Phil Jackson's retirement from coaching is not even 48 hours old, and already rumors are flying that the former Lakers coach could make a comeback to the sidelines.Jackson, who sat and watched his Lakers put forth a gutless effort in Dallas on Sunday while en route to a series sweep at the hands of the Mavericks in the Western Conference Semi's, could be poised for a return to the bench but not with LA.
Sources told the New York Post late last night that Jackson wouldn't mind coming back to coaching in the "right situation."
Of course, the Post takes this as an opportunity to speculate that Jackson is open to coming to the Knicks who still have a coach in Mike D'Antoni, who, by the bye, is signed through next summer.
Jackson thought about coaching the Knicks, albeit briefly in 2005 when he considered his first comeback from coaching. Ultimately, he returned to the Lakers.
Jackson, who is 65, would be an interesting choice as coach for the fledgeing Knicks franchise, but what the Knicks need more than a new head coach is quality players to fill up their bench. The Knicks have the three stars with Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Chauney Billups; these three now need a good supporting cast if the Knicks have any hopes of winning more than 42 games next season.
For as bad a defensive coach D'Antoni is, I find it hard to believe that in two years Jackson, who will be 67 in the fall of 2012, would want to come out of retirement again to move all the way East to coach the Knicks.
Yes, it would be full circle for him since he played his entire career in New York and New Jersey, and, yes, money talks, but if the Knicks show improvement under D'Antoni next year, what's the point? Moreover, if the Knicks want him so badly now, why not give him a call?
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