Phil Jackson’s short tenure as President of the New York Knicks has had its up and downs. But while there has been criticism for the job he has done as a team-builder, there has never been anything close to that for his coaching.
Jackson has cemented himself as one of the best coaches in NBA history and according to Kobe Bryant, he is the greatest coach of all time in any profession. That legacy has led to many speculating that the 11-time coaching champion would eventually come back to take over as the coach of the Knicks.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, that speculation may not be entirely unwarranted:
Those close to him say Jackson seems more energized these days. He has lost about 20 pounds of the 30 he gained during his first two years on the job. Even Kobe Bryant noticed, remarking after Sunday’s game in Los Angeles that, “He looks great. Physically he looks good. I’m happy for him.”
There’s even talk Jackson could offer to coach home games next season, with Rambis coaching the road games. It’s an offer the late Lakers owner Jerry Buss once flatly rejected, but it could be an interesting compromise to hiring Rambis as the head coach next season.
There is a lot to take in here. Most would agree that current interim head coach Kurt Rambis does not have a great track record as a head coach. Jackson has reportedly planned on keeping him as the coach after this season. But the idea of the team president coming to coach half of the games shows a completely different side to that story – one in which Jackson clearly has little trust in Rambis’ ability.
Additionally, Jackson has repeatedly denied rumors and speculation on a return to coaching, mostly due to his physical health. Shelburne does mention that he has improved in that aspect, even traveling with the team at times. Nevertheless, it seems difficult to believe that the 70 year old would want to go through the grueling season.
Of course, there is the possibility of Jackson only coaching home games; that is the idea that this rumor paints. But the precedence for such a thing is non-existent and the dynamic that comes from it would be difficult to envision. There would be plenty of adjustment necessary to make a dual-coach system work well and a rebuilding team does not need that sort of pressure and added challenge.
Personally, I believe that it is highly unlikely Phil Jackson comes back to coach any games. He seems to want to be involved in the coaching aspect of the team, but to actually go through games and split up coaching duties is very difficult to believe. Furthermore, there are several great coaching candidates (including another Jackson disciple in Luke Walton) available this season, should the Knicks actually move on from Rambis, and none of those potential coaches would want Jackson to take over for half of the season.
Nevertheless, the thought is an interesting and somewhat enticing one. This is something to keep an eye on regardless of the low odds.
