There is a “strong belief” within the NBA that Phil Jackson will eventually leave the Knicks to head back to the Lakers, according to a report.
Adrian Wojarnowski of the Vertical shed light on the firing of Derek Fisher, and included is one tidbit: Jackson’s Knicks tenure, many believe, isn’t going to be long-term.
“There’s still a strong belief Jackson will eventually find his way to his fiancée Jeanie Buss and the Los Angeles Lakers,” Wojnarowski wrote.
Wojnarowski confirmed that Fisher’s run-in with Matt Barnes did cost him in the locker room. Though it wasn’t the reason for his firing, it reportedly cost him the moral high ground with his players, and they saw him as less of a leader. One Knicks executive felt that Fisher thought he could get away with it because Jackson does similar things to see Buss.
The real reasons for Fisher’s firing, ultimately, were reportedly the fact that Knicks players were often unsure how they fit on the roster under Fisher, with Jackson fearing this would impact development. Jackson also questioned Fisher’s commitment to the triangle offense.
Wojnarowski also doubts that Tom Thibodeau will get the chance to coach the Knicks, at least as long as Jackson is there, because their philosophies do not align. Wojarnowski also doubts that Jackson will be with the Knicks long enough to hire a coach to succeed whoever his choice ends up being right now.
Wojnarowski notes that Russell Westbrook, a free agent in 2017, has taken note of what’s going on in New York, particularly the emergence of Kristaps Porzingis, and a good coaching hire could intrigue him even further.
It will be interesting to see where the Knicks go from here, as it sounds like their organization is at something of a crossroads. Hey, Phil, I’ve got just the temporary coaching candidate for you.
