The Los Angeles Lakers will be playing the New York Knicks on Sunday, so it is an appropriate time to give thanks to Phil Jackson, again, although for a different reason than you might expect. First, some background.
To most Laker fans, November 12, 2012 is a day that will live in infamy. On that date it was announced that the team had hired Mike D’Antoni instead of Jackson to replace Mike Brown as coach. Jackson was stunned. The entire city of Los Angeles was stunned. Jim Buss had never been held in high regard before, but after that day, his fate was sealed forever. No matter how long his family owns the franchise, Buss will never be forgiven by Laker fans for rebuffing Jackson.
There was still a glimmer of hope that Jackson might return one day in an administrative role. Perhaps he would replace the dour and underachieving Mitch Kupchak as General Manager. After all, Jackson is the “significant other” of Jeanie Buss, the Lakers President, Executive Vice-President of Business Operations and Governor of the team. Doesn’t her opinion count?
After being rejected, no one knew if Jackson was interested in a front office position, but that question was answered in the affirmative on March 18, 2014 when he accepted the job as President of the Knicks under a five-year contract. Jackson would have preferred a similar position with the Lakers, and if that had happened, it would have brought a much needed boost in morale and helped the team regain some of the stature it lost the last few years. The Lakers apparently weren’t interested. Both teams were ships sinking faster than the Titanic, but only one, the Knicks, decided to make a bold move in response.
It was widely believed that Jackson signing with the Knicks marked the end of any hope that he would ever be around to help the Lakers again. Fortunately, that belief was wrong. On July 13, 2014, Jackson saved the Lakers from themselves and preserved, for Laker fans, at least a glimmer of hope that the team might actually turn things around over the next few years.
What did he do?
He rescued Buss and Kupchak from making yet another colossal mistake by luring Carmelo Anthony back to the Knicks with the offer of a max deal around $124 million for five years. If Anthony had signed with the Lakers (4 years, $94 millon) the team would be paying two players approximately $50,000,000 per year this season and next. The rest of the roster would be comprised of minimum salaried players. Plus, once Bryant retires after next season (if he retires), they would still be saddled with Anthony’s massive contract going forward. Imagine the consequences of such a disastrous move!
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There is a popular perception that when Pau Gasol was traded to the Lakers it was because of the brilliance of Mitch Kupchak. The Gasol trade transformed the Lakers immediately into a contender, and they made three straight appearances in the NBA finals and won two more championships.
For Kupchak, the trade made his career, since up to that point his biggest achievement was the discovery of Andrew Bynum. Six years later, Kupchak is still living off the success of the Pau Gasol trade. He perseveres, despite the fact that his major moves since then – trading for Dwight Howard, and the sign-and-trade of free agent Steve Nash – are largely responsible for the horrible plight of the Lakers today.
Last summer, the Lakers went all-out to sign Anthony. The Lakers put on an enormous dog-and-pony show for Anthony. Reportedly, the stunt almost worked as Anthony was unexpectedly impressed and was said to be seriously considering the Lakers.
Fortunately, Jackson swooped in to save the day. He swallowed hard and offered the kind of max deal the whole world knew Anthony couldn’t turn down. In making that deal, Jackson ensured the Knicks would remain irrelevant for the next five years while offering the Lakers the chance to sign other free agents who could actually help turn things around.
If you think free agents avoid the Lakers because they don’t want to play with an aging, controlling Bryant, that is nothing compared to the stigma of playing with the overrated, ball-hogging Anthony. Despite what you hear, Bryant’s five rings and legendary skills and work ethic were attractive to many free agents when he was in his prime, and to some, would still be attractive today. Anthony is currenlty in his prime, but his divisive, underachieving ways will not attract anyone.
The salary cap is a way of life in the NBA. Historically, the richest teams were willing to exceed the cap because the penalty was not steep in comparison with what they could earn by putting a better team on the court night after night. Today, no team wants to exceed the cap because the penalty is so severe. Even though the cap will be raised soon, being saddled with Carmelo Anthony’s enormous salary would have crippled the Lakers for years.
Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak would have done it if Anthony had said yes. Fortunately, Jackson was looking out for Laker fans and would not let that happen.
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