Phil Jackson (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
Phil Jackson is back in the limelight again and if the rumors hold true, he will be taking a more active role-but on which team?
The Zen Master is still on contract with the New York Knicks as head of their basketball operations. While he is the league's most successful coach, age and health reasons prevent him from doing what he did best to a team that needs it the most.
As of now, the Knicks are being coached by Kurt Rambis. Rambis has not had a good coaching record with any of the teams he has handled. But ESPN scribe Ramona Shelburne mentioned that Rambis is Jackson's best friend and his assignment meant that Jackson is more involved with the team than he was when former coach Derek Fisher was at the helm.
Could Jackson take his involvement one step further?
Shelburne wrote: "Those close to him say Jackson seems more energized these days. He has lost about 20 pounds of the 30 he gained during his first two years on the job. Even Kobe Bryant noticed, remarking after Sunday's game in Los Angeles that, 'He looks great. Physically he looks good. I'm happy for him.'"
The rumors have already started: "There's even talk Jackson could offer to coach home games next season, with Rambis coaching the road games. It's an offer the late Lakers owner Jerry Buss once flatly rejected, but it could be an interesting compromise to hiring Rambis as the head coach next season."
It should be noted that Jackson has an option out of his contract at the end of next year. Most speculation has Jackson eventually returning to the team that has stronger ties with him: the LA Lakers.
Jackson is engaged to Lakers heiress Jeanie Buss and the fans in Tinseltown are still waiting for their former Coach to lead them back to the Promised Land, as Sir Charles in Charge reported.
A theory floated that the Lakers could keep Byron Scott for the next season, until the time that Jackson opts out. They want to keep the coaching spot vacant, not necessarily for the Zen Master to take that spot but for him to choose its next occupant.
However, SCIC's Michael Saenz does not think the Lakers, especially its rabid fans, would endure another year of Byron Scott at the helm. He has been "arguably the worst coach in the NBA this year" and the young players like D'Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle could all fail to develop because of his presence.
