Knicks Notes: Jackson, Carmelo, MWP
Will Phil Jackson succeed at the helm of the Knicks’ front office? Bulls executive vice president John Paxson seems to think so, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. “Phil is a really smart basketball guy and I have no doubt, given time, he’ll do very well,” said Paxson, who played for Jackson and worked on his staff one season. “I’ve always felt he has a sixth sense about people and it’s one of the reasons he’s been able to blend different personalities into a cohesive unit.”
- Carmelo Anthony told reporters, including Al Iannazzone of Newsday (on Twitter) that the Knicks are looking more attractive now for free agents thanks to the addition of Jackson. Of course, the Knicks are hoping that includes Anthony himself, who will hit the open market this summer.
- Fellow Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown told ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike that he hopes to see Jackson keep Mike Woodson on the Knicks’ bench, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY. Brown went on to say that next year will be a struggle for New York but they’ll have opportunities after that thanks to cap flexibility (link).
- Metta World Peace was willing to cooperate when Woodson pulled him from the rotation, but he wasn’t OK with being told to tone down his leadership role in the locker room, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. “I didn’t mind playing any role, but I didn’t see myself having a role, not even a leadership role,’’ MWP said. “I was fine with being on the bench, but at times I wanted to help lead. But at times I tried to lead, it was met with resistance. I backed off a little and tried to blend in with the team. I tried to find where I could complement the players but I couldn’t find any room to complement.’’ Meanwhile, the veteran says that he won’t rule out returning to New York.
- Earlier today, Marc Berman of the New York Post reported that Jackson is a fan of Iman Shumpert and it appears that he’ll be in the club’s future plans.
Iman Shumpert Remains In Knicks Plans
Iman Shumpert was one of the most popular names on Hoops Rumors from the start of the season until the trade deadline. While he wasn’t dealt, it was clear that the Knicks’ front office would have preferred to move Shumpert elsewhere. Now, however, Shumpert appears to have a legitimate future with Phil Jackson’s Knicks, a league source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post.
It’s believed that Shumpert could shine in the triangle offense and it helps that he is a defensive-minded player who sacrifices his game and doesn’t need to score a lot to have an impact. For his part, the 23-year-old has been enthusiastic about the arrival of the Zen Master.
If not for Jackson, Shumpert very well could have been on the move this summer seeing as how he was an inch away from being dealt in the winter. Knicks brass had plans to sit Shumpert on the eve of the trade deadline in February in New Orleans against the Pelicans, Berman learned, so that they could follow through on an agreed deal with the Clippers. The Knicks, needing a win, nixed that plan, and after Shumpert sprained his left MCL, the deal sending him out west for Darren Collison and Matt Barnes was called off.
The Knicks still could have moved Shumpert to the Thunder for their 2014 first-round selection, but New York declined the offer since they weren’t getting back a piece that could help them in the short term.
And-Ones: Ilyasova, Embiid, Jackson
Bucks big man Ersan Ilyasova admits that he was frustrated by being involved in trade talk around the deadline but he says that he still sees himself with Milwaukee in the long run, writes Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders. “When you go through a season like this and your name comes up [in rumors] it is a little frustrating,” Ilyasova said. “But I still feel myself as part of this franchise. I’m hopeful we can find the right pieces for the team so we can play much better because we really need it. I want to be part of a playoff team and that’s what I’m looking forward to, [the franchise] building a better team – a playoff team.”
- One NBA scout told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter) that Kansas’ Joel Embiid is the “only potential franchise player” in the 2014 draft. Meanwhile, Spears believes that Duke’s Jabari Parker will prove to be one as well.
- If Phil Jackson hopes to emulate Pat Riley‘s success with the Heat, he must be an active and visible face of the Knicks organization, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.
- There’s a long list of coaches who have moved on to the front office and they’ve had mixed results, write USA Today Sports’ Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick. Of course, Jackson hopes to follow the path of Riley, Danny Ainge, and Red Auerbach rather than the likes of Isiah Thomas.
West Notes: D’Antoni, Jackson, Blazers, Spurs
There are a lot of different takes on coach Mike D’Antoni within the Lakers organization, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. One league source says the Lakers have not offered any indication D’Antoni’s job has become in jeopardy. Meanwhile, the Lakers don’t plan to evaluate him until after this season ends on April 16th and they may not decide definitely then, either. More out of the West..
- The Knicks’ hire of Phil Jackson puts pressure on Blazers owner Paul Allen and GM Neil Olshey, writes John Canzano of The Oregonian. If Jackson can pull the Knicks out of their mediocre spin and make a deep run in the playoffs before the Blazers do, it’s going to confirm what many have said all along – that Allen would be better off simply hiring good basketball people and getting out of the way.
- The Blazers announced (via Twitter) that they have recalled guard Allen Crabbe from the Idaho Stampede of the D-League. During Crabbe’s three-game stint in Idaho he averaged 16.7 points and 5.3 rebounds and shot 42.6 percent from the field and 27.8 percent from three-point range.
- The Spurs announced that they have recalled forward Austin Daye from the Austin Toros of the D-League. In Saturday night’s contest against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Daye recorded 27 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocked shots in 40 total minutes. The California native has appeared in two games for the Spurs’ varsity squad, averaging 3.0 points in 1.5 minutes per contest.
Atlantic Notes: Jackson, Brown, Green
Earlier today, the Sixers dropped guard Eric Maynor in order to sign forward James Nunnally to a 10-day deal. More from the Atlantic..
- Phil Jackson knows what it takes to win, but Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal wonders if he should be credited with building the teams that he has previously coached. Carmelo Anthony recently praised the Hall Of Famer as rumors swirled that he was Knicks-bound, but Schlosser wonders if he can do enough to live up to those expectations.
- Sixers coach Brett Brown told reporters, including Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com, that a true rebuild takes time. “That is the en vogue angle,” Brown said. “I think if you ask Kevin Durant about the 20-win season he had, he seems to be doing just fine. I think when you look at those teams that have had a chance to rebuild, losing is a long-gone memory. To truly rebuild and grow something is going to take three to five years. That is just the way it goes. It is too talented a league and too well-coached. The experiences we are going through now will be distant memories when these guys start getting older. They will find positives in this season and Michael Carter-Williams will be better for it.”
- In today’s column, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe catches up with Gerald Green, who seems to have found a home with the Suns. “When you go places in life that you think you’ll never go, you change a little bit,” the former Celtics draft pick said. “You mature a lot faster. I knew something had to change. It either was going to be me or I wasn’t going to be back in the league. That made it an easy decision for me to change. Two years ago, I was nowhere to be found. Now I’m older, more mature, understand that this is not a hobby, this is a job.”
Knicks Notes: Jackson, Dolan, Frazier
In case you missed it, Phil Jackson has finally agreed to a deal with the Knicks. There has been quite a bit of talk on what this deal means for the franchise going forward, with much more still to come. Here’s the latest on the Zen Master:
- Mike Lupica of The Daily News thinks the hiring of Jackson is a diversionary tactic on team owner James Dolan’s part. While the move might pan out for basketball reasons, the main benefit according to Lupica, is this will stave off the growing dissent amongst Knicks fans. The article also states that since Dolan couldn’t get the world’s best player (LeBron James) to come to the Garden, he instead got the most famous coach. The problem is that he won’t be coaching, but instead will be a rookie front office executive, says Lupica.
- Add Walt Frazier to the list of people praising the hiring of Jackson, writes George Willis of The New York Post. The former Knicks great says of Jackson, “He understands the nuances of a New York and what it’s like, the fan base, how long this team has suffered. I think that’s why he came back. He probably needed a new challenge. What does he have to prove? All the rings that he has, if he fails it’s going to be a negative for him. But he needed a challenge and what better place than him coming home and trying to bring a champion to New York.”
- Michael Powell of The New York Times believes the best thing that Jackson has to offer New York is hope. If Jackson can bring in a GM that can navigate the salary cap for him, then his ability to manipulate player’s egos and possibly attract bigger name free agents could have the team playing meaningful basketball in June for a change, opines Powell.
- The Knicks aren’t the first New York team to try and bring in a franchise savior, writes Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post. He compares this move to hires made by the Giants and Jets, moves that were designed to energize the fan base as well as offer these organizations some legitimacy. Jackson brings a “fat, fancy resume,” but he also brings a sense that there’s a professional in charge again, someone who knows what they’re doing, writes Vaccaro.
Knicks Notes: Jackson, Cleamons, Woodson
Carmelo Anthony is one of the players on the Knicks who is excited about Phil Jackson joining the organization, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Anthony said, “I’m a chess player. That was a power move right there. You know what I mean? So, now we’re going to see what’s the next move, but that was a great power move.” Whether or not Anthony re-signs will play a huge part in shaping the team’s future, so any endorsement could be considered a positive sign, opines Begley.
More from New York:
- Mike Woodson continues to be defiant when asked about his future with the team, writes Peter Botte of the New York Daily News. Asked if he believes he needs to prove himself to the team’s new executive, Woodson replied, “I don’t think I need to prove anything as a coach. I’ve never felt that way. I try to do my job the best I can do, and if you’re gonna judge me on 16 games, then that’s on you. I’ve tried to do the best I can do, in terms of my everyday approach to the game.“
- Marc Stein of ESPN.com notes that one prominent Eastern Conference scout thinks Jackson will be a terrible fit thanks to his inexperience. The scout also opined that the Knicks would have been better off trying to lure Thunder GM Sam Presti or the Spurs’ R.C. Buford instead.
- Jim Cleamons could be on his way to the Knicks after the season as an assistant coach, and might be a candidate for the head coaching position, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Berman cites Cleamons’ long time relationship with Jackson and in-depth knowledge of the triangle offense as selling points for bringing Cleamons to New York in either position.
- Steve Mills isn’t being pushed out. He’s just “scooting over,” writes George Willis of The New York Post. Landing Jackson was part of a plan he endorsed to get the Knicks in position to not only stay competitive in 2014/15, but also take full advantage of the 2015/16 free-agent market. Mills is also still part of that plan, writes Willis. Mills still will be in charge of the business of basketball, especially when it comes to dealing with the agents, for whom Jackson has little patience, according to the article.
Eastern Rumors: Cavs, Jackson, Brown, Rondo
Here’s the latest slate of rumors out of the NBA’s Eastern Conference..
- The Cavaliers were interested in hiring Phil Jackson in some capacity, writes Bob Finnan of the Morning Journal. However, the Knicks moved in quickly and signed him before they could act.
- In the same piece, Finnan notes that Mike Brown has had to alter his coaching style to accommodate to a young and inexperienced Cavaliers team this season. Still, Brown is on the hot seat and might find himself out of the job in Cleveland, Finnan suggests.
- Charley Rosen of HoopsHype runs down the Knicks‘ roster and explores the likelihood that each player has of being retained by Jackson. Rosen notes many of the players on the team don’t appear to be fits for Jackson’s system.
- Rajon Rondo has consistently been the topic of trade rumors, but Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck recently spoke out and said that Rondo will continue to be the leader of the franchise going forward. Grousbeck’s words mean a lot to Rondo, reports Mike Petraglia of WEEI. “It means a lot, especially coming from the head guy,” Rondo said. “With all the rumors swirling, the criticism that I was having throughout the past couple weeks, he stuck his neck out. He didn’t have to say anything, but he did.”
Knicks Rumors: Jackson, LeBron, Woodson, Kerr
The Knicks suddenly find themselves only three games back from a playoff berth after winning six straight contests. Even if they can sneak into the postseason, it seems unlikely they’d be able to upset the Heat or Pacers, but New York might have a brighter future ahead of them now that they have Phil Jackson on board. Here’s the latest out of NYC:
- With Jackson taking control of the Knicks, LeBron James will now at least look at the possibility of signing in NYC this summer, one James confidant tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. “There’s no way LeBron would have gone to New York under the current climate,” said the source. “He had a falling-out with CAA (agency) and that was a problem as well. But with Phil there I think he will look at it.”
- At least one NBA coach thinks Jackson is taking the role in New York simply because he’s interested in the payday, reports Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News. Jackson’s $12MM salary is much higher than the league average for other executives, as Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders points out (on Twitter).
- Mike Woodson sounds like he’s worried about his job security, suggests Adam Zagoria of The Knicks Blog. “It’s basketball,” Woodson said. “They try to re-shape, they go through changes and this is no different. You bring in a great basketball mind into your organization and eventually it will be reshaped, so how and who and when, only time will tell.”
- Growing belief around the Knicks organization is that Steve Kerr will replace Woodson as the next Knicks head coach, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.
- Jackson has been critical of Carmelo Anthony‘s game in the past, but Melo doesn’t take it personally, reports Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Anthony believes his game has evolved since the Zen Master criticized him back in 2012.
- Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated thinks the decision to bring in Jackson is more style than substance. With great executives like Masai Ujiri earning a fraction of Jackson’s salary, Mannix thinks the move by owner James Dolan is a definite overpay.
Phil Jackson Revelations and Reactions
We learned earlier that Phil Jackson has signed an agreement to become the Knicks president of basketball operations. Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com tweeted that the contract being finalized is a five-year arrangement without any stake in ownership, to pay the coaching legend $12MM a year. The press conference announced by the Knicks for next Tuesday will indeed be the official introduction of Jackson as the new head of New York’s front office, a source tells Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Now that the news is more or less final, reactions to the deal are flooding in around the league.
Jackson’s discussions with the Knicks had been going on for several months before becoming a reality, reports Shelburne. Shelburne says that the Lakers had multiple internal discussions on the prospect of hiring Jackson, but never contacted his representatives because they knew they wouldn’t be willing to offer the amount of power that the Knicks were. A source tells Scott Cacciola of The New York Times that it was current Knicks GM Steve Mills who first met with Jackson to discuss him joining New York.
Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, and J.R. Smith all expressed different levels of excitement and anticipation to meet Jackson and hear about his vision for the future of the team, per Peter Botte of The New York Daily News. Anthony says Jackson’s arrival won’t “have any effect” on his looming free agency decisions this summer, but Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com thinks ‘Melo should stick around since Jackson has shown himself capable of unlocking greatness in stars.
Some people are puzzled over the signing. One NBA executive told J.A. Adande of ESPN that Jackson’s relationship with Knicks owner James Dolan is doomed. “Phil and Dolan will not work. Like, never,” the exec said. Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports thinks the Jackson signing is a confusing move for the Knicks. In a video segment, Spears predicts that there will be similarities to Larry Bird‘s setup in Indiana, where Jackson provides the final yes or no on team activities, but other team employees do the bulk of the front office “grunt work.” Spears doesn’t think Jackson will return to coach at any point, but he does think there will be constant pressure from Knicks fans to do just that, similar to the constant speculation of Pat Riley‘s return to the bench during Erik Spoelstra’s first seasons with the Heat.
Others are more optimistic about the deal. Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post thinks that characterizations of Jackson as successful only due to coaching the best talent are wrong, and that he has turned around imperfect teams like New York before. Zach Lowe of Grantland argues that the Knicks don’t actually need a complete overhaul in their front office because there are already good, progressive basketball minds in New York. Rather, Lowe says the Knicks need Jackson to add a calming personality to the team and put an end to their pattern of caving in to agents and making knee-jerk moves that undermine their otherwise smart team-building decisions. Lowe doesn’t think Jackson will relax his emphasis on the triangle offense in building the Knicks, pointing out that the system goes beyond Xs and Os for Jackson, connecting to his deepest philosophical beliefs. Howard Beck of Bleacher Report agrees with Lowe’s take, seeing this as the “Zen Master’s” opportunity to mentor an entire, unstable franchise, not just a handful of players.