Will Phil Jackson Return?

[VivaPopovich]

I sure as hell hope not. He is their most important piece. If he returns, the Lakers will be the favorites to repeat. If not, Rhambis will take over and.. well, we know the end of that story.

[Chieflion]

He announced he is returing. There was an article about it.

[resistanze]

He'll return, just being the drama queen he's supposed to be.

[TDMVPDPOY]

why leave when you can bang the boss daughter while earnin 10m a season?

[z0sa]

PJ makes more than any other coach in sports, and has an easier job than 90% of them. Maybe this season if they lose Odom he will have some more coaching to do, but its doubtful.

[DrHouse]

Kobe can't win without Shaq

[z0sa]

i never said that, dumbass.

[manufan10]

He said that he would return unless his health prevents him from doing so.

[duncan228]

From June 19.

Phil Jackson: Season-Ending Presser


...the question of if Jackson would return: “I haven’t made that decision. Mitch (Kupchak) and I have talked about it a little the last few days. There are a couple of (health-related) appointments I still have that have to be fulfilled before I (make that decision).”


More Jackson on health: “I feel good … I had some issues this year that showed up particularly on road trips that concerned me and our health staff a little bit.”


There is a date in Jackson’s contract that is “closing in fast” for him to decide, but it’s all pending his health tests. If the tests are favorable, there is “no doubt” that Jackson would come back. Kupchak said that date was mutually agreed upon but not set in stone, and that the team expects to know in no more than three weeks what Jackson will do.


http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129044

[iggypop123]

he said by july he would announce. its getting close

[TheNextGen]

he said he will be coaching Home games per espn.

[mardigan]

Jackson weighs coaching options
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson said in a radio interview Tuesday that he will make a firm decision about returning to the bench next season by "early July" and that he will also explore the possibility of letting Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis coach more road games in Jackson's place.

In the interview with ESPN Radio in Los Angeles (710 AM), Jackson insisted that health concerns would be the only reason that prevented him from completing the final season of his current coaching contract.

He also revealed that the concept of Rambis coaching the team regulary on the road -- theoretically sparing Jackson, who turns 64 in September, from the rigors of travel -- has already been discussed internally.

The Lakers completed a test run of the concept in April when Jackson, having had both of his hips replaced in recent years, skipped a one-game trip to Portland on the second night of back-to-back games shortly after the team had finished a grueling seven-game trip. With Rambis in charge, L.A. suffered a 106-98 loss to the Blazers.

"Yeah, we've toyed around with that idea actually," Jackson told ESPN Radio hosts John Ireland and Mychal Thompson. "I guess it's not that revolutionary. We talked a little bit about it, and you know I was actually kind of given the green light to actually try this out and when the time came."

Lakers head coach Phil Jackson talks to John Ireland and Mychal Thompson about his future with the team, and the value of Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza and Shannon Brown.

"I think the idea has some merit to it," Jackson went on. "[But] I don't want to lose control of the team. And I think that's the one thing that you find out your team needs. I don't mean control, like control, but like being in the trenches with them, i.e., when things get tough or something happens, you're there with them. This isn't the first time I've heard this idea and it certainly not going to be the last. And I'm going to discuss it a little with [Lakers general manager] Mitch [Kupchak], that same idea."

Jackson said that he was confident that his veteran-laden roster could "make the transition OK" having just won a championship, but he was worried that negative "perceptions from the outside may be difficult at first."

Jackson has one season remaining on a two-year contract extension that pays him an estimated $12 million annually. NBA coaching sources said one main reason Rambis was motivated to reject an offer to coach the Sacramento Kings earlier this month is the likelihood that he will receive strong consideration to take over for Jackson when the NBA's first coach with 10 championship rings retires for good.

Rambis' fellow Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw is also believed to be a down-the-road candidate, but it has also been suggested that Kobe Bryant will lobby his Team USA coach -- Duke's Mike Krzyzewski -- to finally leave the college game for the pros whenever the Lakers have an opening.

The prevailing view among team insiders is that Jackson will coach only one more season at most. He acknowledged in Tuesday's interview that it was "sobering this year for me to go through the playoffs without [longtime assistant] Tex Winter there" and that he is giving more thought to his own health since Winter suffered a stroke in April.

Since originally joining the Lakers for the 1999-2000 season, Jackson has endured an angioplasty and gout in addition to his two hip surgeries. Even Lakers Kupchak acknowledged after L.A.'s title-clinching Game 5 victory over Orlando that Jackson could decide to leave the coaching business after breaking his nine-ring tie with Boston Celtics patriarch Red Auerbach.

"It seems to make sense, doesn't it?" Kupchak told reporters in Orlando. "I don't think he'll do it, but it seems to make sense."

Jackson indicated Tuesday that next week, after Thursday's draft, will "be dedicated" to finalizing his plans for next season. Todd Musberger, Jackson's agent, told ESPN.com's J.A. Adande after L.A.'s Game 5 victory: "We've had a number of discussions about what he'd do, win or lose. He didn't want to leave under either scenario."


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4282054

[Spurtacus]

He'll return.

[VivaPopovich]

if Jackson takes off, the only other man that can keep Kobe from imploding is Coach K

Kurt Rhambis? please. we know how that story ends. it's not pretty.

[mytespurs]

if Jackson takes off, the only other man that can keep Kobe from imploding is Coach K

Kurt Rhambis? please. we know how that story ends. it's not pretty.

There's a rumor that the reason Rambis didn't take the Kings job was because there's a handshake deal in place for Rambis to succeed Jackson should and when he retires. The rumormongers are also saying that may not go down so well with Kobe.

Coach K? I think Kobe lobbied for him after Tomjanovich resigned but Coach K decided to stay with Duke.

[NewcastleKEG]

I bet Phil is still wearing his Malcolm X hat somewhere out there. He's gonna drag this out so that he can gather as much appreciation and ass licking as possible.

[baseline bum]

Even though he's an arrogant fuck with a big mouth, I still like the guy and hope he gets a clean bill of health to continue.

[Chieflion]

Update: On RealGM wiretap

Phil Jackson would consider coaching mostly home games and would like Kurt Rambis to coach away games.

[lefty]

Update: On RealGM wiretap

Phil Jackson would consider coaching mostly home games and would like Kurt Rambis to coach away games.

part-time job ?



WTF ?

I hope he is just playing one of his retarded mind games, becasue that would be really unprofessional

[manufan10]

part-time job ?



WTF ?

I hope he is just playing one of his retarded mind games, becasue that would be really unprofessional

That's what I was thinking too. How could he just coach home games? Oh nevermind, he's banging the boss's daughter. I don't think that would be fair to the team to only coach home games and certain away games. :td