duncan228
10-28-2007, 09:26 AM
The article is titled and starts with Jackson's possible contract extension.
It's deceptive, because the heart of the article is Jackson's words about Kobe.
http://www.ocregister.com/sports/jackson-bryant-lakers-1911418-going-talk
Jackson might stick around
Bryant's departure might not signal the coach's exit from the Lakers' scene.
By KEVIN DING
The Orange County Register
EL SEGUNDO
The Lakers' future has carried a National Weather Service advisory of near-zero visibility for some time now. On Saturday, though, Phil Jackson suggested that even if the current tempest ends without Kobe Bryant in a Lakers uniform, Jackson would still be around to steer the Lakers ship.
Jackson said in clear terms Saturday for the first time that his Lakers coaching future is not tied to Bryant's playing future. Health permitting, Jackson is willing to extend his expiring contract even if Bryant — whom Jackson has said countless times he came back to coach in 2005 — is traded.
Asked if he is OK with a future as Lakers coach without Bryant, Jackson nodded and said: "Yeah." Then Jackson, smiling, added that the prerequisite of Bryant being a Laker is "not part of my job description."
Jackson, 62, said he's gauging his health and energy before committing to what is expected to be a two-year, $20 million extension, adding: "It's not about whether I can produce a championship or a record."
Despite saying "it's not fire-sale time," Jackson also had a more immediate horn to sound Saturday regarding Bryant: Jackson does not believe Bryant has fulfilled a pre-training-camp promise to be fully on board as a team member.
Jackson said Bryant "obviously hasn't thrown his heart and soul" into the Lakers so far. Jackson said Bryant was struggling "mentally getting himself here and playing hard." Jackson said Bryant's limited effort has left teammates "a little bit confused." Jackson suggested everyone should be drawing the same conclusions, saying: "I'm not breaking any news."
"It was my feeling from a conversation with Kobe that he was going to work at this thing and put his full being into this," Jackson said. "Right now he's having a hard time doing that. That's why I said it's a matter of question here as to where we can go and how we can finish."
Bryant bristled at the notion that Jackson needs to worry about his star player's effort.
"That's the least of his concerns or anybody's concerns," Bryant said.
Jackson has allowed Bryant two separate stretches of missed practices this month to rest and detach himself from the team. (Bryant has a sprained right wrist and didn't practice Saturday but vowed to play in the opener Tuesday night.) Jackson said it was good for the Lakers to go to Las Vegas without Bryant and play with the proper team spirit in their exhibition-finale victory Friday night.
But Jackson's criticism of Bryant and willingness to move forward without him are not intended to facilitate a Bryant trade. With the regular season starting Tuesday, the coach is trying to motivate Bryant to stay and again be all that he can.
"This is Kobe's legacy, the Lakers," Jackson said. "This is where he's grown up, gotten married and had kids, the whole bit. We're still devoted to seeing that, hopefully, still be a part of what he is."
Jackson said trade scenarios involving Bryant remain possible — as owner Jerry Buss said early this month — but improbable.
"Chances are very slim," Jackson said of trading Bryant.
Bryant, for his part, expressed commitment to this Lakers season and not any future elsewhere.
"I told you I wasn't going to talk about it anymore, just because we didn't want it to be a distraction," Bryant said. "If they want to talk about it, if management wants to talk about it, then let them talk about it. But I'm not going to let this linger. I'm not going to talk about it. I'm going to talk about the season and what we can do to get better, and that's it."
Jackson had settled into a contemplative mood Saturday when asked about outside projections the Lakers won't make the playoffs. Jackson actually has a loftier goal — the "tough" challenge of being one of the West's top four teams — and knows he won't get there with a one-man team.
"We're going to be a pretty good team and we're going to be pretty deep," Jackson said, "and it's going to be combinations of people who make us good."
It's deceptive, because the heart of the article is Jackson's words about Kobe.
http://www.ocregister.com/sports/jackson-bryant-lakers-1911418-going-talk
Jackson might stick around
Bryant's departure might not signal the coach's exit from the Lakers' scene.
By KEVIN DING
The Orange County Register
EL SEGUNDO
The Lakers' future has carried a National Weather Service advisory of near-zero visibility for some time now. On Saturday, though, Phil Jackson suggested that even if the current tempest ends without Kobe Bryant in a Lakers uniform, Jackson would still be around to steer the Lakers ship.
Jackson said in clear terms Saturday for the first time that his Lakers coaching future is not tied to Bryant's playing future. Health permitting, Jackson is willing to extend his expiring contract even if Bryant — whom Jackson has said countless times he came back to coach in 2005 — is traded.
Asked if he is OK with a future as Lakers coach without Bryant, Jackson nodded and said: "Yeah." Then Jackson, smiling, added that the prerequisite of Bryant being a Laker is "not part of my job description."
Jackson, 62, said he's gauging his health and energy before committing to what is expected to be a two-year, $20 million extension, adding: "It's not about whether I can produce a championship or a record."
Despite saying "it's not fire-sale time," Jackson also had a more immediate horn to sound Saturday regarding Bryant: Jackson does not believe Bryant has fulfilled a pre-training-camp promise to be fully on board as a team member.
Jackson said Bryant "obviously hasn't thrown his heart and soul" into the Lakers so far. Jackson said Bryant was struggling "mentally getting himself here and playing hard." Jackson said Bryant's limited effort has left teammates "a little bit confused." Jackson suggested everyone should be drawing the same conclusions, saying: "I'm not breaking any news."
"It was my feeling from a conversation with Kobe that he was going to work at this thing and put his full being into this," Jackson said. "Right now he's having a hard time doing that. That's why I said it's a matter of question here as to where we can go and how we can finish."
Bryant bristled at the notion that Jackson needs to worry about his star player's effort.
"That's the least of his concerns or anybody's concerns," Bryant said.
Jackson has allowed Bryant two separate stretches of missed practices this month to rest and detach himself from the team. (Bryant has a sprained right wrist and didn't practice Saturday but vowed to play in the opener Tuesday night.) Jackson said it was good for the Lakers to go to Las Vegas without Bryant and play with the proper team spirit in their exhibition-finale victory Friday night.
But Jackson's criticism of Bryant and willingness to move forward without him are not intended to facilitate a Bryant trade. With the regular season starting Tuesday, the coach is trying to motivate Bryant to stay and again be all that he can.
"This is Kobe's legacy, the Lakers," Jackson said. "This is where he's grown up, gotten married and had kids, the whole bit. We're still devoted to seeing that, hopefully, still be a part of what he is."
Jackson said trade scenarios involving Bryant remain possible — as owner Jerry Buss said early this month — but improbable.
"Chances are very slim," Jackson said of trading Bryant.
Bryant, for his part, expressed commitment to this Lakers season and not any future elsewhere.
"I told you I wasn't going to talk about it anymore, just because we didn't want it to be a distraction," Bryant said. "If they want to talk about it, if management wants to talk about it, then let them talk about it. But I'm not going to let this linger. I'm not going to talk about it. I'm going to talk about the season and what we can do to get better, and that's it."
Jackson had settled into a contemplative mood Saturday when asked about outside projections the Lakers won't make the playoffs. Jackson actually has a loftier goal — the "tough" challenge of being one of the West's top four teams — and knows he won't get there with a one-man team.
"We're going to be a pretty good team and we're going to be pretty deep," Jackson said, "and it's going to be combinations of people who make us good."