Knicks owner Jim Dolan told interim coach Mike Woodson to dump his agent as a condition for staying on full-time as the team’s coach, according to multiple reports.
As first reported by the Daily News, Woodson dumped agent Joe Glass last week after Dolan suggested it during contract negotiations.
Glass, 87, had been Woodson’s agent for five years and also represented former Knicks and current SMU head coach Larry Brown, who had a contentious divorce with the Knicks.
“Hey, Mike deserves the job,” Keith Glass, Joe’s son, told SNY.tv. “I’m trying to take the high road and I won’t be asking the Garden for directions.”
The Daily News first reported earlier this week that Woodson was negotiating an extension with the Knicks, but Woodson has now denied that twice this week, including again on Thursday.
“That’s not true, not at all,” Woodson said Tuesday prior to the Knicks’ Game 5 loss in Miami.
Woodson remains friendly with Brown, with whom he worked in Philadelphia and Detroit.
Brown in 2006 signed a five-year, $50 million deal with the Knicks that quickly went South.
Dolan fired him after one season and Brown received an $18.5 million settlement.
Multiple reports indicate Woodson is close to signing with Creative Artists Agency, which also represents Kentucky coach John Calipari and Carmelo Anthony, who has endorsed Woodson on multiple occasions.
Woodson on Thursday reiterated that he would like to return as coach of the Knicks.
“I’ll have an opportunity to sit down with ownership — Mr. Dolan and [GM] Glen Grunwald,” Woodson said. “I definitely do want to come back and we’ll see how it turns out.”
