Basketball HOFer Phil Jackson "will take over the running of the Knicks' basketball operations department" from President & GM Steve Mills, according to Shelburne & Broussard of ESPN N.Y. A source earlier last week said that Mills "will remain an integral part of the organization." Sources said that Jackson's contract is for five years and is "expected to pay him $12 million annually but does not include an ownership stake." Sources said that Jackson's discussion with the Knicks has been "ongoing for several months" (ESPNNY.com, 3/14). In N.Y., Scott Cacciola in a front-page piece wrote the Knicks are hiring Jackson to "run the front office and restore order to the shambles" at MSG. Jackson's role with the Knicks, "especially his relationship" with Owner James Dolan, from the start will be "fraught with intrigue." Dolan "meddles" and "overrules." It is "unclear how much time Jackson will spend in New York and on the road engaged with the minutiae of management." It seems "likely that the Knicks will supply him with a staff to do much of his legwork" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/15). Also in N.Y., George Willis wrote at "first glance it might appear Mills
is being pushed out to make room for Jackson," but it is "more like
he’s scooting over." Mills still will "be in charge of the
business of basketball, especially when it comes to dealing with the
agents, for whom Jackson has little patience" (N.Y. POST, 3/16).
PHIL THE THRILL: In N.Y., Harvey Araton wrote Dolan "will no doubt interpret the arrangement he has made with Jackson according to his mood and the score of that night’s game." Why is Jackson "giving up at least part of his beachfront retirement lifestyle?" Beyond the "crazy money ... it is really close to a no-lose proposition." If things "do not go well and Jackson’s celebrity fades in Dolan’s easily jaded eyes, the inevitable war will break out, chaos will ensue, and history tells us that most of the blame, in the final analysis, will fall on Dolan" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/15). ESPN's Stephen A. Smith said, "It's really about convincing everybody
that we've got about a year or so to really deal with this and just suck
it up, and then after that, the sky's the limit, because 'I'm here.'
That's the message you've got to be sending if you're Phil Jackson" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 3/15). In L.A., Ben Bolch wrote, "Suddenly, a Knicks season that may or may
not end with a playoff appearance is a humongous success." The franchise
that "can't shake a reputation for dumb decisions just got shrewd" (L.A. TIMES, 3/13).
YIN & YANG: The Detroit Free Press' Mitch Albom said, "New York is about to reinvent
the phrase, 'You pay for your past.' This is the stupidest money I can
ever imagine for a guy who has no pedigree in this area." Albom said of
Dolan, "A fool and his money are not only soon parted, but frequently
parted in New York with him" ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 3/16). ESPN.com's J.A. Adande wrote Jackson's old boss, late Lakers Owner Jerry Buss, was the "best owner in pro sports." But Dolan "is ... not." An NBA exec said, "Phil and Dolan will not work. Like, never" (ESPN.com, 3/14). In N.Y., Mike Lupica wrote Dolan has been "wrong about everything else since becoming the big boss of basketball" at MSG, but "maybe he will be right" in hiring Jackson. An NBA coach said, “I can’t wait to hear all the reasons other than money why Phil is doing this, when everybody knows he’s only doing it for the money.” Meanwhile, Dolan was "clearly made hysterical by even the idea of a small protest outside the Knicks-Pacers game" on Wednesday. In that way, Dolan "reveals himself as a classic rich guy: He can dish it out really good to his basketball employees, be a real tough guy." But he "can’t take it when he is the one on the line the way his executives and coaches and players are." Dolan now is "desperate to be big and desperate to be something other than a sports failure" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/15).
POWER TO THE PEOPLE: ESPN N.Y.'s Ian Begley reported the group of Knicks fans planning to protest Dolan and team execs' handling of the franchise "hasn't been dissuaded" by the hiring of Jackson. The group still plans to "hold a protest prior to the Knicks' game Wednesday against the Pacers" (ESPNNY.com, 3/16). The N.Y. DAILY NEWS' Lupica wrote taking the "noise and steam out of that protest isn’t why Dolan is bringing in Jackson." But "don’t think that the timing of Dolan’s renewed passion for Jackson is accidental." Lupica: "As always, Dolan and his lieutenants confuse the obvious with genius. ... if you love the idea of Phil Jackson coming back to the Knicks to become the king of all basketball, you’re not supposed to be mad at Jimmy anymore. That is the real message to Knicks fans here." Dolan "isn’t just buying Jackson. He buys time, and saves himself the embarrassment of having the protest be the news hit that it would have been a couple of weeks ago" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/15).
L.A. STORY: ESPN.com's Shelburne wrote in his "absence, Jackson's presence has only grown larger among the Lakers and their fans." By remaining "in the shadows, his enormous shadow has hung over the franchise." There is a "whole lot of anger and desperation and hurt," and "most of it will be directed" at Exec VP/Player Personnel Jim Buss. The Buss family has "discussed if there was a way to make better use of Jackson's abilities and stature." In recent months, there had been "more of a willingness and eagerness to engage Jackson and tap into his brilliant basketball mind." But it has been "clear to all involved for quite some time that he was never going to get as much power and influence with the Lakers as he will get" from the Knicks (ESPN.com, 3/14). USA TODAY'S Sam Amick wrote Lakers G Kobe Bryant's pleas for the franchise to bring back Jackson "fell on the deaf ears of the Buss brothers who are cutting off their proverbial nose to spite their fans' purple-and-gold faces. Again." Amick: "Make no mistake, the family dynamic that is clearly dysfunctional after Jerry Buss' Feb. 2013 passing had everything to do with this decision" (USATODAY.com, 3/15).
