Phil Jackson has had a legendary coaching career during his time in the NBA. He has won plenty of championships, 5 of them coming with the Los Angeles Lakers. There’s no doubt that he’s a beloved figure among Lakers fans.
A recent report by Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that Phil Jackson is part of the Los Angeles Lakers’ search for a head coach. There is no doubt that having his voice could be good, as he is obviously well-versed in basketball and winning.
“This is very much a committee in L.A. putting together this coaching search. And one person who is certainly significantly involved in this process is Phil Jackson. He’s got a voice in this. He did last time when they hired Frank Vogel. He and Kurt Rambis, He had been somebody they had considered with the Knicks before hiring Derek Fisher in New York… They’re moving deliberately. They’re not doing seven or eight or nine candidates all at once. They’re kind of going down a list and taking their time with it. I think that process is going to take a bit.”
While some may appreciate the fact that Phil Jackson is trying to help turn the franchise around, others aren’t necessarily happy about the former coach getting input in decision-making. A recent report by Sam Amick of The Athletic revealed that there are “powerful people” close to the team that aren’t happy about “Phil Jackson’s voice being taken into account”
As we wrote in early March, the Zen Master matters again in Lakers Land. That was the case last season when owner Jeanie Buss welcomed his perspective on everything from Vogel’s performance as coach to the challenging Russell Westbrook dynamics surrounding his struggles. And now that the Lakers are in the market for another coach, with Milwaukee assistant Darvin Ham and Toronto assistant Adrian Griffin among the known candidates, it should surprise no one that Jackson’s view of this important decision is still being taken into account.
Make no mistake, there are powerful people close to the Lakers who aren’t thrilled with the reality that Jackson’s voice is being taken into account when he has no formal position with the franchise. Like it or not, though, Buss has relied on this sort of informal counsel from people she trusts for years now. That was the case with Kobe Bryant before his passing and had everything to do with the choice to hire his former agent, Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, in February 2017.
Whether those “powerful people” like it or not, it seems as though Phil Jackson has a say in how the future goes for the Los Angeles Lakers. He has overseen the franchise’s success in the past, and perhaps he will help the team figure out who is the right coach to maximize the team.
It remains to be seen how next season will go for the Los Angeles Lakers, however, it seems as though the organization is intent on making changes to improve, and we’ll see how that turns out for the team.
