Keeping Up With the Jacksons

When Steve Kerr left Phil Jackson at the alter Wednesday in favor of the California sun and Stephen Curry’s silky smooth jump shot, the Knicks were left scrambling to find a new list of candidates. Kerr was Jackson’s number one choice and was as good as signed earlier in the week before Golden State full court pressed Kerr, offering him the fifth year the Knicks were not rightfully willing to go. Now what? Now Phil Jackson has to do what Donnie Walsh did in 2010 when the Knicks swung and missed on LeBron James, find someone and find them fast.

It has been reported that Jackson wants someone he has a prior relationship with. Some one that knows the triangle offense, former players and associates such as Derek Fisher, Tyronn Lue, and Kurt Rambis have been mentioned.  Who hasn’t been mentioned is former Knick also named Jackson. Mark Jackson. As Golden State’s head coach Jackson won 51 games and took the Clippers to a game seven with no center.

In addition to turning Golden State around, who better to bring back classic New York basketball than a fellow New Yorker? Jackson can invigorate a franchise that has been sleep-walking since Jeff Van Gundy fled MSG for Houston. 

In just three years Jackson had the Warriors near the top of the league in defense and helped turn Klay Thompson into a two-way player. Imagine what he can do with a Shumpert-Hardaway duo. Not to mention the biggest reason of them all, Carmelo Anthony, the guy Dolan gutted the roster for, has said he would like to play for him. Anthony has been mum on all other candidates, not to mention.

Anthony is not the only player that holds Jackson in high esteem. Curry, Jackson’s former star player made it clear that he loved playing for Jackson and learned a lot. LeBron James, another player the Knicks hope to target in 2014 was seen embracing Jackson before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Jackson is a player’s guy which in a league where the players hold the most leverage than in any other is a huge advantage.

Phil reportedly wants “one of his guys” with current Oklahoma City guard Derek Fisher emerging as the leading candidate in the wake of Kerr’s decision to stay in California. He coached Fisher with the Lakers, winning five championships and there is no question that Fisher is sharp and you can make way worse hires than him (Mike D’Antoni anyone?). However if Jackson plans on turning the Knicks around sooner rather than later how can he not tap a coach that your free agent superstar would want to play for and someone that players have such high respect for? Jackson did agree to a multiyear deal to rejoin Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy as a part of ESPN's lead NBA announcing team, according to the Associated Press, but that deal does not stop him from accepting a head coaching position per Frank Isola of the Daily News.

Is the triangle offense that hard to grasp? Can Phil not teach Jackson the offense, have Anthony re-sign and get ready to make a push for LeBron, K-Love or Rondo in 2014? All the stars seem aligned for this to happen, the Brooklyn guy who played for St. Johns, was drafted by the Knicks, comes back home to turn the franchise around. The Fisher hire will show fans that the team is in full blown rebuild mode, the Jackson hire will show the team is turning things around as soon as possible. The ball is in your court Zen Master, show New York what you got.