Only in the soap opera that is the Los Angeles Lakers could the team not make the NBA playoffs, yet still dominate sports headlines across the country during the playoffs.
Phil Jackson, considered by many to be one of the best and most prolific coaches ever in NBA history, and Kobe Bryant, arguably the best player in the league, are at it again.
This past week and what seems like every week preceding it, it was reported that Jackson will meet with Lakers’ owners and management to try and perhaps strike a deal to bring him back and revive the franchise.
If you’ll recall, Jackson coached the Laker for five seasons, but left before the franchise fell on to hard times this season.
Jackson won three straight championships while at the helm, but decided to leave the organization after a media-highlighted shakeup that saw Bryant re-signed to a seven year deal worth just over $19 million a season and sent Shaquille O’Neal to the Miami Heat in a blockbuster trade.
Since then, each member of the divorce has given the media plenty to work with.
O’Neal has taken numerous shots at Bryant for being self-centered and not playing team ball, while Jackson published a book stating that Bryant was “uncoachable” and should have been traded.
Bryant responded to these allegations stating only that he had nothing to do with the departures of these former members of the team, but hardly anyone believes him.
So here we are now in the middle of the 2004-05 NBA postseason, with many teams out of the playoffs jockeying for Jackson to coach them next year, including the Lakers.
Other teams that have been very interested publicly include the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves.
In early March of this year, Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss said that Jackson was a candidate for the available head coaching position and that, “He is probably the best coach available.”
Probably? Probably?
Of course he’s the best coach available. The man won six titles with the Chicago Bulls, three of which were in a row, then went on to win three straight titles in Los Angeles.
He also has the most postseason wins and the best regular and postseason winning percentage in NBA history.
He’s probably the best coach currently available? More like he’s probably the best coach in NBA history.
Many say Jackson is not a coach that can build a team from the ground up, and in most cases can only be the final piece that helps teams get over the hump.
To those people, I say that while that may be the case, to handle the egos of past superstars, such as Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and even Dennis Rodman and then O’Neal and Bryant on the Lakers, and produce nine titles, you have to be doing something right.
Teams, and coaches for that matter, do not win titles by accident, let alone nine of them.
With that said, the fact that Buss chose Bryant, the prima donna of the league, over Jackson to lead his team shows that he doesn’t deserve to have the coaching prowess of Jackson on his bench.
Jackson should hit Buss, Bryant and the rest of the organization right in the mouth.
He should feign interest in the Lakers and right as he’s about to finalize a deal with them, slap them right back in the face and say, “oh, ya’ know what, never mind.”
Then Jackson should sign with a team right on the verge of championship contention.
I personally suggest the LeBron James led Cleveland Cavaliers. Granted Cleveland is not as hot a spot as New York and Jackson has ties there since he won two titles with the Knicks as a player, but put a year or two of work in and LeBron will take care of the rest and take the team to a championship.
With one more title, Jackson would overtake the late, great Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach and set the new bar at 10 coaching titles.
Jackson shouldn’t go back to the Lakers. Bryant is a great player, but his career is headed in the wrong direction.
Jackson shouldn’t let the mirage of potential, but unlikely championships with the Lakers bring his legacy down with them.
