NOW AND ZEN
NBA coaching legend has ties to new MLSE president Leiweke
Los Angeles link sparks Jackson to Raptors buzz.
If there are dots to be connected, they are juicy when it comes to the newest boss at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and the basketball franchise that’s part of the monolithic sports empire.
Only a few hours after Tim Leiweke’s appointment as the new overseer of the organization had been made public, speculation about the fate of current Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo began in earnest.
And Leiweke’s Los Angeles connections and history led to one significant name: Phil Jackson.
Reports suggest the Lakers coaching legend has a burning interest in returning to the NBA — an ESPN.com report suggests he’s “itching” to get back. An expanded role as team president, able to make decisions on rosters and coaches, would intrigue him after a career that includes a record 11 NBA championships.
His ties to Leiweke, who was chief executive officer of the huge Los Angeles-based Anschutz Entertainment Group, made for an obvious connection.
Colangelo has yet to hear whether the team’s ownership will pick up the third-year option on his contract. He said this week he expected a resolution in the next “two or three” weeks, giving him — or a new president and general manager — time to prepare for next season.
Coach Dwane Casey, who Colangelo insisted would be back if there were no management changes, is also going into the final year of his deal. Any change in Colangelo’s status could well have an impact on him.
Whether it’s just connecting the dots or something that has some legs, the chatter did not catch many connected with the Raptors by surprise. According to team and league sources, upper management has been aware of Leiweke’s impending arrival for some time — these appointments don’t come out of the blue — and one of the first extrapolations was that Jackson would be an obvious target if the new CEO wasn’t prepared to pick up the final year of Colangelo’s contract. But if Jackson is intent on a senior management role with an NBA team, bidding for his services could expand far beyond Toronto. The group bidding to purchase the Sacramento Kings and move them to Seattle in time for next season has interest in Jackson, according to a variety of reports, but that situation is not yet resolved.