Phil Jackson fined $25,000 for tampering with Derek Fisher

By Jack Maloney | Jun 2, 2014

May 31, 2014; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Derek Fisher (6) handles the ball against San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green (4) during the second quarter in game six of the Western Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

We’ve already seen how much drama there is surrounding who will become the next coach of the New York Knicks. First there was the theater surrounding Steve Kerr and whether or not the two sides had agreed in principle to a deal before Kerr ditched New York for the Golden State Warriors.

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Then came reports that the Knicks and Phil Jackson were interested in another former player of Jackson’s–Oklahoma City Thunder guard Derek Fisher. With Fisher was still playing in the Playoffs, there wasn’t much said from Fisher’s camp other than that he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do yet.

Well apparently Jackson and the Knicks were trying to get too close to Fisher, because they have been fined $25,000 for tampering with Fisher.

ESPN has learned that Knicks president Phil Jackson has been fined $25,000 for tampering with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Derek Fisher
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 2, 2014

This is hilarious. Jackson just can’t catch a break.

First Kerr ditches him at the last second, and then he gets fined 25 grand for trying to go after his second choice. Of course, $25,000 is nothing to Jackson, who has plenty of money–especially after the deal he signed with the Knicks.

But this is just another classic Knicks story. No matter what the franchise tries to do, they end up messing something up. Signing Phil Jackson was a widely well regarded move, and even he gets fined for tampering.

Eventually at some point the Knicks will find their new head coach, but there will probably be some more twists and turns before they do.