Mike D'Antoni Given Permission to Talk to the Bulls

There was supposed to have been a decision on Friday about the future of Mike D'Antoni and the Phoenix Suns. Well, Friday came and went with word that the two sides would meet again this week to discuss their future, or lack of one, together. They stuck to their word this time.

D'Antoni has been given permission by the Suns to talk to both the Bulls and the Knicks about their head coaching vacancies.

The Bulls will move to interview Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni in the next few days after Suns general manager Steve Kerr granted D'Antoni permission Sunday to do so.

League sources confirmed a report by the Suns' flagship radio station, KTAR-AM, detailing Kerr's change of mind. Last week, Kerr said he wouldn't allow teams to speak to D'Antoni, who has two years and $8.5 million remaining on his contract.

As far as what any of this means, I'm not entirely sure, but I have no problem speclating. It's pretty obvious that Steve Kerr isn't willing to just fire D'Antoni and eat the rest of his contract, but is willing to let D'Antoni take a job elsewhere, which would free the Suns of any obligation to pay him. What I can't be sure of is whether or not the Suns are going to want some kind of compensation from the Bulls if they do hire D'Antoni, whether that be a player or a draft pick.

If that's the case, I hope Paxson is smart enough to tell them "Thanks, but no thanks." It's obvious to just about everybody that Kerr doesn't want D'Antoni back on the bench next season. They have two very different philosophies, and it doesn't seem as though they like each other much either. So I doubt that Kerr is going to keep D'Antoni around even if he doesn't get job somewhere else, and he's just stalling in hopes somebody else will hire him.

So if Kerr starts talking about a trade, remind him of the $8 million he'll be saving by the Bulls taking D'Antoni off his hands. Unless all Kerr wants in return is Chris Duhon. If that's the case, I'll pitch in for Chris' plane ticket to Phoenix.