Knicks President Phil Jackson said team Owner James Dolan "has a life that was foisted upon him as corporate head," and he "didn’t want to be involved in basketball," according to Marc Berman of the N.Y. POST. Jackson, during a "stirring 90-minute presentation at the New Yorker Festival," yesterday said that Dolan "never wanted to run Cablevision or the Garden." Jackson: "It’s not what he started out wanting to be in life." He added of his relationship with Dolan, "When it comes to money, I will call him and ask him if you feel like spending X amount of dollars in this regard. That’s our deal. The choices as we go forward are mine to make how to get this team to come together. I was point blank and honest (before I took the job). If I come into your office or call and tell you I want to trade X player, who’s an All-Star, and Y player, who’s a fan favorite, and I think it’s the right thing, I want you to feel confident I could do this and give me liberty to do that. Will you do that? He said yes" (N.Y. POST, 10/13). Jackson said that he has "received assurances from Dolan" that he will not be involved in basketball decisions. Jackson said that his authority "extended to the team's decision to re-sign" F Carmelo Anthony. Jackson added of Dolan, "Some of the decisions that have been made on players that were brought in and were costly to the organization, hampered and handcuffed them to making changes. ... As a result there are some things that have happened where he's looked like he's meddled. And I think he had to meddle at some point. ... That word meddle might be a little bit harsh to even use" (ESPNNY.com, 10/12).
THROWN UNDER THE BUSS? Jackson yesterday said Lakers Exec VP/Player Personnel Jim Buss was "vaulted into position through his inheritance, his father’s position." He added, "I think he’s coming to terms with one of the realities of this job. That’s all I can offer." In N.Y., Frank Isola writes Jackson "was engaging and witty during his talk and even mingled with the crowd afterward and signed autographs" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/13).
