Phil Jackson On Coaching, His Next Job, Lakers
Phil Jackson said this week that it’s unlikely he’ll ever coach in the NBA again, and he reiterated that point and touched on many others in a conversation with Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. He has spoken with owners of teams around the league about a front office role, and he told Bresnahan he envisions serving as more of a consultant than a GM. Wherever he winds up, he made it clear that it won’t be with the Lakers, even though his comments suggest at least some of his blood runs purple-and-gold, perhaps a nod to his fiancee and Lakers co-owner Jeanie Buss. The entire piece is worth reading, especially for Lakers fans, but we’ll share a few highlights here:
On returning to the Lakers in any capacity:
“At the present time I don’t see how that would work out with the way the organization is set up right now. There would have to be some seismic shift.”
On the Lakers’ flirtation with him during last year’s coaching search:
“I know it was difficult for Jeanie because I wasn’t putting my hat in the ring and they asked me to come and interview for the job, of which I think they had no intention of actually following through. I think those things stuck at the core of Laker die-hard fans.”
On his feelings toward the Lakers:
“I want people to know that I really want to support the Lakers and I’m here to support Jeanie in her effort to keep this franchise vital and vibrant. I have every intention of trying to help them move forward.”
Western Notes: Brown, Green, Morey, Ebanks
Shannon Brown remains on the Wizards roster for now following last night’s trade, though the team is expected to let him go. He isn’t a lock to clear waivers, but if he does, HoopsWorld’s Steve Kyler hears he’d like to sign with the Lakers (Twitter link). Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets that several teams are interested, and Brown has yet to make up his mind. Fellow ESPN.com scribe Ramona Shelburne isn’t sure the Lakers will be too inclined to pick up Brown, since they already have 15 players under contract (Twitter link). Here’s more from the West:
- After being bounced among seven NBA teams and two international stops by age 27, Gerald Green is OK with waiting for his turn to get minutes in the Suns‘ rotation, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Green, who came to Phoenix in the Luis Scola deal, is one of three small forwards on the team, but he should see more time at two-guard now that Brown is elsewhere.
- Rockets GM Daryl Morey paid no attention to rumors that his job was on the line in recent years, writes Sam Amick of USA Today. “I heard second hand those rumblings, and it never made sense to me,” Morey said. “Maybe because I knew Mr. Alexander had a lot of faith in what we were doing and was really an architect in a lot of the strategy, so we were executing on a plan and the owner knew it. I think that, yeah, if we hadn’t been able to turn the corner like we hoped, then at some point he probably says, ‘Hey, I’ve got to change horses,’ and that’s fine. That’s his right. I wouldn’t have been bothered. But he had a lot of belief in us, and I don’t forget that.”
- Former Lakers forward Devin Ebanks was among the players the Mavs cut this week, and he has committed to play with the the Texas Legends, the D-League affiliate of Dallas, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo (Twitter link).
- Bob Myers was an agent before he became GM of the Warriors, and that experience shows in his masterful negotiations on extensions for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Curry, writes Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group. We had plenty more on Bogut’s extension in a post earlier today.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Lakers Waive Marcus Landry
The Lakers announced that they have waived forward Marcus Landry. Los Angeles’ roster is now down to the maximum of 15 players.
Landry signed on with the Lakers in mid-September and was thought to have a decent chance at making the club with second-round pick Ryan Kelly working his way back from injury.
Landry, who turns 28 next week, appeared in 18 games in the 2009/10 season with the Knicks and Celtics. Since then, he’s bounced between the D-League and Europe, and played with the Reno Bighorns of the D-League last season.
Terms of Landry’s deal were not disclosed at signing but it’s safe to assume that it was a non-guaranteed deal.
Jim Buss Promises Kobe Won’t Hit Free Agency
The Lakers are working toward an extension for Kobe Bryant, and co-owner and executive vice president Jim Buss tells Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com that there’s no way the star two-guard will become a free agent this summer, when his current contract is set to expire. Bryant’s torn Achilles tendon has slowed the talks between GM Mitch Kupchak and agent Rob Pelinka, but Buss swears a deal will get done before July 1st.
“I want to put an end to any speculation that we would allow Kobe to become a free agent,” Buss said. “That’s not going to happen. Kobe is a top priority for us. He’s a Laker legend and always will be. I don’t think we’re done winning championships with him yet.”
A report in September indicated negotiations had not yet begun, so it appears the two sides have only recently begun to talk. Bryant said over the summer that he wasn’t keen on the idea of taking a significant paycut, and signing an extension, which would run no more than three years beyond his current deal’s expiration, would represent a sacrifice. Bryant could sign a record five-year deal with the Lakers for close to $184MM if he waited until he became a free agent in July, though such a contract would be unlikely given its size and the 35-year-old Bryant’s age.
Bryant could make slightly more per season if he signed a maximum-salary extension, but even that may be far-fetched, since that would entail a salary of more than $32.7MM next season. The talks may ultimately center around just how much less than the max Bryant is willing to take to allow the team to seek free agents with its ample projected cap space for this summer.
The timing of this pronouncement from Buss seems odd, since he told T.J. Simers of the Orange County Register on Thursday that he and Bryant had an understanding that Bryant would hit free agency.
Western Notes: Rockets, Lakers, Nash, Thunder
With the NBA’s opening night just four days away, let’s round up some items out of the Western Conference on the last Friday of the offseason:
- Philadelphia released Royce White yesterday, but it will be the Rockets, not the 76ers, who are on the hook for his $1.7MM+ salary, tweets Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. When Houston sent White to the Sixers, it was reported that the deal included cash considerations, so perhaps the amount in the trade was equal to White’s salary.
- Phil Jackson recently spoke to Seth Davis about a number of topics, including the Lakers, and while that interview won’t air until next week, Mark Medina of InsideSoCal.com passes along a few of the Zen Master’s comments. Among the notable items: Jackson says he’s unlikely to ever coach in the NBA again due to his health.
- Steve Nash is currently the oldest player on an NBA roster, and there’s some concern from the Lakers about his health heading into the season. However, while he acknowledges to Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com that he’s at a “different stage” in his career, he says he’s up to the challenge.
- After waiving Diante Garrett today, the Thunder aren’t in the market for a third point guard, according to head coach Scott Brooks (Twitter link via Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman).
- In the wake of early speculation about Kevin Durant‘s 2016 free agency, ESPN.com’s Larry Coon (Insider link) details Durant’s options, concluding that the Thunder star figures to take a wait-and-see approach.
- Dee Bost, who was waived by the Trail Blazers, and Troy Daniels, who is expected to be released by the Rockets, will soon sign with their clubs’ respective D-League affiliates, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM.com.
Odds & Ends: Kobe, LeBron, Cavs
T.J. Simers of the OC Register writes that Lakers executive Jim Buss believes he has an understanding with Kobe Bryant regarding next summer, in which he’ll let him hit free agency, spend the money accordingly on free agents, and offer whatever’s left to the Lakers’ star afterwards. When Simers asked him to elaborate, Kobe “vaguely” responded: “We’ve probably talked (about it)…but I’m putting off any thought of that.”
In another piece, Kobe spoke with Mike Bresnahan of the LA Times about his inability to mesh with Dwight Howard last season: “We saw different ways of going about leading this team…Dwight wanted to do it one way and he felt like it was effective. I wanted to do it another way. It was constant tension the second half of the season.”
Here are a handful of tonight’s links to pass along from around the Association:
- LeBron James remained diplomatic when asked if winning a third consecutive ring would provide an answer to whether or not he’ll stay in with the Heat beyond this year: “When that bridge comes, I’ll cross it with my family…And we’re going to make the right choice. We’ve been in this position before, I’ve been in this position before, and I’ll be excited about it, but we’ll see what happens” (Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald).
- LeBron was also quick to assert that his focus is on the upcoming season, and later emphasized Dwyane Wade‘s health as the key to Miami’s success: “Winning, that’s my only concern right now, winning…I want to put a third ring on the guys that have two. I want to put a first ring on the guys that don’t have any and I want to put a fourth on [Udonis Haslem] and D-Wade. So, that’s my goal…Without (Dwyane), this ship doesn’t continue to move without him, and I hope he knows that,..I think he knows that because he’s a big part of what we do.”
- Cavaliers coach Mike Brown is still undecided about how he’ll handle the rotation at small forward this season, having been torn between Alonzo Gee and Earl Clark: “Nobody’s really separated themselves drastically from the other guy…One game, one guy’s played pretty good, then another guy’s played pretty good. … I told those guys, it can go into the regular season, just keep yourself ready to go in case your number’s called” (Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer).
- Steve Nash spoke with Mark Medina of InsideSoCal.com about the challenges of staying healthy at this point in his career.
- USA Today’s Sam Amick goes over what he’s learned so far after watching the pre-season.
- Jody Genessy of the Deseret News says that the Jazz’ signing of Jamaal Tinsley makes Lester Hudson and Scott Machado longshots to make the final cut.
Odds & Ends: Hayward, Kobe, Nelson
As we inch closer to the start of the regular season, here are some miscellaneous news and notes to pass along tonight:
- Gordon Hayward would love to remain on the Jazz for the rest of his career, reports Yannis Koutroupis of Hoopsworld.
- Kobe Bryant says that he’s scaled back on his activities in order to allow his injured left achilles tendon to heal from the added pressure he felt last week. The Lakers’ superstar had been doing some light jogging and shooting drills last week while the team was in China for exhibition games (Mark Medina of InsideSoCal.com)
- While discussing how much he enjoys his leadership role on the Magic as the team’s most seasoned veteran, Jameer Nelson knows that with a major rebuilding process underway, he’s still a prime candidate to be traded (Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel).
- Gordon Monson of the Salt Lake Tribune makes a strong case for why the Jazz should trade for Kings guard Jimmer Fredette, who he believes would not only contribute with his shooting ability, but also help tickets sales by drawing the innumerable ‘Jimmermania’ fanatics that followed him at BYU.
- Mike D’Antoni admitted that last year’s Lakers roster made it difficult to define roles, especially when “everybody thinks they’re the 1 or 2 guy” (Bill Oram of the OC Register via Twitter).
- Pelicans coach Monty Williams admittedly didn’t find the type of production he was looking for from the center position during the pre-season, writes John Reid of NOLA.com.
Pacific Rumors: Lakers, Kelly, Warriors
The latest from the Pacific Division..
- The Lakers still aren’t sure if they’ll be carrying 14 or 15 players on their opening night roster, writes Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times. Strong play from Xavier Henry all but guarantees that he’ll get the 14th spot and it looks to be a two-man race for No. 15 between second round Ryan Kelly and Marcus Landry. Right now, it looks like Kelly might have a slight edge over Landry.
- For his part, Kelly is optimistic that he’ll make the Lakers‘ cut, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “I believe I’ve shown myself enough and I’ll continue to show that I’ve earned a spot on this team,” Kelly said. “But to be honest with you, I can’t worry about it at this point. I’m in a situation where I’m a little bit behind. But it doesn’t matter. I’m out on the court now where I have to prove what I can do everyday. Tomorrow is another day.” Lakers forward Pau Gasol spoke about Kelly’s role last night and sounded pretty confident that he’ll be a part of the team come opening night.
- Foreign import Nemanja Nedovic shows a lot of promise for the Warriors, but Andy Fahey of NBA.com cautions that he’s not likely to see major minutes this season with guard Toney Douglas spelling Stephen Curry. Nedovic could spent a good amount of time playing with the club’s D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz.
Luke Walton Hopes To Continue NBA Career
Since Luke Walton became a free agent at the end of the 2012/13 season, the only reports we’ve heard on the veteran forward have suggested that the Cavs were unlikely to bring him back. However, despite not drawing much NBA interest, Walton hasn’t given up on continuing his playing career, as he tells Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
“I want to play still,” Walton said. “I’ve trained all summer as if I was going to get a call. The call never came, so, I’m going to keep working out …. If nothing happens this year, then I’ll probably admit that it’s officially over.”
Walton is currently working with Time Warner Cable SportsNet as an on-air analyst for Lakers broadcasts, and is also in talks with the team’s D-League affiliate, the Los Angeles D-Fenders, about a player development role that would allow him to work out with the club.
The ex-Laker is still just 33 years old, and had a decent bounceback season last year with the Cavs — his 11.3 PER was close to his career mark of 11.7. If he’s healthy and in shape, he could still make a decent bench piece for an NBA team, perhaps later in the season for a club dealing with injuries. For now though, he’s enjoying his TV work.
“I’m doing this because I think it’s going to be fun,” Walton said of his role at TWC SportsNet. “Obviously I love the Lakers organization and it’s a way to stay involved and stay in the game of basketball while I continue to work out, in case I don’t get a call, I’m not just sitting around every day.”
Western Notes: Rockets, Asik, Lakers, Kelly, Kobe
The latest from the Western Conference..
- Rockets center Omer Asik has been vocal about his displeasure with taking a backseat to Dwight Howard, but for at least one night, he’ll still have a starting role. Both big men will be in the starting lineup for preseason action against the Mavericks. Even though it sounds like he’ll be a key part in the rotation this year and could even see some time as a starter, he doesn’t seem any less disgruntled. Asik refused to comment on Kevin McHale‘s beefed up lineup idea, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
- Matt Moore of CBSSports.com looks at the best and worst case scenarios for the new-look Rockets this season. Expectations will be high for Houston and they could realistically win 55+ games and set themselves up for a title run in their first year together. However, if their role players don’t contribute and Jeremy Lin disappoints, Moore says they could be a one-and-done six seed in the West.
- Ryan Kelly is still fighting for a roster spot with the Lakers, but Pau Gasol might know something that we don’t as his comments tonight inferred that he’ll be on the squad, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. “We’ll have to see how much Mike (D’Antoni) is going to use (Ryan Kelly) during the season,” said the Spaniard.
- D’Antoni wasn’t wild about Kelly’s performance in preseason action in China, but he sounded optimistic about his skills overall, writes Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News (Sulia link).
- When asked if he had a timetable for Kobe Bryant‘s return, coach Mike D’Antoni said that he has “no idea,” tweets McMenamin.