Former coaching legend and current New York Knicks President Phil Jackson is reportedly considering coaching home games for the Knicks next season — although Carmelo Anthony doesn’t love that idea.
Will Phil Jackson stay in New York long-term though? He’s most well-known for his coaching work with the Chicago Bills(6 championships) and the Los Angeles Lakers(5 championships). The Lakers wouldn’t mind Jackson coming to work for them for the 2017-18 season, per Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck:
Theory floating around league: Lakers keep Byron 1 more year, just in case Phil opts out and returns to L.A. and wants to pick the coach.
— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) March 15, 2016
Beck was quick to point out that this is just a theory, and far from set in stone:
As I say, it's just a theory, though. No indication that PJax has any inclination to leave Knicks, or return to LA to run Lakers.
— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) March 15, 2016
Byron Scott has been an unmitigated disaster this season. He’s repeatedly benched young, talented players in favor of vets. He has been better about letting the young guys play lately, likely in a last-ditch effort to keep his job.
Keeping Scott another year would be… not ideal. It could possibly further stunt the growth of young players, depending on Scott’s approach to a new season. This would be a trade-off for getting Phil Jackson, which is why I don’t think it happens unless Jackson verbally commits to coming to L.A. beforehand. Otherwise, they’re postponing hiring a good coach in the hopes that Jackson decides to ditch New York, which is a big risk.
