Mike D'Antoni admits he probably had a better chance to win as the next coach of the Chicago Bulls. He acknowledges he could have been Bulls coach if he had wanted to, and believes he would have had a significant offer. D'Antoni says he cannot give a great reason he agreed to become the next coach of the New York Knicks. Other than it felt like the right thing to do.

"I've made a lot of decisions by a gut feeling and I went with it," said D'Antoni, who was introduced in a press conference by the Knicks on Tuesday. "It was the same some years [in Italy] with Milan. It's a heck of a challenge. New York is a little like that. I got excited about that.

"It basically came down to both are great cities and both great organizations," D'Antoni added. "I decided I've got a great feeling about New York. It's a heck of a challenge. Maybe the roster in Chicago is an easier fit. I love Donnie [Walsh, Knicks president]. I've known him forever. It's a heck of a challenge and I thought I'm at an age where, the heck with it, I'll take it and do it."

And so D'Antoni, whose Phoenix Suns averaged 58 wins and lit up the NBA with excitement the last four years, leaves for New York. Not only does he leave the Suns in a state of uncertainty, but also the Bulls, who have been subjected to some criticism for apparently letting D'Antoni slip away.

In an interview with Sporting News on Monday night, Bulls managing partner Jerry Reinsdorf explained the Bulls pursuit of D'Antoni. In a separate telephone interview, D'Antoni agreed to respond about why he didn't even allow the Bulls to make an offer after meeting with Reinsdorf last Friday in Phoenix.

"I didn't want it to get into a bidding war," explained D'Antoni, who insists it was his best way of taking the high road. "I was reading I was only going to New York for the money [estimated at four years and $24 million]. I thought [after meeting] John [Paxson, general manager, he] wanted me. But I'm being honest. I'm making, what, $5 million, $4.5 million in Phoenix. I knew Chicago would be up there somewhere. It doesn't matter. There's no difference between $6 million or $4 million or $5 million. It's all too much. It's more than I ever had. I was looking at what I wanted. I didn't want it to be about the money, so I didn't want them to make an offer."

This is what confused the Bulls, and is what they felt left the impression they had stalled D'Antoni and alienated him.

"He said money was not the issue and there was no timetable," Reinsdorf said. "We knew we'd have to go four years. We figured we'd have to pay him at least what he was making in Phoenix. That wasn't a problem. He said money wasn't the most important thing and it might take three years to get the New York roster in shape. But we never could make an offer."

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According to Reinsdorf, here's the way the negotiation played out with D'Antoni, who became one of the most sought after coaches in recent NBA history:

Immediately after Suns general manager Steve Kerr gave permission for D'Antoni to talk to the Bulls and Knicks, Paxson traveled to Phoenix to meet with D'Antoni on May 4-5.

"I don't pick the coach," says Reinsdorf. "I only have veto power [if I disagree]. But John [was] happy with him and I'm sold enough if John is happy. I've never felt I could tell him who he has to have.

"On the afternoon of the sixth, I talked with John and he called D'Antoni and said to expect a call from me," said Reinsdorf. "I called him and set up a meeting for Friday afternoon [May 9]. My son, Michael, went with me to his house at 2:30 and we met until quarter to five.

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"He answered all the questions I had," said Reinsdorf. "He said there was no time pressure [to make an offer]. He said he felt he didn't have the defensive players in Phoenix to be a defensive team. He said he didn't want to go to New York. He said he'd have a big man coach. We felt the Knicks were out of the picture. He said he wasn't afraid of Ben Gordon [playing out his contract]. He really likes [Joakim] Noah. He likes [Kirk] Hinrich and said he'd tell him he's playing 35 minutes and not coming out if he makes mistakes. He said he doesn't believe in pulling a guy when he makes a mistake. He did feel you can defend and play uptempo.

"He said he'd accept Doug Collins as an assistant coach," said Reinsdorf. "He liked [Drew] Gooden. He said he'd be his low-post guy and could be a star. As I was leaving, I said the only thing that could go wrong is if we didn't play defense. Maybe I scared him."

Asked why he was willing to discuss the details so openly, Reinsdorf said: