There is always collateral damage when a coach is fired, but Donnie Walsh indicated tonight the turnover will be limited in the front office.

Glen Grunwald appears to be safe at this point.

“I don’t (anticipate more changes), not right now,” Walsh said. “I like Glen Grunwald. He has been working here all year. The next big moment for us is the draft and the people that have been here working on the draft are very important to us. They’ve been out scouting. They’re going to be here. I have confidence in Glen heading up that.”

And the assistants who served under Isiah Thomas?

Herb Williams gets to interview for head coach if he wants to pursue the job. The others will be put on hold until a hire is made. Most of them are under contract into the future.

“I’m going to have to deal with them next week,” Walsh said. “Obviously, if we choose a new head coach, usually they want their own coaching staff, but I certainly will present this staff to whoever has the job where they will be part of the mix of what he has to choose from.”

Mark Jackson appears to be the leading candidate, but he’s probably got some experienced competition. Jeff Van Gundy is available. Rick Carlisle is available. Scott Skiles is available.

Walsh talked a little about Jackson’s lack of time directing traffic from the sideline in a suit.

“You have to get a special person to do (coach in New York) and there are certain things I will look for when I talk to Mark that will signal to me whether he really understands what the challenge will be,” he said. “As far as the knowledge of the game, it doesn’t lie there. It’s more in the logistics of being a head coach … knowing how to start a team from Day 1 and go all the way on to the Finals of the NBA.”