May 13, 2008 - 4:27 PM
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Reinsdorf has accused D'Antoni, the new head coach of the New York Knicks, of "misleading" the Bulls during contract negotiations, according to a report published Tuesday by the Chicago Tribune.
D'Antoni, who was formally introduced by the Knicks at a news conference Tuesday, met with Bulls ownership last week to discuss the team's coaching vacancy.
Reinsdorf told the Tribune that he had a 2 1/2-hour meeting with D'Antoni, who evidently was willing to listen to contract offers from the Bulls. But D'Antoni chose the Knicks, who officially hired the former Phoenix Suns coach last Saturday.
"I'm disappointed in (D'Antoni)," Reinsdorf told the newspaper. "I don't know what else we could've done. He chose to go to New York knowing there was a good chance we would make him an offer.
"If he had really wanted to be in Chicago, he would've waited. Instead, he misled us. It's not the end of the world, but it is somewhat rude."
D'Antoni, 57, reportedly signed a four-year, $24 million contract with the Knicks. Although the Bulls likely could not have matched those financial figures, Reinsdorf claimed that D'Antoni was not concerned with money.
"He said that's not a problem and that money wasn't the most important thing anyway," Reinsdorf told the Tribune. "He said he wanted a job where he was going to be happiest. He said he didn't want to coach the Knicks."
The Bulls currently are still seeking a new head coach following a disappointing 2007-08 season, when they went 33-49 en route to a fourth-place finish in the Central Division. Chicago fired coach Scott Skiles on December 24, replacing him on an interim basis with assistant Jim Boylan.
