The Knicks president wants the permanent coach to be in place by the end of July

New York Knicks president Leon Rose said Wednesday that he plans to have the franchise’s next permanent manager by the end of July.

Speaking in his first interview since he was hired in March, Rose told Mike Breen of MSG Network that he intends to do “two stages” of interviews: conduct short meetings with candidates to “break the ice” before having “full interviews” “with possible coaches.

“We are looking at many different people with many different mentalities and philosophies,” Rose told Breen. “And for me personally, this is educational, and I have to make sure I go through this process and point every self and go through every T to make the right decision.”

The Knicks, who will not join the 22-team recovery of the NBA season in Orlando, Florida, have been led by interim coach Mike Miller since David Fizdale was fired in December. Rose stated that Miller was the first candidate to interview the team for the full-time position.

“What I saw before I was here and what I saw being close to Mike Miller – first class,” said Rose. “He did an excellent job in a very difficult situation, and we are so grateful for it.”

While Rose has refused to provide a list of candidates, sources have told ESPN that the Knicks intend to interview Tom Thibodeau, Kenny Atkinson, Jason Kidd, Will Hardy and Ime Udoka, among others.

Rose said the team’s next manager will be in charge of developing the young New York team, which includes Mitchell Robinson and RJ Barrett – a Knicks general manager Scott Perry and former president Steve Mills echoed before hiring Fizdale.

“We want to find the right leader who can develop our young players and make everyone responsible,” said Rose. “And take us from development to become a perpetual winner. We also want someone we think can be collaborative with the front office, and someone who when you are in that confusion and when you look at that coach’s eyes, every player who looks at him knows that person is driving the ship and will finish the job. “