Phil Jackson this morning was formally introduced as Knicks President during a press conference at MSG. Jackson signed a five-year deal with the franchise and will be in charge of all basketball decisions. Knicks Owner James Dolan said he will "willingly and gratefully" cede control of the team to Jackson. Dolan noted Jackson will move "across the country to give his full attention to building a winning team here in New York." Jackson said, "I have to jump in with both feet. I have to move to New York and I've got to do this job the right way." However, he acknowledged he will make several trips back to L.A. for both family and medical reasons. Jackson in his opening comments said he would be "accessible" and "develop relationships" with people attending the press conference. He said, "This organization has suffered in the past few years from things that have been created by press, by lack of continuity, by lack of solidarity. So there's going to be some closed walls as far as media and as far as things that go on. I think we have to accept that, but I'm reaching out to you today -- the media people -- to say, 'We're going to have an open relationship and we're going to have a good one.'" Steve Mills will continue with the team as GM, working with Jackson.
TAKING A BACK SEAT? Dolan in recent years has taken more of a hands-on role with the day-to-day business with the Knicks. However, he today called both Jackson and Mills "experts in basketball" and noted that he will defer to them. Dolan: "I am, by no means, an expert in basketball. I’m a fan, but my expertise lies in managing companies and businesses. I think I am a little out of my element when it comes to the team. I found myself in a position where I needed to be more a part of the decision making for a while. It wasn’t something that I necessarily wanted to do. But as the chairman of the company, I felt obligated” (MSG, 3/18).
