The Apprentice

After weeks of speculation, tampering fines and James Dolan clashing, Phil Jackson finally found his guy to usher in the Zen Era in New York. The Knicks and freshly retired point guard Derek Fisher agreed to a five-year deal worth $25 million. If those figures look familiar to you it is because that is the exact contract Steve Kerr received from the Warriors after the Knicks reportedly low-balled him with a three-year offer worth a paltry $13 million.

Jackson wanted a young, inexperienced coach that he could mold in his patented triangle offense and who better than Fisher who ran that offense a majority of his career. While together in Los Angeles the two captured five championships including a three-peat in the early 2000s. It is assumed that Fisher will simply be Jackson’s on sideline buffer early on much like what Pat Riley did with Erik Spoelstra in Miami. One of the more respected players in the league, Fisher should not have a problem connecting with his players, something former Knick Coach Mike Woodson prayed for every night before he went to bed.

It will be interesting to see how the hiring is taken by free agent to be Carmelo Anthony. It was reported on multiple occasions that Anthony would embrace playing for Mark Jackson, but mum on other candidates. If Jackson expects to be competitive next year he will need his star back even if it is for an extra year a la Dwight Howard. Anthony has the option to opt in for one more season, allowing him to see how Fisher works out. In order to make Fisher’s job a lot easier keeping a player with Anthony’s skill set is a necessity.

The triangle offense was designed for a player like Anthony, a gifted passer, underrated rebounder and someone that can score with just about anyone in the league. With no draft picks in this year’s draft Jackson has to make do with the roster as is. Young highflyers like Iman Shumpert and Tim Hardaway Jr. (assuming they’re not dealt), Tyson Chandler down low, a sober J.R. Smith and Anthony as the centerpiece of the triangle is a playoff team in the Eastern Conference. If Amar’e Stoudemire can give a similar effort to what he gave towards the end of the season and the Knicks can sneak out an Atlantic Division title.

First, Fisher and the Knicks have to crawl before they walk. A whole coaching staff still needs to be filled and expect a lot of Jackson’s former associates to fill out those spots. Former players ranging from Scottie Pippen to Luke Walton have been connected to assistant coach jobs in New York according to Marc Berman of the New York Post in addition to former assistants such as Kurt Rambis.

When Jackson accepted to come turn around a Knicks franchise that has its focus on the glitz and glamor rather than basketball, he promised to build a winning culture and the Fisher hire shows that. While Fisher is the first to join Jackson in New York he will certainly not be the last. Could the Black Mamba himself, Kobe Bryant end his career with the only two guys he shared his five championships with? Can James Dolan finally get his hands on LeBron James after whiffing on the king in 2010? Will Fisher just be another lame duck coach to leave MSG before his contract is up? These questions will get answered in due time, but until then Knicks fans should focus on the positive, they have a new coach and his name isn’t Mike.

Tale of the Tape: Zen Master's Next Disciple

It’s that time of the year again in the NBA. The Finals are under way and the 28 other franchises are plotting to be on ABC come this time next year. With no playoff appearance, no draft pick and a marquee free agent to resign, the Knicks have a lot of work ahead of them. While James Dolan is enjoying rare success with MSG’s other tenant (the New York Rangers playing in the Stanley Cup) his Knicks staff has been mostly quiet. Since watching Steve Kerr pick the California sun over the bright lights of New York City, Phil Jackson and company have been mum.

Houston is plotting to make a run at the Knicks top gun Carmelo Anthony, looking to clear cap space to sign him to a max deal. Jackson has said he wants Anthony back and feels that he can help recruit talent to New York. In order for Anthony to sign, Jackson has to get a head coach sooner rather than later. Let’s break down the top five candidates for the first head coach in the Knicks’ Zen Era. The tale of the tape:

The Contenders

Derek Fisher: From all media reports and NBA fines, Fisher is Jackson’s number one contender. Fisher and Jackson reportedly had a brief chat this week and Jackson was recently fined $25,000 for mentioning Fisher as a candidate while still playing in the Western Conference Finals for OKC.  He coached Fisher in Los Angeles, winning 5 championships in their time together. Fisher like Kerr share a similar philosophy to Jackson and extremely familiar with the triangle offense. Jackson has said that he prefers a coach familiar with this system since it is the system he plans to implement no matter the coach. After seeing the success the Nets eventually had with Jason Kidd as their head coach the idea of Fisher going from player right to coach is not as farfetched as it would have sounded a year ago. All signs point to this job being Fisher’s to turn down.

Mark Jackson: The Knicks have yet to contact the former Golden State Warrior head coach, but expect that to change if Fisher gets cold feet. Although Jackson recently signed a five-year broadcasting deal with ESPN his contract does not forbid him from taking a head coaching job. There are few people that understand the wacky environment that is MSG and very few that understand the people of New York. Jackson is a native, a former Knicks and a damn good coach. Oh and Anthony has said he would embrace playing for Jackson on a couple occasions. In his time at Golden State Jackson was revered by his players something former Knick coach Mike Woodson never experienced. Expect the silence between Jackson and his former team to end in the near future.

 Kurt Rambis: Rambis was included in Jackson’s initial list and a deserving candidate. Rambis is a former third round pick by the Knicks and can bring a wealth of experience to the team. As a player he won four championships with the Showtime Lakers and was on Jackson’s bench for the Kobe-Shaq three-peat. He is another candidate that fulfills the triangle offense requirement and someone Jackson would feel comfortable giving the reins to.

The Dark Horses

 Mike D’Antoni: Just kidding. He may be a solid option for the New York Liberty down the road.

Jeff Van Gundy: Van Gundy is the last coach to have legitimate success at MSG. Since      fleeing for Houston in 2003 the Knicks have had little to zero success at the head coaching position. Van Gundy, like his broadcasting partner Mark Jackson, does not fit the triangle offense requirement, but does fit the James Dolan management requirement. No other coach has handled Dolan better and can help mediate the Jackson-Dolan dynamic which has shown quiet friction. It is unlikely that Van Gundy gives up his cushy ESPN job for the foxhole at MSG, but a dark horse nonetheless.

 Patrick Ewing: One of the greatest players to ever don a Knick uniform and definitely one of the most underappreciated Knicks, Ewing has recently voiced his desire to be considered for the job. Ewing has put in the work, working as an assistant coach for 12 years. Both Jeff and Stan Van Gundy have said on multiple occasions that Ewing is deserving of head coach job. Ewing served on Jeff’s staff in Houston and on Stan’s staff in Orlando, including the year they went to the finals.  It remains to be seen if the Knicks will reach out to one of their greats, but it would not come as a shock if Ewing is at least brought in for a sit down. 

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. 

Slaughter at the Staples Center

Stick a fork in them. Wave the white flag. It’s over. Last night with the opportunity to inch closer to a playoff spot the Knicks took a massive dump losing to the lowly Lakers. The estranged Mike D’Antoni’s team made the future estranged coach Mike Woodson and friends look incompetent. You would have thought that Kobe Bryant went off for 40 or 50 points after glancing at the 127-96 final score. He wasn't even suited up. Neither was Pau Gasol or Steve Nash. A team with Xavier Henry as their best player on the floor torched the Knicks for 127 points and scored 51 points in the third quarter!

To say it was a disgrace of a performance would be as big as an understatement as saying Mike Woodson will be head coach next season. The leading rebounder for the Knicks was Carmelo Anthony with 9. Where was Tyson Chandler? Where was Amar’e Stoudemire? Why can’t Raymond Felton play a month of good basketball? Is Mike Woodson trying to get fired or has the locker room given him a giant middle finger and started planning vacations? These are questions that Phil Jackson has to answer sooner rather than later.

Last night’s performance was a microcosm of the whole season. Every time it looks like the Knicks are going to wake up they go back to sleep. During their winning streak there was ball movement, defensive pressure, enthusiasm. Last night? There were more open lanes to the basket than I-105. Woodson showed as much leadership as his team did effort. New President of Basketball Operations Phil Jackson had a similar sentiment on the situation. The game left Jackson so disgusted he decided to leave the game with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, to walk his dog.

Jackson got to see first-hand how much work he has to do in the offseason. That’s all the organization should be focused on. This season is over. Last night was the third or fourth time the Knicks have defecated on a chance to right their wrongs. Jackson and the Knicks need to start looking to the future and if Carmelo Anthony is a part of that future. If anyone on the roster right now is part of the future for that matter. Jackson told the New York Times that the team needs a talent overhaul. Yes lots of talent and a prayer should do the trick. 

The Zen Era

If you told me in January that Phil Jackson would be the Knicks' President of Basketball Operations I would ask "what was in that beer". If you told me James Dolan vowed to cede power to Jackson I would tell you to check into Alcoholics Anonymous. Yet here we are in the middle of March with one of the best basketball minds in the world calling Madison Square Garden his new home. 

Everyone knows Jackson’s credentials by now (if you don’t leave ESPN on for five or ten minutes), Jackson is getting paid a king’s ransom of $60 million to leave the beautiful Cali weather and his fiancée Jeanie Buss behind. What we don’t know is how quickly Jackson can undo almost two decade’s worth of mistakes by a meddling owner who said at Jackson’s press conference “I am by no means an expert in basketball.”

We know Dolan, believe me we know. However, to Dolan’s credit, he took a huge step in the right direction yesterday. He listened to his loyal fan base and confidants and made a move that has franchise altering potential. Was this his way of stopping the embarrassment of the fan protest outside of the Garden Wednesday night? Maybe. Was this a way to say sorry for the Andrea Bargnani deal? I hope so. Is there anyone better to turn around this organization? Maybe, but they’re already employed by other teams.

Jackson brings a firm identity with him, something the Knicks have been looking for since Jeff Van Gundy fled to Houston, an identity not just for the basketball team, but for the whole organization. If this man got Kobe Bryant to share the basketball imagine what he can do to not only the neighborhood ball hogs that fill out the Knicks’ roster, but the power hungry hogs that fill out the Garden executive board.

He brings the basketball expertise that the Knicks lost when Donnie Walsh was sent packing. Naysayers say that Jackson is an exceptional coach, but unproven as a front office executive. That is why they are called naysayers. The hiring of Jackson is already the best move the team has made since they were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers last April.

But what does this really mean? Who’s in and who’s out? Time will answer those questions. Jackson told the media yesterday that he plans on talking to the team before their big game against that Pacer team Wednesday. It will be interesting to see how the team comes out after a pep talk from one the best coaches ever.

Looking forward Jackson says he supports Mike Woodson, but it would be an all-time shocker if Woodson is on the bench for the Knicks come next season. Insiders have said that Jackson’s disciples, guys that know his triangle system will be the logical choices. TNT Analyst Steve Kerr who won three championships with Jackson in Chicago has been rumored to be the front-runner. Marc Stein of ESPN went as far as to say it is Kerr’s job to turn down. Other candidates include Brian Shaw who was supposed to succeed Jackson in LA. Shaw is already under contract as Denver head coach, but that won’t stop the Knicks from inquiring (see Thibodeau, Tom).

The long shot candidates are Jeff Van Gundy, someone that knows how to handle Dolan if Jackson ends up having less power than he thought and a cult hero in New York. Find a Knick fan who doesn't love JVG and I show you a Nets fan. The other is Woodson being retained. This is not completely out of the question. If the Knicks get into the playoffs and somehow win in the first round then the team would have to bring him back. It’s a long shot, but still a shot.

What Knicks fans care about most are what this means for Carmelo Anthony and his impending free agency. Will Anthony exercise his one-year option a la Dwight Howard to see what Jackson does with actual cap space flexibility and a first-round draft pick? Will he re-sign for a max contract and put his trust in Jackson to lure that second star in 2015? Anthony has given mixed signals first saying that Jackson’s arrival will have no effect on his free agency decision, but called the move a “power move” by the Knicks. Jackson is known as a culture changing connoisseur and he sure has his work cut out for him. If history serves as any measurement, the Zen Era will be a fruitful one for the Knicks.