PHOENIX—The Phoenix Suns granted permission for coach Mike D’Antoni to talk to other teams, with the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks apparently the leading suitors.

General manager Steve Kerr confirmed Monday that D’Antoni can speak with other NBA teams about coaching vacancies but indicated he still wants to persuade the coach to stay with the Suns.

“As we continue to convey, we value Mike D’Antoni as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns and would like him to continue leading this basketball team,” Kerr said in a statement. “Because he has requested to speak to other teams about their head coaching vacancies, we have granted him permission.”

D’Antoni, reached by telephone, declined to comment.

SI.com’s Jack McCallum, who spent an entire season with the Suns while writing a book on them, reported Monday that the Bulls’ John Paxson and Knicks’ Donnie Walsh were flying to Phoenix to interview D’Antoni. Knicks’ spokesman Jonathan Supranowitz said the team is not commenting on its coaching search.

Radio station KTAR in Phoenix first reported that D’Antoni was being allowed to speak to other teams.

The coach met Friday with Kerr and team owner Robert Sarver for two hours and there reportedly were more conversations over the weekend.