Apr 2, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Phil Jackson looks on as the jersey of Los Angeles Lakers former player Shaquille O
I woke up this morning, flipped on Mike and Mike in the morning and opened the LA times as I do every morning. This morning was different though, refreshing, because there it was – He’s just the man to lead the Lakers: Phil for president.
Bill Plaschke worded it as well as anyone possibly could. “C’mon, Jeanie, just ask him. C’mon, Jimmy, just let him. … Jimmy Buss won’t hire him? Even he isn’t that silly. Buss tried not hiring Jackson once, and his leading investors — season-ticket holders — have been chanting ever since.”
Jaskson is taking interviews with the Raptors – the Raptors. No offense to Toronto fans, but this is Phil Jackson we’re talking about here.
It screams that his “itching” for a return to basketball may very well be an understatement. Seeing as Jackson is not necessarily one to toss up smoke screens and finds himself entertaining middle of the road organizations.
The Lakers are built on greatness, and it turn demand it. First-round exits, players ‘needing time away’ to contemplate their future with the organization and widespread instability is not the Laker way.
I stand by the fact Mike D’Antoni is not the ideal coach for the Lakers’ personnel. But the front office seems infatuated with him, and 28-12 is a hell of a lot better than the trainwreck we could have potentially seen.
So Jackson to the sidelines? Not likely. Jackson has made it clear that he’s seeking an executive position. Even though he was considering a return to coaching as recently as November.
“I’ve had some talks with people,” said Jackson in a recent interview with the San Fransisco Chronicle, “and there are some interesting situations that are presenting themselves, but I really haven’t made up my mind yet what I’m going to do. None of it involves coaching. … There are three or four teams that have been interested.”
“It would be a real opportunity to implant the game, a culture that I believe in – that’s the intriguing part.”
Turns out there are few teams that need more of a culture change than the Lakers right now.