REAL MELO DRAMA
Inside Jackson’s reign of error
ORLANDO — In the end, Phil Jackson and his triangle went down with a whimper, money in hand but reputation as a basketball genius in tatters.
Pivoting from the bombastic Mr. 11 Rings who signed with the Knicks over three years ago, Jackson’s parting statement was an acknowledgment of failure and an appreciation for the man who fired him (and, not coincidentally, also the man who is signing the payout checks).
“I am grateful to Mr. Dolan for giving me the opportunity to return here,” Jackson said. “I had hoped, of course, to bring another NBA championship to the Garden. As someone who treasures winning, I am deeply disappointed that we weren’t able to do that. New York fans deserve nothing less. I wish them and the Knicks organization all the best — today and always.”
Jackson will be forever beloved in Chicago and L.A. But at the Garden, the two championships he won as a role player fall a distant second to his disastrous run as team president.
It officially ended Wednesday morning with a press release claiming a “mutual agreement to part company.” In reality, Jackson was told the night before that he was done as president of the Knicks — just about 72 hours before the start of free agency.
GM Steve Mills will continue in his position “for the short term,” announced the Knicks, who are targeting Toronto GM Masai Ujiri as the long term replacement.
“After careful thought and consideration, we mutually agreed that the Knicks will be going in a different direction,” said Dolan. “Phil Jackson is one of the most celebrated and successful individuals in the history of the NBA. His legacy in the game of basketball is unmatched. We wish him the best and thank him for his service to the Knicks as both a player and an executive.”
The decision from Dolan occurred as Jackson feuded with the team’s two stars — Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis — and was preparing to get rid of one, if not both, as he built a roster around his triangle offense.
Anthony’s future was at the forefront of the move because the Knicks had no way to resolve an untenable situation. The 33-yearold prefers to remain in New York and wasn’t going to waive his no-trade clause, especially for a team president he grew to despise. As the Daily News reported, the Knicks were dead-set against buying out Anthony and the $54 million remaining on his contract.
So instead, Dolan bought out the $24 million left on Jackson’s deal.
But putting Jackson’s demise on Anthony is wholly unfair to the All-Star forward, who has now outlasted four GMs/presidents and four coaches. Jackson was an abject disaster in his first ever role in the front office, finishing with a record of 80-166 while rebuilding the roster three times in three seasons.
After promising to stabilize a rotten culture at the Garden, Jackson only made it worse — alienating Anthony and creating a highly dysfunctional 11-ring circus that prompted Porzingis to skip out on his exit meeting in April.
The last straw for many Knicks
fans was Jackson acknowledging he’s fielding trade offers for Porzingis, who represents the shining hope for this woebegone franchise. People questioned whether Jackson was trying to get himself fired not long after opting into two more years of his contract. Still, Dolan had never wavered in his public support of Jackson, even pledging in February, “Whether I like the results or don’t like the results, I am going to honor that agreement (with Jackson), all the way to the end.”
That statement fell the same way as Jackson’s proclamation that his focus as team president will be “how players are treated” and “the kind of culture that’s built.”
Whoever is tasked next with the unenviable job of rebuilding the Knicks again will have his hands full. Mills is overseeing the free agency that begins midnight Saturday, but the Knicks won’t have much cap space and are hardly a desirable destination. If you’re looking for stability, look elsewhere.
Just six days ago, Jackson drafted a point guard — Frank Ntilikina — based largely on his fit in the triangle. Now the triangle is dead. Jackson is gone. Like the many legends that tried before him, the most successful coach in NBA history failed in New York.