Knicks expected to hire Jeff Hornacek as coach

The New York Knicks want Jeff Hornacek as their next coach.

The team is working on a deal to hire Hornacek, a person with knowledge of the details told the Associated Press on Wednesday.

President of Basketball Operations Phil Jackson has had discussions with the former Phoenix Suns coach and there is mutual interest, but they have not begun negotiations on a contract, the person said on condition of anonymity because details of the coaching search are private.

The Knicks finished the season with Kurt Rambis as interim coach after Jackson fired Derek Fisher in February. Jackson also met with former Cleveland coach David Blatt and former Indiana coach Frank Vogel before turning his attention to Hornacek.

Hornacek went 101-112 in 2 1/2 seasons in Phoenix before he was fired Feb. 1 with a 14-35 record. He led the Suns to a surprising 48-34 record in his first season, when they almost made the playoffs with a team that was expected to be one of the worst in the league, but the team was in one of the worst stretches in its history when he was dismissed.

He was an unexpected candidate, given Jackson’s stated intention to hire someone with whom he had a relationship. Hornacek never played for or worked under Jackson, who won an NBA-record 11 championships as a coach.

Twenty-four teams set for Las Vegas summer league

The NBA Summer League will return to Las Vegas from July 8-18.

The league said Wednesday that 24 teams will participate in the event on the campus of UNLV. Each team will play three preliminary games before being seeded in a tournament that leads to the championship game.

The San Antonio Spurs won last year’s championship, coached by Spurs assistant Becky Hammon.

There are 22 NBA teams returning from last season, and the Memphis Grizzlies are back for the first time since 2013. There also is an NBA Development League select team.

Each team will play at least five games in Las Vegas.

Etc.

The NBA says next month’s draft will return to Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the fourth straight year. The draft will be held June 23 at the home of the Nets, who don’t have a first-round pick. They previously traded it to the Boston Celtics, who have the No. 3 selection.

The Philadelphia 76ers won the draft lottery Tuesday and have the No. 1 selection, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers. Tickets will be available beginning Monday at www.nbatickets.com