‘‘It’s a great system, (but) I don’t think he ever had a defender such as myself or a defender such as Dwight Howard on those teams,’’ Metta World Peace said. ‘‘I don’t think he ever coached those type of players, so his defense should be self-explanatory, and his offense is amazing, so it should be fun for Laker fans.’’

The rest of the NBA sat back and watched the Lakers’ drama with amusement over the past two days, with Dallas owner Mark Cuban weighing in gleefully on the mess: ‘‘I hope they have to do it again and again and again.’’

Jackson’s flirtation with the job is the strongest indication yet that he’s interested in coaching again, which makes him a prime candidate for another franchise. Yet D'Antoni also received praise around the league — even from New York, where he resigned last March after failing to win a playoff game in four years with the Knicks.

‘‘Despite all the hoopla ... that was going on about me and Mike, we actually have a pretty good relationship, especially behind closed doors,’’ Carmelo Anthony said. ‘‘We actually talked a lot, talked basketball. Hopefully he brings some positive energy over there. Anytime guys are losing like that, there’s always negativity, a lot of negative energy. So sometimes change is better.’’

Added Dwyane Wade, who has played for D'Antoni on the U.S. national team: ‘‘He has a tough job ahead of him, but I'm sure he’s excited about the opportunity that he gets to be with America’s team.’’

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