If Phil Jackson’s coaching search doesn’t make sense to you, you are not alone.
According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports, Jackson’s nomadic coaching search has baffled even the most well-connected of league insiders, with some speculating that the search is little more than a smokescreen to hide the fact that he intends to keep Kurt Rambis and allow himself to be the de facto coach.
The theory that Jackson will pull the strings behind the scenes while Rambis serves as the so-called “surrogate coach” made the rounds at the pre-draft combine in Chicago, and while there’s no concrete evidence to support it, it is a theory being floated by some sources familiar with the situation.
“Maybe he’s decided that he wants to take a bigger bite out of the apple, but needs some time to figure out if he can do it or not,” a source told Berger.
It would certainly explain a few things, chiefly the fact that it’s reportedly Rambis or bust for the Knicks, despite the fact that they’ve spoken to other qualified candidates. Jackson doesn’t want to coach the Knicks himself, nor is he physically able, but it doesn’t sound like he’d be opposed to having a surrogate do it from a distance.
One thing is for sure – if this is the case, Jackson’s star player probably won’t be too thrilled with it.
