A “strong belief” persists that Knicks team president Phil Jackson will wind up back with the Lakers organization with fiancee Jeanie Buss, and it’s a safe bet that the Zen Master’s tenure in New York won’t outlast whomever he picks as the team’s next coach, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. That leads Wojnarowski to wonder why Knicks coaching candidate Luke Walton would head to New York this summer. Walton, like Tom Thibodeau, looms as a candidate for the Lakers job, Wojnarowski writes, with Byron Scott not assured of lasting past the season, so Walton could eventually reunite with Jackson, his former coach, in L.A. Regardless, Jackson’s stubborn refusal to look outside his own sphere of influence for coaches and other employees isn’t in the best interests of the Knicks, Wojnarowski contends. See more from New York amid the latest from around the league:
- Kristaps Porzingis and the allure of New York have Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook‘s attention as he thinks ahead to his free agency in 2017, Wojnarowski notes in the same piece.
- Former Raptors and Suns GM Bryan Colangelo is the early favorite to land the Nets GM job, sources tell NetsDaily, which confirms that Colangelo is among several candidates interviewing with the team this week.
- The Suns signed Jordan McRae to a second 10-day contract Monday, but it’s effectively a 12-day contract. That’s because all 10-day pacts are required to encompass at least three games, and Phoenix’s loss to the Thunder on Monday was one of only two games the team had left before the All-Star break when it re-signed McRae. The Suns open the second half of the season against the Rockets on March 19th, which will be the 12th day of McRae’s contract. He’ll make $37,065 instead of the standard $30,888 he’d see on a conventional 10-day deal.
- The Hawks assigned Edy Tavares to the Spurs affiliate in the D-League on Monday, Atlanta announced. It’s the 10th time this season that the Hawks, who are without a D-League team of their own, have used San Antonio’s affiliate. Tavares will likely spend two games with the Austin Spurs on his latest stint, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
If I were a Knicks fan, I would want Phil Jackson gone as quickly as possible. Let someone with a long-term commitment to the team pick the next coach.
Without a doubt Jackson will opt out of his contract at the end of this season. How can you doubt he will head west to LA to takeover for his finance Jeanne Buss. The Lakers have a lottery pick tons of cap space and a solid core of young pieces. The Knicks don’t have a draft pick until the 22nd century. Jackson has failed miserably with his failed triangle. His choice of the moribund Fischer was abysmal. Anthony is a ball stopper no matter what team he plays for. What Free Agent wants to play with him. His contract is immovable. Now he’s starting to breakdown. Be truthful other than Porzingus what Knick would you pay to see? Robin Lopez? I wouldn’t watch him in a free pickup game. Jimmy Guitar Dolan has his fingerprints on Fischer’s firing. 8 coaches in 14 years. How can the Knicks not hire Tom Thibs? Jackson will be gone as he opts out as soon as the season is over. Everyone knows it but Dolan. What a buffoon.
Anthony’s scoring is down and assists/rebounds are up – he’s been playing a more active role of playmaker. If the Knicks could acquire a starting backcourt, it would be a different team.
I will say that the FA signings made were awful. Pulled money away from next years FA’s and increased cap.