It wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that the Los Angeles Lakers have been quite dysfunctional as a franchise this season. Currently struggling as the 9th seed in the Western Conference, the Lakers have been dealing with a number of issues with their coaching as well as their roster. Perhaps one of the biggest issues with the franchise is the failed move for Russell Westbrook, which really hasn’t panned out as they might have hoped it would.
So when legendary coach Phil Jackson was spotted in the Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night in the win over the Warriors, Lakers fans were extremely excited to see him, with many suggesting that he needs to come back and join the organization in a hands-on role. However, according to The Athletic, Jackson has apparently been in regular contact with the owner Jeanie Buss about the problems the franchise has been facing all season.
“Sources say Jackson, the Lakers legend and ex-fiancé of Buss, whose presence at Saturday’s win against Golden State was highlighted by the team’s Twitter account, has been in frequent contact with Buss about team matters all season long.
“The complicated and often uncomfortable dynamics surrounding the Westbrook situation, in particular, are known to have drawn his interest. As unofficial consultants go, they don’t get much more experienced or credible than Jackson.”
There have been noises about Westbrook being benched but so far, Frank Vogel has refrained from doing that. It’s interesting to think about what advice Jackson may be giving to the organization on that front, but moving on from Westbrook’s contract isn’t going to be an easy task even when the offseason comes around.
Jackson won the NBA title 11 times as a head coach, and 5 of those came with the Lakers, so his guidance will surely be valuable for the owner Jeanie Buss. The Lakers have something to feel good about after their victory over the Warriors in their last game, but they will need to put in a lot more of those performances before the regular season ends if they want to end their season with some semblance of respectability.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oF6vOKvU6A
