Like I said when the rumours broke out, whenever Phil Jackson says something basketball related. We all stop to listen.
And the fact he did it in the heart of New York, in the most famous arena on Earth, Madison Square Garden built the hype up just a little more.
So now that the dust has settled on his press conference officially anointing him President of NYK Operations, all the talking heads gather up his quotes, statements, tidbits and voice their opinion on it.
The first thing that led me to pause and think about was his comments about Melo… Here are the two quotes.
I have no problem committing in saying Carmelo is in the future plans.
There’s another level he can get to.
Now I agree with Jackson that Carmelo can go further with his game, he has to if he wants a chip. Now it was pretty obvious going in that he’s got the words “Melo” and “future” together in his head. It would be crazy if he didn’t. Whether it’ll happen is a different story as Stephen A said yesterday on First Take…
Carmelo Anthony is gone, he is leaving New York City. There are those like myself who still hold up the possibility that that may not be true, but for what I’m being told, he is gone. And he is gone because he’s at the mindset that in order to achieve any amount of success he would had to sacrifice not just this this year but next year as well, because of this current roster.
Now that sounds like a possibility no doubt and Melo did say a few days ago that Phil’s hiring won’t change his decision.
From the outset it already seems Phil is on the back foot when it comes to Melo.
The second thing I got from the press conference was not a Phil statement. NYK owner James Dolan also spoke during the press conference and said that Jackson will get full control of the team.
If you’ve been keeping up with the Knicks season you know how much of a hinderance Dolan is, if you don’t, think of Jerry Jones with the Dallas Cowboys. Yes. That bad.
So if Dolan keeps to his word and stays out of basketball ops, I don’t see Jackson failing.
Not like he has anything to lose anyway…
