There's one less coach on the market, and one appealing option fewer for the New York Knicks to explore as their search for a new head coach continues.

Knicks team president Phil Jackson, who has been busy cleaning house as of late, reportedly had his heart set on Steve Kerr -- whom he coached during the second Chicago Bulls dynasty of the mid 1990s -- as the man to replace Mike Woodson as New York's next head coach after Woodson was fired following the conclusion of the Knicks' dismal 37-45 season.

However, the Golden State Warriors, who fired their own head coach Mark Jackson after losing to the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs, emerged last-minute to snatch up Kerr as their new coach last week.

But is this really a blessing in disguise for the Knicks?

It may come as a setback at first, but let's face the facts: Kerr, while a great role player with one of the all-time great NBA teams and a very smart basketball guy, has no previous coaching experience.

Yup, that's right. None. As in, zip. Zero. Nada.

Yet the Warriors still shelled out a five-year, $25 million deal for an untested Kerr to take over their young, promising team. But this isn't about the Warriors; it's about the Knicks. Their roster is aging. Their biggest star, Carmelo Anthony, may be on the verge of heading out of town as he hunts for a team that can give him the best chance of winning an NBA ring in his prime. With the Knicks, is now the best time to be experimenting with an untested coach in a win-now situation? Probably not.

However, there are plenty of coaches that are still available on the market, some with quite a resume in their portfolio, and perhaps the Knicks may do better to target these prime coaching candidates:

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Mark Jackson

Is home sweet home calling for New York basketball icon Jackson? The former All-Star point guard, who started his playing career with the Knicks, had a big hand in making the Golden State Warriors into a successful, thriving team in the West, but he was shown the door after the Warriors fell to the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round. Word has it that he may be the next big target for the Knicks with Kerr opting to replace Jackson, ironically, in Golden State. And considering that he lifted the Warriors out of the doldrums and into playoff contenders in only three seasons, Jackson is definitely a coach that can help turn a dire situation around in a hurry. But is the Knicks' situation of an old, broken down, talent-light squad with bloated contracts asking for a miracle fix? And if so, is Jackson the guy to pull it off? There's only one way to find out...

Jerry Sloane

He knows what it takes to win, having taken the Utah Jazz to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998, and totaling over 2,000 wins with a lifetime 60.3 percent winning percentage over a staggering 26 years of coaching, mostly in Utah, before he resigned in 2011 amid rumors of squabbling with then-Jazz star Deron Williams. A more respected coach the Knicks would be hard-pressed to find, though at age 72, there is the question of whether Sloane is able -- or even willing -- to try the arduous task of life on the sidelines coaching a team in need of a quick fix.

Lionel Hollins

Despite their many offensive flaws, one key area the Knicks excelled in was their defense, in which they were ranked No. 8 in the league in fewest points allowed (99.4). If they want to get anywhere near a title, they have to maintain, if not improve, on "D". Enter Hollins, who guided the Memphis Grizzlies to the third-lowest total in the league in points allowed by opponents (94.6). Hollins made the Grizzlies a force to be reckoned with in the West, and he could easily do the same in New York, with the right pieces around him. However, given the fact that the Grizz scored the fourth-lowest point total of all 30 NBA teams in the regular season, the Knicks may be hesitant to get a coach that may just be a more enhanced version of Woodson.

George Karl

If you're going to pick a coach, a former NBA Coach of the Year is not a bad place to start searching. Karl, who coached the Seattle Supersonics to the 1996 NBA Finals, also turned around the Denver Nuggets to the third-best record in the West last season. In addition, Karl, who boasts a lifetime 1,131-756 win-loss coaching record, also has led his teams to the playoffs in 22 of his 25 seasons. Bottom line: he's a winner who knows how to win. But he reportedly didn't have the best history with Melo in Denver prior to the All-Star being traded to New York. Would the two be willing to let bygones be bygones for a shot at a ring?

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