Mike Woodson is the leading candidate to become Mike D'Antoni's defensive assistant on the New York bench.

Woodson and D'Antoni met nine days ago in New York.

"I'm interested," Woodson said. "It's where my NBA career started. I'd like to help Mike and see things continue to grow there."

Woodson was most recently head coach of the Hawks.

"There's interest on both sides," one person familiar with the situation said. "But there's no burn on anyone's part, probably because of the lockout."