Will Phil Jackson leave the New York Knicks?

Phil Jackson, the New York Knicks’ president, called his season experiment a failure. It only took Jackson, 49 games to admit to his mistakes. You’d think his announcement would have come early, seeing that the Knicks are 10-39. He’s an honest man though, always has been, always will be. It may take him a prolonged period of time to admit to his mistakes, but he does. Well, I guess he does.

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He’s under contract with the Knicks for five years, pocketing $12 million annually. That 12 million is specifically endorsing his basketball knowledge, his forte. He’s prevailed in the past; he was certain it would happen again. It’s possible that Jackson inked his deal without checking his roster. Maybe he thought names like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’ Neal were listed on the depth chart. Or, maybe he believed he could implement his triangle system into any team’s roster, and it’d successful. Who knows?

Rumors of Jackson possibly leaving New York have been floating around. Hiding, fleeing back to Los Angeles—going on the lamb, getting the hell out of New York, now that’s a plan. He was living the life back in California. He was a celebrity, who would show his face at a Lakers game from time-to-time. He’d be photographed with his fiancé, Jeanie Buss—Lakers’ part owner and president. He was set. Then, out of the blue, he decided he wanted back in—not with the Lakers, but in New York.

“So far, my experiment has fallen flat on its face.”

Maybe, Jackson’s departure rumors, are exactly what they are being called—rumors. Wouldn’t his legacy be tainted if he picked everything up and ran? He’s the Zen Master. Doesn’t that mean anything? An 11-time NBA finals winning coach, he can’t leave, he wouldn’t. Giving up now would only imply one thing: the triangle offense isn’t what it’s made out to be. Fans, coaches, executives and yes—of course—the media would question it. They’d question the Knicks. Could that offense only function with the greatest players ever? Or, is having a star like Jordan just a recipe for success within itself.

What I question is whether the Knicks have a combined basketball IQ even half as close as guys like Jordan and Bryant. Are they the problem, themselves? That has to be it; the Knicks don’t play smart basketball. They can’t play smart basketball. Why? Because they aren’t smart basketball players. Some of them don’t even look like basketball players at this point. Some of them look like tall men playing basketball. Yes, there’s a big difference.

They traded Tyson Chandler, their smartest asset on the court, and it backfired. It was a complete disaster. Now, there’s no one down low. You can’t rely on Amar’e Stoudemire anymore; he should be on the move soon. They have no post players; they have no post passers—an essential part of the triangle. They have nothing in the paint. The left block painted on the ground, provides better minutes than what first-year coach Derek Fisher is putting out there.

Carmelo Anthony, the team’s star—as some would say—probably regrets signing his massive offseason deal. Yes, 124 million dollars sounds enticing. Heck, it sounds great. But, if he had a magic ball and was aware of the disaster he’s in now, I believe he’d be wearing the same colors Jordan wore for 13 years. He’s a pure scorer, that’s it. He has the ability to take over a game, only with his ability to drop the ball in the hoop. It’s different from Jordan, not entirely different from Kobe, who had a supporting cast to make up for his few weaknesses. Anthony needs support, and not Jason Smith-type support. He needs superstar support to lean on, to help him win.

He says he trusts Jackson; they’re in each other’s corner. But, how far does that trust go? This summer’s free-agency market isn’t as star-studded as the 2016 one, sporting the likes of guys like Kevin Durant, but it’s a starting point. First, Rajon Rondo is someone the Knicks have had their eyes on for a long time, will be available. They haven’t had a good point guard in a very long time. Then there’s Marc Gasol, the 2012-13 Defensive Player of the Year. He’ll fit in the triangle, but most importantly, he’ll fill the Knicks’ hole on the inside.

Those are two possibilities for Jackson to sign, hoping to improve the Knicks’ roster for next season. Maybe we’ll write this one off as rebuilding; we’ll give him a break on this. But, for his departure rumors, we won’t. If that’s what he wants, then I hope he leaves. He signed a contract to improve this team, not run when things got hard. He’s a professional; he can’t run. Tom Hank’s character in A League of Their Own said, “If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.”

So Phil, add this to your accolades as a basketball professional. Be a great executive. Don’t run, because once you leave, there’s no refurbishment to your legacy. Once you leave, you’re gone.

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