With the New York Knicks all but eliminated from this year’s Playoff race, it’s time to look forward to the future. Though the team is capped out for next season, new team president Phil Jackson will have a lot of cap space to work with come 2015. An 11-time champion, the “Zen Master” knows what it takes to win a title, and plans on bringing his winning culture to New York.
Three ways Phil Jackson can turn the Knicks into a winner
The Triangle
[sc:NBA240banner ]Jackson’s popular Triangle Offense was a huge reason why the 90’s Chicago Bulls and 2000’s Los Angeles Lakers won six and five championships, respectively, which shows how effective it can be. Furthermore, Jackson’s system allowed isolation-centric players like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant to play more within a team concept – something that can help Carmelo Anthony.
Here are some stats from the Knicks this season:
In clutch situations where the game is within five points and one minute is left on the clock, the Knicks average just 2.3 points (third worst in the NBA).
In clutch situations where the game is within four points and 30 seconds is left on the clock, the Knicks average just one point (worst in the NBA).
New York struggles late in games because it often relies on Anthony and JR Smith to bail them out with tough contested jumpers, instead of set plays. Jackson – and whomever he hires as the next head coach – should remedy that. Phil said it best: “I believe in system basketball… We believe that is what we want to accomplish here.”
His Presence
By hiring Jackson, Knicks owner James Dolan proved he is dedicated to making his franchise a winner, contrary to popular belief. New York City is already a great destination for free agents, but adding the 11-time champion will make it even more attractive.
Many role players have shifted teams because of Jackson. That list includes Dennis Rodman, Robert Parish, Ron Artest, and more. Though Phil will be in New York’s offices rather than coaching on the bench, he has a way of getting connected to his players in order to gain their trust. His reputation will help the Knicks draw better free agent options, much like how Pat Riley has helped the Miami Heat in that regard.
Moreover, the Montana native likes to emphasize team unity and togetherness. Those are two things this season’s Knicks don’t have.
The Carmelo Anthony Effect
Melo doesn’t become an unrestricted free agent until July, but the Knicks already started recruiting him by signing Jackson. If Anthony stays in NYC, not only will he get better teammates, he will also learn to be more unselfish – he averages just 3.1 APG in his career – similar to what MJ and Kobe averaged before they played in Phil Jackson’s system.
Also, the former Syracuse champion has said that he would like to return to the Knicks, granted they make moves dedicated to winning games. For starters, hiring Phil Jackson is just that.
Now back to reality…
Phil Jackson is the Greatest Coach in NBA History
[sc:NBA240banner ]The Zen master’s winning ways have been as coach and there’s no denying his place on the Mount Rushmore of coaches. Does this qualify him as the leader who will take this ruined franchise to the Finals? No. Until we get more insight into who he chooses to surround himself with in the front office and who he chooses to man the sidelines, we won’t know exactly how powerful of a braintrust will be called upon to save the team.
Keep in mind however that Phil’s greatness as a coach was not only in the way he handled players, it was in his insistance of putting the right people into the right specialty positions. This worked with the sharpshooters manning the 3 point line (Kerr / Paxson), with his defensive stoppers (Harper / Rodman), and with his assistant coaches (Winter / Shaw).
Knicks Owner is Only One More Controlling Than Buss Family in LA
James Dolan is the single biggest reason people expect Phil to fail and the reason we have to expect just as much. His reputation, his tactics, his communication style, and his history of underming the franchise’s ability to evolve has stunted everyone that came before Phil, murdered their salary cap, and which will inevitably turn the greatest coach in NBA history into a footnote in the Knicks challenge of Donald Sterling’s title as worst NBA owner.
Phil thought he dealt with an oppressive regime in LA with the Buss family, but their chilled out vibe will feel like a holiday compared to what will run him out of Gotham within 5 years because of Dolan.
