas elected to go to the front office that summer, but then NBC offered him a job. “Sometimes when you’re out of the league, you’re kind of forgotten,” Guokas said.
Guokas, a former Sixer player and South Jersey resident, coached Philadelphia to a 54-28 record in his first year before being fired during his third season there in 1987-88.
As far as currently employed coaches, the Magic’s Doc Rivers heads the list. Though he has a long-term deal, the team is for sale and could move. Plus, Grant Hill may not come back.
Rivers said this week, “I’ll go on record as saying if this team moves to Afghanistan, I won’t be going.”
On the issue of granting permission to the Knicks, Gabriel said “I’m not going to touch that one.” However, a source close to Gabriel said he “would hate to lose his coach,” but likes Rivers so much personally he may feel compelled to grant permission if that’s his wish. Rivers recently told The Post the Knicks position is a “great job.” The Knicks would have to give up at least a first-round pick as compensation for Rivers.
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All-Star reserves will be named tomorrow through the vote of NBA coaches. Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston, who made it last year, are longshots, as is Marcus Camby. Sprewell was seventh in the voting among East guards, Houston 11th. Camby was fifth among centers.
