Big money would lure Jackson to the Big Apple: what's the difference between Phil Jackson and a real Zen Master? Try an annual salary close to $15 mil

Sporting News, The, May 13, 2005 by Sean Deveney

In case you missed it last week, sources say unemployed coaching demigod Phil Jackson visited a Southern California late-night taco stand for a burrito. The contents--chicken? shrimp? carne asada?--of the burrito are not known, but sources say there was sour cream and jack cheese involved, and Jackson's agents put the likelihood of the presence of guacamole at 50 percent, though that may have shifted to 51 percent by early this week.

Ugh. Is anyone out there better at toying with us ink-stained nabobs than Phil? Somehow, he has managed to turn every hardboiled sportswriter on both coasts into a breathless People magazine gossipmonger, with the media analyzing minute clues that might point to whether Jackson will be the next coach of the Lakers, Knicks, some team in between or no one at all.

Jackson has motivation for this. The more what-will-Phil-do drama, the higher the price tag for his services. He played this game perfectly with the Knicks and the Nets before he took the Lakers job in 1999. No one knows exactly what Phil will do this time around, but it seems that, whatever his next move, he will be paid $10 million per year to make it. Supposedly, that's the salary Jackson will command--at least.

What we know is that Jackson met with Knicks president Isiah Thomas early last week for very preliminary discussions. We know that Jackson met with Lakers owner Jerry Buss, too, but the meeting was equally preliminary. We know both teams consider Jackson a candidate and that Cleveland and Portland would like a shot, too. We know all four teams have owners with the requisite checkbooks to meet almost any Jackson demand. We also know that Jackson's agents put the chance of Phil coaching next year at 50-50, though that was later upped to 51-49.

What's happening here is a game of chicken that will be decided by how long teams are willing to wait for Jackson and how much they're willing to pay. But the longer teams wait, the greater the chance they will miss out on other candidates, such as Flip Saunders and Eric Musselman. Teams such as Portland and Cleveland--young teams planning major personnel changes this summer--can't afford to wait for Jackson. They need to get a coach and a philosophy as soon as possible, to begin the work of building. That's why the Lakers and Knicks figure to be the serious contenders.

But the Knicks need Jackson more urgently than the Lakers because New York is a leaderless team desperate for credibility. It's also a group that Thomas put together, and if he is to reduce his own blame for this underachieving bunch, it would behoove him to get Jackson to New York, no matter the cost. If Jackson comes back, the smart money probably is in New York and the smart money is likely to be more than the $10 million per year being bounced around now. Thomas still should wield enough clout with Knicks ownership to get the payout into the $12 million-to-$15 million range.

Jackson might have hippie roots, but he certainly has embraced capitalism as he has gotten older.

Don't forget--Jackson will turn 60 in September, and his next job likely will be his final job. Wouldn't it be nice for him to close out his career where it began, in the footsteps of Red Holzman? Sure, but that's a quaint notion, and the lure of it for Jackson is overstated. The lure of $15 million would be a lot more effective.

speed reads

Too often in the postseason, the Pacers have tried to force the offense inside to Jermaine O'Neal, but his shoulder injury has made him inconsistent. If the Pacers are to have an extended playoff run, it's Reggie Miller's shooting that will fuel it.

Folks who worry about Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert being another rich, meddlesome owner should check the standings. At last look, there were a handful of other rich, meddlesome owners: Mark Cuban of the Mavericks, who has built his franchise into one of the best in sports; the Maloof brothers, whose Kings have won at least 50 games five years in a row; and Robert Sarver, the new Suns owner whose willingness to spend on Steve Nash led to 62 wins. Sounds like being rich and meddlesome is not such a bad thing.

USA Basketball made a good decision in tabbing Suns chairman Jerry Colangelo as its managing director. Now, Team USA must allow him to be creative with the national squad because the old system of selecting the top available stars wasn't working.

INSIDE DISH

Sonics coach Nate McMillan agreed to put off contract discussions until his current deal expires after the season. Good decision. Seattle's surprise run to the Northwest Division title has bolstered McMillan's status, and he will be a candidate for the Knicks, Cavaliers, Timberwolves and Magic if the Sonics can't keep him. Still, the Sonics likely will retain McMillan, who wants to stay in Seattle. * One of the most productive international players this season has been 6-8 SG Marko Tomas. He has had a breakout year for Zagreb, averaging 19.6 points and showing toughness and a shooting touch. But one general manager points out, "He would definitely be a top 20, top 15 pick, but he is going to have a buyout problem." Tomas, 20, reportedly has four years left on his contract with Zagreb. * High school SG Monta Ellis says he will enter the draft, and though he could land at the end of the first round, two scouts say his entry is a mistake. Ellis is only 6-2 and thin. He is a dynamic scorer, but he must develop the skills to be a point guard. "He is a Dajuan Wagner type, only not as good as Wagner was in high school;' says one scout, Wagner played well enough in one college season at Memphis to boost his draft stock to No. 6 overall. A year in college might have done the same for Ellis. * PG Marko Jaric has had some difficulty finding a role with the Clippers, but expect the team to make an earnest effort to keep him as a free agent this summer. Coach Mike Dunleavy likes Jaric's versatility and defense, but he does not want to use him at point guard. Ideally, the Clippers would sign another veteran point guard to go with Shaun Livingston and use Jaric off the ball.