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Phil to Knicks: Personnel changes coming

Knicks president Phil Jackson and owner James Dolan addressed the Knicks after their final game on Wednesday, a Knicks player confirmed to ESPNNewYork.com.

While Jackson commended the team for its effort and complimented coach Mike Woodson, he made it clear that there would be personnel changes this summer, the player said.

“He credited Woody," said the player. "But he also said that there’s going to be changes, some of us won’t be in this room next year.”

The player said Jackson told the Knicks that they owed a lot of gratitude to head coach Mike Woodson. The player also said Jackson indicated that the team needed to start “thinking differently” and thinking about “what we can do to contend” for a title.

Jackson and Dolan’s postgame speeches were first reported by the New York Daily News.

Dolan, who told staffers on the eve of the season that he felt the Knicks could contend for an NBA title, told the players on Wednesday that he was “disappointed by the season, that he had higher expectations,” the player said.

“He said we left the fans wanting more,” the player said.

The player said Dolan added the Knicks "have to start thinking about a championship and he told us that it starts [Thursday]. It was a great speech."

Woodson was in the room for the speech, according to the player. But his future with the Knicks is unclear.

While it is widely believed that the Knicks have already made the decision to move on from Woodson, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard on Friday that nothing will be announced this weekend.

Woodson's fate is likely to be announced early next week.

Sources close to the situation told ESPN’s Marc Stein that Woodson is "bracing" for the worst, especially after the Knicks conducted exit interviews with players Thursday without the coach present.

It is thought, however, that Woodson has not been told of his fate.

Regarding the offseason changes Jackson mentioned, the Knicks aren't expected to have much of an opportunity to re-shape the roster this summer.

Even if free-agent-to-be Carmelo Anthony signs with another team, the Knicks still will be over the salary cap thanks to the contracts for Andrea Bargnani ($11.5 million in 2014-15), Amar'e Stoudemire ($23.4 million) and Tyson Chandler ($14.6 million).

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