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Sources: Knicks Parting Ways With President Phil Jackson After Three Seasons

The Knicks and President Phil Jackson are "parting ways" three years into a five-year deal signed in '14, according to sources cited by Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. Conversations about what was best for the Knicks' future between Jackson and Owner James Dolan "accelerated this week when the franchise decided it would not buy out" F Carmelo Anthony. With "no end to the stalemate in sight, and free agency beginning July 1, Jackson's discussions with Dolan accelerated" last night. Sources said that some close to Dolan had been "pushing him to consider firing Jackson for much of [last] season." Sources also said that it had "become clear" that Jackson had "no plans to remain beyond the two years remaining" on his contract. Sources noted that it was "clear things had reached a breaking point by the eve of free agency" with "no clear path forward from the toxic situation with Anthony ... and new concerns about the organization's relationship" with F Kristaps Porzingis. Sources said that several players and members of the coaching staff had "expressed frustration over Jackson's insistence that the club run more of the triangle offense midway through last season." Knicks GM Steve Mills will "stay in his current role and lead the team during free agency" (ESPN.com, 6/28). Shelburne noted the Knicks "got to a point where you don't want to have another year begin like this with this cloud hanging over them.” She said Jackson was "working all the way to the end," but it might be that he is "not a front office guy" ("SportsCenter,” ESPN, 6/28).

CAN'T GO ON LIKE THIS: THE VERTICAL's Adrian Wojnarowski cites sources as saying that Dolan had been "harboring uncertainties about how much longer to commit to Jackson as the organization's top basketball decision-maker." Sources said that Dolan became "increasingly concerned about Jackson's fitness for the job and the long-term prospects of success for the franchise, especially in the aftermath of Jackson entertaining trades" for Porzingis. Wojnarowski notes Dolan has a "history of paying off long-term financial commitments without much consternation" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 6/28). In N.Y., Marc Berman noted Dolan in February said that he was "extending the final two years of Jackson's five-year pact, explaining he never said [Jackson] had a timetable for winning." Dolan also had "told confidantes that Jackson's best asset" was the fact that he "took the heat off himself." But Berman notes since Dolan's February vote of confidence, things have "become a lot gloomier" (NYPOST.com, 6/28).

THE LAST STRAW: ESPN's Ian Begley notes Jackson's on-air admission last week that he was talking to teams about trading Porzingis "was one big milepost in where things started to deteriorate." Sources said that Dolan would have chosen Porzingis "in any and all circumstances over Phil Jackson if it came down to it” ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 6/28). Begley added Dolan was "upset with how things played out between Phil and Carmelo in such a public fashion over the season" ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 6/28). WFAN-AM's Boomer Esiason said of the Knicks not buying Anthony out and parting ways with Jackson, “That’s the impetus that now Jim Dolan says, ‘Wait a minute, I’m not spending $55-60 million buying you out, when I can just spend $24 million and get rid of the problem that you have.’ That $24 million problem happens to be Phil Jackson” (“Boomer & Carton,” WFAN-AM, 6/28).

CREATING A MESS: In N.Y., Stefan Bondy writes Jackson was an "abject disaster in his first ever role in the front office, finishing with a record of 80-166 while rebuilding the roster three times in three seasons." After "promising to stabilize a rotten culture" at MSG, Jackson "only made it worse -- alienating Anthony and creating a highly dysfunctional 11-ring circus" (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 6/28). ESPN’s Jeff Goodman said Jackson "failed miserably as an exec," as people around the NBA considered him to be a "laughingstock." Jackson was seen as a "lazy General Manager/President who didn't really get out there and grind it on the road watching, scouting, evaluating players." Goodman: "I talked to him recently at the draft combine and he seemed so out of touch with the current group of players." Other league execs will not be surprised with the news other than the "timing." Goodman: "Phil Jackson as the executive, certainly not highly regarded by his peers” (“Sports Center,” ESPN, 6/28). ESPN's Mike Greenberg said Jackson "didn't just do a bad job, he didn't try." Greenberg: "He didn't put his all into this, he didn't give everything he had to this job. If he had, it couldn't have gone this badly” ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 6/28). ESPN's Stephen A. Smith: "You know why Phil Jackson needed to go? Because he never really wanted the job in the first place. He wanted the money. He was here for the money. He fleeced James Dolan and the Knicks for the money, and ultimately, he walks out the door with all of the money" (“First Take,” ESPN, 6/28).

LOOK AT THE TOP FIRST: Radio host Dan Patrick said the Knicks' failures the past three years were "not all Phil's fault." Patrick said, "It's just the organization. When you look at an organization that's dysfunctional, you look at all the way to the top. You look at ownership" ("The Dan Patrick Show," 6/28). ESPN's Jon Weiner said, "Good news is Phil Jackson is no longer head of basketball operations for the Knicks. Bad news is James Dolan is still the owner" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 6/28). ESPN's Greenberg said, "The whole thing is about the owner. The reason he threw $12 million a year at Phil Jackson to be the President instead of being a consultant, like Jerry West, is because you cannot use a consultant as a human shield, which is what Phil Jackson was for the completely incompetent owner of the New York Knicks. That is the reason why he got paid all that money and was well worth it. ... Phil Jackson failed, a capital ‘F,’ no question about it. But if you’re asking me did he fulfill the mandate that was really required of him by the owner, the answer is yes” ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 6/28).

TWITTER REAX: MLB Network's Jon Heyman tweeted Jackson "may or may not be the worst gm in professional sports history but james dolan definitely is the worst owner." Sporting News' Sam Vecenie: "Dolan picking up ~$24M on a mutual option on Phil Jackson’s contract only to fire him three months later would be just so perfect." N.Y. Daily News Frank Isola: "Jeff Hornacek just became a better coach today. And quite frankly, the Knicks became a little less arrogant." The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor: "Phil Jackson should've been fired one year ago right after giving $73 million to Joakim Noah. Phil is off his rocker. What's taking so long?"

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