Phil Jackson denies offering Luke Walton the Knicks’ coaching job
Phil Jackson seems a little cranky, and for once we can’t blame him.
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The Knicks president has had to work through endless bouts of rumor-mongering and criticism about his beloved triangle offense in his 25 months on the job, as if he’d expect anything else while working out of New York City, and for a team featuring outsized personalities like owner James Dolan, superstar Carmelo Anthony, rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis, former coach Derek Fisher and current interim head coach Kurt Rambis. This is what Jackson gets $12 million a year to deal with, and if Friday’s press conference with local media was any indication, he’s not dealing with it all that well.
“There are critics? Who are these people? Why would people even say that? Do they have 11 championships to show you when they talk about that?” he said. “They got a lot of excuses. That’s the way it is. That discussion doesn’t have to go on.”
Basketball entitlement meets corporate entitlement meets baby boomer entitlement. It’s all very charming.
Jackson then chided the media for pointing out that the Knicks – a step behind several other teams in terms of over the top cap space this summer, working without a lottery pick in June, featuring a star in Anthony on the wrong side of 30 – might not be the best place for a boffo free agent to land:
“You guys are making it really hard on us to get free agents. You don’t have to do that. You can make this a good place to come to,” Jackson said. “It’s a nice place. The press is good. They’re positive about the team. They improved 15 games this year. That can help us out. You guys can do a job too, make it better on yourselves next year, too.”
Jackson was speaking with tongue placed firmly in cheek, but following a coaching career full of passive/aggressive, “sure, I’m joking”-jibes, we know where he’s coming from.
As the weekend moved along, word shot out of New York that Jackson had been in touch with Golden State Warriors assistant coach Luke Walton, a former player that won two championships with Phil while working as a reserve for the Los Angeles Lakers.
From Marc Berman at the New York Post:
The Post first reported Sunday afternoon Knicks president Phil Jackson already spoke with Walton in a phone interview.
Walton is considered a big long shot to take the Knicks job as he’s a West Coast product, having grown up in Southern California and played at Arizona.
A late report Sunday night stated Walton told the Knicks he’s not ready to continue talks at this time, but an NBA source said he hasn’t completely ruled it out.
Frank Isola at the New York Daily News disputed that account:
Luke Walton’s answer to Phil Jackson was thanks, but no thanks – at least for now.
According to sources, Jackson reached out to the Golden State assistant in a phone conversation recently, following through on his pledge to only speak to those in his circle – or is it triangle? – about their interest in coaching the Knicks. However, the Daily News learned that Walton told his former Lakers coach he wasn’t currently interested in the job.
It’s unclear if the two sides will talk again.
Phil Jackson, on Monday morning, just decided to dispute damn near everything:
This falls in line with what he said on Friday, warning frustrated Knick fans everywhere that only branches on Phil’s weary family coaching tree will be given the interview treatment:
“Only people I probably know will be in the interview process,’’ Jackson said. “I will reach out to make connections to some people. I’ve been in this position in the NBA over 50 years. I’ve seen lot of situations where coaches end up coming in without simpatico with the general manager. Someone who has compatibility with what I do as a leader would have to be in sync with what we do.’’
That’s fine and dandy, Jackson clashed with former Bulls general manager Jerry Krause during his last few years in Chicago, and his lone season with the relatively unfamiliar Laker GM Jerry West was tumultuous in spite of the Lakers’ success, resulting in West leaving the only team he’d ever known in 40 NBA years during the 2000 offseason.
Krause knew Jackson well prior to his hiring as Bulls head coach in 1989, though, as Krause attempted to secure Jackson a spot on Chicago’s bench upon taking the GM gig in 1985. In that case, familiarity bred contempt, as Krause’s presence around the Chicago players unnerved Jackson, while Krause grew resentful of Jackson’s burgeoning ego and growing credit for his role in the Chicago dynasty.
Jackson has already had it out with one coach, a former player in Derek Fisher that he knew exceedingly well, and Rambis’ time running the Knicks was met with deserved derision from all corners. Wouldn’t it at least behoove Jackson to go against stereotype, and interview someone like Tom Thibodeau?
Nah. From Phil:
“A lot of your speculation that people have thrown out have very little bearing on what we’re doing. If you want to save paper space on the speculation?’’
Probably because journalists are speaking in defense of rightfully impatient Knick fans that have had it with Jackson’s blind adherence to his own personal brand of orthodoxy, not unlike the by-the-book Scripture-heavy household he grew up in.
The whole scenario is a cynic’s wet dream, with Jackson once again putting himself in a position to act the martyr as he did in both Chicago and Los Angeles, handing his good buddy Kurt Rambis another year of gainful employment while James Dolan stews, forcing the inevitable showdown that leads to Dolan and Jackson negotiating a buyout which would pair nicely with the timeline afforded current Lakers basketball prez Jim Buss.
Jackson can re-join the Lakers as basketball el jefe and more double-dates between the Rambis’ and Jackson and Jeannie Buss under 72 and sunny would follow, all while Carmelo Anthony refuses trade after trade away from the Knicks until it’s too damn late.
Phil Jackson is too stubborn, so far in the coaching search at least, to even toss out a token interview. It’s not like he has to break bread with Jeff Van Gundy, but wouldn’t any step out of the shade given by the Rambis/Walton/Brian Shaw/Who the Heck Else? branches at least act as a good bit of PR? Something to give your fans after two straight miserable seasons?
No plans at this point. And, while you’re at it, how dare you step to these 11 rings?
(Phil doesn’t even count the two rings he won as a player … with the New York Knicks.)
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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KDonhoops
