Feedback continues to pour in from Phil Jackson’s press conference on Friday, and almost all of it is negative. The Knicks president covered numerous topics in his first meeting with reporters since training camp, including the future of coach Jeff Hornacek, Derrick Rose‘s desire to stay with the team and whether Kristaps Porzingis is ready to be a franchise player. But the headlines revolved around the ongoing Carmelo Anthony dispute, with Jackson saying Anthony would be happier elsewhere.
Here’s a sampling of reaction from the media:
- Jackson is undermining Hornacek by announcing plans to do more “mentoring” next season, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Jackson suggested that he would rather still be coaching than handling front office duties and blames a vacation he took for the team falling apart. He also defended his triangle offense and insisted that any failures were caused by resistance from players “at the top,” which sounds like another swipe at Anthony.
- Jackson is blaming everyone but himself for the Knicks’ failures, charges Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. Jackson “emerged from his ivory tower,” Bontemps writes, and insulted Anthony, undercut Hornacek and alienated Porzingis, who skipped his exit interview on Friday. Bontemps also blasts Knicks owner James Dolan, who had a chance to cut ties with Jackson this week, but instead picked up his option for two more years.
- Jackson’s remarks toward Hornacek means the coach will be on a “short leash” starting next season, claims Marc Berman of The New York Post. Hornacek will be on the second year of a three-year contract and will be sharing control of the team with Jackson and assistant coach Kurt Rambis, another triangle advocate who served as interim coach before Hornacek was hired. Jackson cited “some disconnect at times with this team” at the press conference, and Berman states that discontent grew in the locker room as the season soured.
- The Knicks’ offseason may turn out to be worse than the regular season, suggests Al Iannazzone of Newsday. In 49 minutes, he writes, Jackson managed to lower Anthony’s trade value and scare off any prominent free agents who may have been considering New York. Iannazzone sums up Jackson’s strategy as making sure the triangle is emphasized and turning over the roster one more time.
Phil should go to the Bulls. Paxson needs to be fired, which would leave a spot for the Zen Master.
When it comes to winning, I think I’m gonna trust the guy with 11 titles and 13 finals appearances in 20 seasons. I don’t get all of the opposition to the triangle. It’s a proven system that when run right gives guys like Melo the entire run of the court. Shaq, Kobe, Scottie, and MJ all ran it to much success. Don’t tell me the way the league has changed doesn’t allow for it. On the subject of “Phil scaring off FAs”, free agents have and will always consider playing in the Mecca. The knicks have been a compete disaster for about 20 years now, at least they have young cheap talent thanks to Phil
That doesn’t make any sense. What he got as a coach has no bearing on his skill as a GM.
That’s like saying someone won 4 Oscars so you trust him to fly airplanes.
Phil made one mistake and it was trusting in Carmelo to play in a triangle offense, Melo simply failed to live up to Phil’s expectations and thats fine he will and can flourish on any other team in the league and Phil stated that. The thing is the media blows everything out of proportion making it seem like Phil sent shots at Melo when realistically all he said is that he holds the ball too much which is true he does. Why are teams like Golden State, San Antonio, Cleveland, and even Houston so hard to guard?BALL MOVEMENT, the ball moves around and Melo and Rose do not contribute to that so they both have to go. Lee,Porzingis, and even Noah when he is healthy next season are built for a triangle offense. The Knicks just have to be smart about who they draft, Fox could play in the triangle and push the tempo and I don’t see why they should not make a run at Shabazz Muhammad who can play the 2 and 3, can defend and can be a reliable shooter and he’s also super young.
Fox-Lee-Muhammad-Porzingis-Noah
Maybe the Knicks flip Melo for a pick and can draft a guard like Monk or I would love to see them pick up Grayson Allen or Luke Kennard who both could thrive in the triangle
Are you seriously defending Phil. I don’t care what you think about Melo or anybody else. Phil is a failure of a president and makes the Knicks worse each day he holds the position. Melo hasn’t been ideal, I agree, but he’s the best we got, and NO PLAYER deserves this type of treatment. He’s given nothing but loyalty and respect to the team and its fans. If you think this treatment won’t deter free agents, you’d probably be just as good a GM as Phil
The triangle success with Shaq, Kobe, Scottie and MJ, had more to do with Shaq, Kobe, Scottie and MJ than the triangle. There simply isn’t a defense for Phil and his antics recently – he’s lost whatever he once had, and needs to go.
The titles Jackson won as a coach are meaningless when it comes to putting together the team necessary to win titles with another coach running the team. By this type of thought process every player that retires with multiple rings should be a sure winner as a coach.
Melo I got your jersey and I wish I could keep wearing it but your time is up in New York dude. The Knicks should move Melo to Miami for Miami’s pick and Tyler Johnson, draft Fox and Isaac and both sides win, the Heat get a trio of Dragic,Melo, and Whiteside along with Winslow and probably a re-signed Waiters, you can move Winslow and Melo from 3-4 and they would be deadly. The Knicks get a point guard to feed Porzingis and push the tempo in Fox and a hybrid 3-4 in Isaac who can become dynamic small forward.
Knicks- Fox,Lee,Isaac,Porzingis,Noah(assuming he is healthy)
Heat-Dragic,Waiters/Richardson,Winslow,Melo,Whiteside(Melo can be a go to first option and play his game without having to play to his weaknesses playmaking out of the post in a triangle offense). The Heat will become legit contenders with Melo specially considering how they finished this season.
Some media types in the city are giving Big Chief Triangle props for candor. However they’ve given him a pass on the roster, which he constructed and the odd ball coaches, which he has hired. It seems as if the 7 month hiatus between press availabilities were forgotten for 49 minutes, which he hurt the franchise immeasurably. Jax won 11 NBA championships largely on the effort of others. He has yet to prove he can win without two of the top five players in the league and his acumen as a President is circumspect at best. Did he sleep at a Holiday Inn Express and now he’s prepared to be a leading team executive? Look at the body of work and make your assessment.
What happened to increasing the value of a player when you want to deal them? Phil is lost as a GM.
How are you able to take a 7 month vacation where you are just being passive agressive the whole time to your best player come back and tell said player to get lost as well as saying your top asset (porzingis) needs improvement too, and still get a extension. This is BS and anyone else would be fired on the spot
Wow it’s all ruined, is he just trying to get fired right after his option got picked up?
Kristaps is just gonna leave first chance he gets
Hey people of New York.
Your team is loud, incompetent and a waste of everyone’s time here. They’re Sacramento East. A joke.
I’m so damn sick of hearing about and taking about them.
SHUT UP PHIL
GO AWAY MELO
SHUT.
UP.
A classic case of “what have you done for me lately”… doesn’t matter how much of a legend you are, Phil.
What you done for me lately. Phil hasn’t done a Damn thing for KNICK FAN. This passive aggressive arrogance has to go. He has devalued assets, annoyed the fan base and kissed off KP. What has he done nothing. Fourth-three years and counting.