source: By: Lang Greene
The Los Angeles Lakers, attempting to pull off a three-peat, suffered an embarrassing sweep at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs, a defeat which has stunned many around the league. In the aftermath there have been calls to blow up the team's current roster and plenty of speculation regarding the unit's trust issues with each other throughout the season.
And the speculation continues.
Less than forty-eight hours after Hall of Fame head coach Phil Jackson presumably coached his last NBA game, a league source confirmed to the New York Post that Jackson is definitely finished in Los Angeles but may indeed be open to offers in the future – which may include the New York Knicks in 2012.
"If the right situation presented itself, he would have to consider it," the league source told Marc Berman of the New York Post. "Phil's going to have to find a way to keep himself occupied and fulfilled because Jeanie [Buss, Lakers executive and Jackson's girlfriend] is not retiring."
It goes without saying that a proven head coach possessing eleven NBA championship rings will be in high demand around the league for the foreseeable future. Every team close to championship contention looking to fill a coaching void will have to at least ring Jackson's phone and gauge his interest in returning to the sidelines out of pure protocol – standard procedure.
Most of these rumors will easily be dismissed, but Jackson has a deep rooted history in New York and seriously considered taking the reins of the Knicks in 2005 before returning to Los Angeles after his second retirement from coaching.
Buss, the daughter of owner Jerry Buss, confirmed this to the New York Post back in February.
"I can tell you he was open to going to the Knicks in 2005, then the Laker job opened up," Buss said before Jackson appeared at Madison Square Garden in February, presumably the last time as coach. "The Knicks job would bring him full circle and I wouldn't stop him. I am in New York several days every month for business. That being said, the Knicks have a very good coach and are doing very well. So it shouldn't matter."
One roadblock to Jackson coaching in New York as it currently stands is the presence of Mike D'Antoni.
Finally there is optimism surrounding the Knicks as the team finished above .500 for the first time since 2002, made their first postseason appearance since 2004 and have All-Star forwards Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony under contract through their primes.
However the Knicks limped down the stretch of the regular season and were swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.
While the Knicks are committed to D'Antoni through 2012, the veteran coach was reportedly on the hot seat at various times throughout the season.
If New York struggles next season and fails to live up to the lofty expectations, the organization will be in the market for a head coach and have an owner in James Dolan who would be more than willing to offer a financially lucrative package to a coach of Jackson's stature.
Outside of lucrative compensation packages and the opportunity to coach two stars in their prime, Jackson won two titles as a reserve forward with the team in the seventies and often credits Red Holzman, his coach at the time, as being his mentor while he developed his craft.
Jackson will turn 66 in September so this retirement is likely to be the finale, but if the Knicks came calling after he's had a full year of rest and give him an opportunity to return to his old stomping grounds and join a team on the rise you have to wonder if the competitive fires will lead him back to the Big Apple.
For now, Jackson seems intent on retiring and not looking back.
"All my hopes and aspirations are this is the final game I'll coach," Jackson told the media after the Lakers were swept from the playoffs. "This has been a wonderful run."
So Who Is Going To Coach The Lakers?
With Jackson heading to Montana to spend more time at his farm, the Lakers are in need of a coach to take the helm.
The heir apparent seems to be current assistant Brian Shaw.
Shaw won three titles with the Lakers as a player and has full knowledge of the triangle offense serving as Jackson's assistant for the past six years.
Continue...
The Los Angeles Lakers, attempting to pull off a three-peat, suffered an embarrassing sweep at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs, a defeat which has stunned many around the league. In the aftermath there have been calls to blow up the team's current roster and plenty of speculation regarding the unit's trust issues with each other throughout the season.
And the speculation continues.
Less than forty-eight hours after Hall of Fame head coach Phil Jackson presumably coached his last NBA game, a league source confirmed to the New York Post that Jackson is definitely finished in Los Angeles but may indeed be open to offers in the future – which may include the New York Knicks in 2012.
"If the right situation presented itself, he would have to consider it," the league source told Marc Berman of the New York Post. "Phil's going to have to find a way to keep himself occupied and fulfilled because Jeanie [Buss, Lakers executive and Jackson's girlfriend] is not retiring."
It goes without saying that a proven head coach possessing eleven NBA championship rings will be in high demand around the league for the foreseeable future. Every team close to championship contention looking to fill a coaching void will have to at least ring Jackson's phone and gauge his interest in returning to the sidelines out of pure protocol – standard procedure.
Most of these rumors will easily be dismissed, but Jackson has a deep rooted history in New York and seriously considered taking the reins of the Knicks in 2005 before returning to Los Angeles after his second retirement from coaching.
Buss, the daughter of owner Jerry Buss, confirmed this to the New York Post back in February.
"I can tell you he was open to going to the Knicks in 2005, then the Laker job opened up," Buss said before Jackson appeared at Madison Square Garden in February, presumably the last time as coach. "The Knicks job would bring him full circle and I wouldn't stop him. I am in New York several days every month for business. That being said, the Knicks have a very good coach and are doing very well. So it shouldn't matter."
One roadblock to Jackson coaching in New York as it currently stands is the presence of Mike D'Antoni.
Finally there is optimism surrounding the Knicks as the team finished above .500 for the first time since 2002, made their first postseason appearance since 2004 and have All-Star forwards Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony under contract through their primes.
However the Knicks limped down the stretch of the regular season and were swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.
While the Knicks are committed to D'Antoni through 2012, the veteran coach was reportedly on the hot seat at various times throughout the season.
If New York struggles next season and fails to live up to the lofty expectations, the organization will be in the market for a head coach and have an owner in James Dolan who would be more than willing to offer a financially lucrative package to a coach of Jackson's stature.
Outside of lucrative compensation packages and the opportunity to coach two stars in their prime, Jackson won two titles as a reserve forward with the team in the seventies and often credits Red Holzman, his coach at the time, as being his mentor while he developed his craft.
Jackson will turn 66 in September so this retirement is likely to be the finale, but if the Knicks came calling after he's had a full year of rest and give him an opportunity to return to his old stomping grounds and join a team on the rise you have to wonder if the competitive fires will lead him back to the Big Apple.
For now, Jackson seems intent on retiring and not looking back.
"All my hopes and aspirations are this is the final game I'll coach," Jackson told the media after the Lakers were swept from the playoffs. "This has been a wonderful run."
So Who Is Going To Coach The Lakers?
With Jackson heading to Montana to spend more time at his farm, the Lakers are in need of a coach to take the helm.
The heir apparent seems to be current assistant Brian Shaw.
Shaw won three titles with the Lakers as a player and has full knowledge of the triangle offense serving as Jackson's assistant for the past six years.
