The line Jeff Van Gundy won’t cross for Knicks’ coaching chance

Former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy is doing the opposite of lobbying for his old job.

Two days after The Post reported he and Tom Thibodeau will be on incoming president Leon Rose’s short list for next coach, Van Gundy took to the radio to say he hopes, first and foremost, interim coach Mike Miller continues to succeed and get the permanent gig.

“Mike Miller, to me, deserves every opportunity to finish this season out and win the job and I think anybody plotting as a coach to try to undermine that opportunity is doing it wrong,’’ Van Gundy said on NBA SiriusXM radio. “In a coaching situation we should all root for each other to be successful because only the people that have manned the head coaching position understand how hard it is to win any single NBA game. And particularly those teams that are stuck in the middle, it is brutal to win games.’’

The Post reported the possibility of Van Gundy getting the head job and keeping Miller as an assistant coach. Miller worked as Van Gundy’s assistant during Team USA’s training camp last summer when they guided the Select Team.

Miller’s job security was put on thinner ice when Knicks branding consultant Steve Stoute said on ESPN Tuesday that a new coaching staff will be put in place after the season to help develop their talented young players.

Van Gundy has always been adamantly against secretly campaigning for jobs that are already taken. That is what occurred to him as an an interim coach in 1996 after Don Nelson got fired.

“I find it unfortunate at times when people start circling, trying to get a job that isn’t even open,’’ Van Gundy said. “Mike Miller deserves all of our support. He’s done a fantastic job.”

Miller went into the final game before the All-Star Break with a 13-19 record after succeeding David Fizdale, who was 4-18.

The Post reported Van Gundy, a former SUNY-Brockport point guard, has had a good relationship with Rose across the years.

However, Van Gundy’s buddy, ex-Knicks assistant Tom Thibodeau, would seem to have a leg up as he’s worked with Rose at Creative Arts Agency. Thibodeau also has more recent head-coaching experience than Van Gundy, who hasn’t been on the sidelines since the 2006-007 season.

A Knicks’ dream would be Van Gundy (head coach),Thibobeau (associate head coach) and Miller (defensive coordinator).

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