Jackson, Kobe To Meet This Week.

[Warham]

Phil Jackson, who coached the Los Angeles Lakers from 1999-2004 and earned three championship rings in the process, is scheduled to meet with Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles later this week.


The meeting could be seen as a step to Jackson possibly returning to coach the Lakers.


After all, in 2004, Jackson wrote a tell-all book called "The Last Season" about the 2003-04 season in which he characterized Bryant as being difficult to coach. In the book, Jackson wrote that he asked Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak to trade Bryant.


Jackson has already spoken to team owner Jerry Buss and plans to speak with him again soon.


If Buss were to re-hire Jackson, Buss would likely do so only after a new NBA collective bargaining agreement with the players' association is reached. The current CBA expires in July.


The thinking is that if there is some sort of work stoppage this summer that could potentially last for months, the Lakers would not wish to be on the hook to have to pay Jackson during the time he is not actually coaching. Jackson is believed to be seeking an annual contract of around $10 million per season -- well in excess of his previous deal with the Lakers which was for $30 million over five seasons.

[DLRismydad]

hhah i guess Kobe has finally realized he can't win a title without phil

[Brett]

Couldn't win one with Phil the last two years either. HAHA. :rolleyes:

[DLRismydad]

Originally posted by Brett
Couldn't win one with Phil the last two years either. HAHA. :rolleyes:

hahah good point

[POJO_Risin]

It will be an interesting ride for Phil...

my guess?

If he's looking to win a title soon...he'll join the Cavs and try and shape that team in the offseason...

If he's looking to drum up a HUGE deal (not like he won't be getting one anyways)...he'll end up in la-la...

[Warham]

What makes you think Cleveland will win sooner than LA? What precendent is there for that?

I'm just curious.

[POJO_Risin]

There is no precedent...

the potential is there however...

of course...you know that...

LA needs to seriously revamp...

Cleveland does as well...

Cleveland is MOUNTAINS under the cap...of course...that doesn't really translate to squat until you get someone in there that doesn't have their head firmly planted inside their own asshole...but the facts are...they are...

if a few things happen...and admittedly...a lot of things...but if they happen...it's not a question of if...

here's what needs to happen...

1. a coach that can get the OTHER players to stop standing around with their thumb stuck up their asses watching LeBron...

2. A GM who fucking signs good players...and not players that stand around with their thumb stuck up their asses watching LeBron...

The Lakers have a major overhaul ahead of them...

and I still contend that if Phil doesn't come back to legitimize WANTING to play with Kobe...that the Lakers face at least three years before they make a serious run...

You'll disagree...I'd suspect nothing less...

but any even moderate NBA fan can see that LeBron's one man show is closer to legitimacy right now than Kobe's one man show based on talent, and ability to sign talent...

[ALinChainz]

I haven't heard that the Knicks were completely out of it, are they?

Haven't a clue myself ... to me, going back doesn't make a lick of sense.

[Warham]

No, I can see LA going at least five years without another title, but they WILL be back. That's the key thing. Some franchises have no hope of getting there, because they don't have the right owner or brains behind their operations. I don't have to worry about that being an LA fan. Their history proves it. That's what I meant by precedent.

Phil might not want to go to Cleveland because they've never shown anything in their past, and he'll probably be wise to look at their recent track record and decision making ability. LeBron and "cap room" probably isn't enough to get him to sign there. Like I said before, he knows Buss well, knows he was embarrassed by last year's finish, and he's always said that a team with Kobe has a shot of winning it all, which is true.

That's why I still suspect he will come back to LA at the end of the day.

[POJO_Risin]

Cleveland actually had good ownership...and a good GM when Embry was in the house...

they just ran into...

well...Phil Jackson...and the Chicago Bulls during all their initial title runs...Embry hung on to long to some guys...Daugherty got hurt...and there it went...

in comes a run of shit...and out they go...

No...no history like the Lakers...that's for sure...

Buss is a great owner...no doubt...but Mitch Kupchak is a dipshit...

I don't think it will take 5 years for the Lakers get back...I'm thinking three without Phil...less than three with Phil (because like I said...any questions about wanting to play with Kobe will end...because there's only one other guy who spoke out against Kobe more than Phil did in his book...Shaq)...

Phil would be a brilliant move by the Lakers...

[Warham]

The real reason I think he'll be back is I believe Buss knows that Phil is the best guy out there, and probably realizes he made a huge mistake by letting him go a year ago. That's my real reason ultimately for believing he'll be back: Jerry Buss.

You are right about Cleveland running into the Bulls.

I'm still bitter about LA losing to them in '91, even though we've won three since. That series burned me up. I just wish the Bulls could have played the '85 Lakers. They would've had their asses handed to them.

[POJO_Risin]

Buss "let him go?..."

[Warham]

Yeah, I think ultimately he did. They kinda said don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. He even made remarks about perhaps it was time that the triangle went.

[POJO_Risin]

I thought it was a mutual sayonara...his book says as much...

not quibbling...at all...but Phil did say that he wanted out as well...at the time...

[Warham]

Yep, you could say it was mutual.