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5 reasons John Calipari won’t leave Kentucky for the Knicks

By David Austin Bumpus

Jan 31, 2017; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari reacts during the game against the Georgia Bulldogs in the second half at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated Georgia 87-81. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2017; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari reacts during the game against the Georgia Bulldogs in the second half at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated Georgia 87-81. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 23, 2017; Memphis, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari looks on during practice the day before the South Regional semifinals of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 23, 2017; Memphis, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari looks on during practice the day before the South Regional semifinals of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Calipari just wants more money from Kentucky

Again, we don’t know 100 percent if Calipari was actually the one who floated his name into the conversation for this position and not someone else, but, assuming he himself did it, he may have reasons for doing so that aren’t exactly aligned with real interest in the new job.

Much like what happens in the NBA with trades or free agency all the time, Calipari might be throwing his name in the hat to just get more money from Kentucky to make him stay as their head coach. You see it with teams dangling players in front of other teams and saying they have more appealing offers elsewhere, or players using teams in free agency as leverage for more money or perks in their new deals.

Calipari might easily be playing the Knicks, and all of us outsiders in the process, and may be using this opportunity for a quick little pay raise to make sure he’s financially set for a long time in the Kentucky program. It may sound shady, but it’s actually a completely legitimate strategy. If you have the goods, use them as bait while you can to the person who wants you the most.

Calipari is already loaded as a college coach as far as money is concerned, and may not be too worried about that in the grand scheme of things. However, it’s totally viable to be thinking about your financial future, even when you’re already getting millions to coach a college team.

And, don’t forget, it’s still the Knicks we’re talking about here.