KNICK NOTES Phil Jackson was honored in Chicago two nights ago for his brilliant coaching career with the Bulls and his six championships. Rumors persist that his next stop will be with the Knicks.
Two league sources have said that the Knicks have targeted Jackson as their coach and GM for next season. On Wednesday night Garden president Dave Checketts said he has not yet considered any candidates to replace general manager Ernie Grunfeld. Unless the Knicks have a superior playoff run, it’s likely Jeff Van Gundy will be replaced as well. Checketts made it clear he was not happy with the Knicks’ eighth-place finish and was looking for playoff success.
As for Jackson, he diagrammed what he wants in his next job, including full power over player personnel, big-time money, a basketball city and “intrigue.” Sounds like a perfect fit for the Garden.
‘I’m interested in coaching only if the intrigue is there,” Jackson told reporters in Chicago. “Right now the opportunities that are available in coaching are very interesting. But it’s got to be a combination of things not just money, not just control, not just the team, and not just the city you live in. There are a number of things that have to come together to pique my interest.”
Consider this next comment. “The idea of being in a basketball city, a challenging city that has a background for the game, that’s important,” he noted. He also said “I think the idea that you can have a roster that can be used and manipulated and moved about is very important, especially with the kind of cap structures in the game.”
That could cause problems considering the Knicks situation, but there is a lot more flexibility on the roster with players the Knicks have added. He also said he would prefer a warm climate but was not tied to one.
Jackson is being wooed by the Nets, too and there are rumors the Lakers are interested, but if he took over in LA that means Jerry West would be out of power. Jackson would give the Knicks a dynamic leader. Checketts is now involved in so many different projects, it would be easier for someone like Jackson to have full personnel say now than it would have been several years ago. *Van Gundy said the Knicks will guard Alonzo Mourning with a number of defenders tomorrow in Game One. “Everybody is going to be matched up against Zo,” Van Gundy said. “I thought Kurt [Thomas] did a good job [in the last game], but I’m not ready to say after 12 minutes of playing him he’s our best matchup”
Van Gundy is still trying to sell the idea that the Knicks match up as well with the Pacers as they do the Heat. “It would be foolish to want somebody who is the No. 1 seed,” he said. He pointed out that Pat Riley is using the fact that the Knicks want the Heat as a motivating factor. “That’s their mantra, they’re almost trying to create they’re the underdog type mentality,” he said. “So, whatever it takes. They’re going to do their thing. What we need to do is to know what we’re in for”
Rick Brunson will be on the playoff roster. Ben Davis is out.