Any doubt at all that Jackson is coming back to try and poach another title? Panic move indeed.
I have to believe that they wouldn't have made this move so suddenly after Buss' vote of confidence yesterday unless they were absolutely sure their #1 target was ready to take over in the next 48 hours. If it was Phil or Sloan, they could have just announced it today, which makes me think it has to be Brian Shaw. The Pacers have a game tonight, so the team or Shaw himself may have wanted him to stick around another day. The Lakers and Pacers probably spent the day working out the contract stuff.I'm kinda surprised that there aren't any finalists or leading candidates yet, because they made this move so abruptly I assumed they were going to hone in on 1-2 specific targets
It's not just MJ and Kobe, either. It's MJ/Pippen and Kobe/Shaq. I guess you can't blame him for wanting to win, but this move makes pretty clear he's a front-runner. The Lakers are seemingly heading on the down swing, and feel is tired and it's time to retire. Then the Lakers trade for a top five talent, a HOF point guard and, surprise, Phil feels...I'm sure the word will be "rejuvenated."I am beginning to fucking hate Phil Jackson for no other reason than having the unsurpassed talent of jumping into any bandwagon driven by elite NBA talent only to pretend he's some kind of genious because he wins rings coaching the likes of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
Go coach the Bobcats, Phil. And show us what you can really do.
The Celtics tried to coax one more year out of Larry Bird by telling him he'd only have to play home games during the regular season.What is the deal about Jackson not wanting to travel to some road games? What kind of coach is that?
I think its due to his physical health problems. I know he had hip issues, I believe a knee replacement recently, and I think he has had back issues and possibly a hip replacement. Basically the NBA travel schedule isnt going to be that great for his body, so I can understand why he is asking for this. I just cant understand why the Lakers would give him the salary he is going to command and he isnt even going to travel to all the road games, thats ridiculous.What is the deal about Jackson not wanting to travel to some road games? What kind of coach is that?
You would think 2010 ended all of this nonsense.I just made the mistake of suggesting to a Lakers fan that Jackson isn't the greatest coach to ever walk the face of the earth and maybe that going from Pippen and Jordan to Kobe and Shaq is padding your stats.
They really do believe that Zen shit.
Crazy.
I don't pretend to know what's going on in Kobe's head, and obviously he's had a successful relationship with Phil Jackson, but Mike D'Antoni was Kobe's favorite player as a kid in Italy, and the reason he wore number 8 early in his career. So Kobe certainly has respect for D'Antoni. And knowing Kobe's obsession with his legacy, it wouldn't surprise me if he wanted to try and win one without Phil.Apparently Phil is "stunned", he thought he had it in the bad. The rationales coming out are that he was asking too much and that D'Antoni's system is better, maybe I just see all things Lakers through a Kobe-prism, but I don't particularly buy either. I can't help think that if Kobe wanted Phil, Phil would be the coach.
It all depends on Kobe. If he buys in this is a good move. If Kobe pouts because Phil didn't come back there will always be issues, regardless of who is the coach. I would think that a move like this would have been run by Kobe first but I'm not sure that is how the Buss operate.I think this hire will be fine actually. D'Antoni doesn't coach defense, but that doesn't mean Artest, Pau, and Howard won't still try and play it. If Nash comes back healthy, they're still major contenders.
In fairness the Knicks didn't have a lot of options in that regard during D'Antoni's time there because they were short of quality point guards during his tenure (they really only had Billups for a third of a season and the offense worked pretty well then). No, Jeremy Lin isn't that good. The biggest problem as regards Bryant is that the offense asks the wings to be floor spacers, which is a real role reduction for Bryant and demands Artest to do something he isn't very good at. Also Howard's lack of range means that the PF will have to adjust by shooting a lot of longer jumpers, which isn't Gasol's game. So there's a lot of work ahead.It all depends on Kobe. If he buys in this is a good move. If Kobe pouts because Phil didn't come back there will always be issues, regardless of who is the coach. I would think that a move like this would have been run by Kobe first but I'm not sure that is how the Buss operate.
As for the offense and defense side of the ball if I'm a Lakers fan I'm more worried about the offensive side than the defensive side. You have Howard on defense and really that should take care of itself but on offense the big issue Mike D ran into in NY was Melo and how he slowed the offense down. Melo wants the ball in his hands and everything to run through him which is not how a Mike D offense works. Will Kobe try and do the same thing or will he be ok with Nash starting things to get people involved. If Mike learned anything from NY he's going to need to come up with ways to keep Kobe happy while not disturbing the flow of the offense, something he couldn't do with Melo.
Well, from a pace perspective he really didnt slow down much in NY.The 7 seconds or less thing is a bit of a misinterpretation. That's how D'Antoni ran the system in Phoenix, but in New York it was run at a much slower pace.
Melo was a better fit in a different position than the personnel and D'Antoni's system would dictate. That's one reason the Knicks are probably playing better this year. With Amare out, he's in the PF spot. (I am speculating here, have barely watched the Knicks)It all depends on Kobe. If he buys in this is a good move. If Kobe pouts because Phil didn't come back there will always be issues, regardless of who is the coach. I would think that a move like this would have been run by Kobe first but I'm not sure that is how the Buss operate.
As for the offense and defense side of the ball if I'm a Lakers fan I'm more worried about the offensive side than the defensive side. You have Howard on defense and really that should take care of itself but on offense the big issue Mike D ran into in NY was Melo and how he slowed the offense down. Melo wants the ball in his hands and everything to run through him which is not how a Mike D offense works. Will Kobe try and do the same thing or will he be ok with Nash starting things to get people involved. If Mike learned anything from NY he's going to need to come up with ways to keep Kobe happy while not disturbing the flow of the offense, something he couldn't do with Melo.
I guess I meant he's a pretty damn expensive once in a while guy....he's also incredibly slow. I could be wrong, but I see him as the worst fit for that offense.Why can't he be part of the pick and roll once in a while? He's also a better shooter than Howard so that would give more space for Nash too.
It's not that, it's that the set D'Antoni runs relies on the other post player spacing the floor for the primary pick & roll big. So in Phoenix Marion shot lots of treys to space the floor for Nash & Amar'e. That won't work so well with Gashole who's not much use past 16'-18'.Why can't he be part of the pick and roll once in a while? He's also a better shooter than Howard so that would give more space for Nash too.
Yep....it also puts a lot of offense in the hands of Artest for the kickouts and his 3 pt percentage fell to 29% last year.It's not that, it's that the set D'Antoni runs relies on the other post player spacing the floor for the primary pick & roll big. So in Phoenix Marion shot lots of treys to space the floor for Nash & Amar'e. That won't work so well with Gashole who's not much use past 16'-18'.
That's possible, but I think Phil thought he was the only option and was prepared to bend Buss, over like he does his sister, in negotiations. In addition to his salary, there are reports that Phil wanted a piece of the team and more say in basketball decisions.It was probably the money, but a tiny part of me wonders if the Buss boy was concerned that if Phil came back and won it all that the narrative would be that that the Lakers could only win with Phil at the helm and the credit would not go to him and his daddy.
No. And I'm not totally sure Howard has this in him.Besides Howard, do the Lakers have anybody with the legs to get back on D when they are running and gunning?
As an NBA agnostic, albeit one who has always hated the Lakers, this is enough to get even me to sit up and take notice.The Lakers fans I know are melting down over this hiring decision.
The non-Lakers fans I know are hoping they're right.
Yes, this was one of my first thoughts as well. I know there are plenty of posts of he being fortunate to have the Jordan/Pippen and Kobe/Shaq duos, with surrounding cast. I've always thought those championships were very much like getting an "A" on an exam when you were given a copy of it beforehand and had the professor as a tutor...you really have to go out of your way to mess it up. The whole zen thing and reputation of brilliance just baffled me, and I never even took the comparisons to Red seriously at all. Now just sitting back to see how this one plays out.As an NBA agnostic, albeit one who has always hated the Lakers, this is enough to get even me to sit up and take notice.
I just like the idea that Phil Jackson, The Greatest Coach In NBA History, approached this whole thing like the Lakers would be lucky to have him, and gets left holding this.
It makes you wonder how big an asshole you have to be to have that become a more compelling factor than winning 11 NBA championships.
As opposed to the guy who never won a title with fewer than three hall of famers or in a league with more than 9 teams or without the second best player in NBA history. I didnt realize the 09 & 10 titles were such a concession to the Lakers, perhaps you just feel much more strongly about the greatness of Kobe Bryant than I do.I've always thought those championships were very much like getting an "A" on an exam when you were given a copy of it beforehand and had the professor as a tutor...you really have to go out of your way to mess it up...... I never even took the comparisons to Red seriously at all.
If they do make a trade, it is probably centered around Gasol for Josh Smith + some depth. Something like:They need a shooter....I'm guessing they might use Gasol to get one.