Cleveland Cavaliers Have Reportedly Reached Out to Phil Jackson

The Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly interested in Phil Jackson filling the head coaching void that was created after Byron Scott was relieved of his duties last Thursday.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Marc Stein have the news:

"As they did eight years ago when he was in retirement, the Cleveland Cavaliers have reached out to Phil Jackson about their head coach opening, sources told ESPN.com."

The offseason has officially begun for the Cavs, but it's clear they would like to have a head coach in place before proceeding with anything else. 

While Jackson, one of the most successful NBA coaches of all time, is obviously a no-brainer target, it's difficult to imagine the Zen Master coming out of retirement for this particular job. 

That’s not to say this position is a bad one.

The Cavaliers already have a superstar point guard in Kyrie Irving, who, at 21, should only continue to get better. They also have a budding star down low in 22-year-old Tristan Thompson, who averaged a double-double after this year’s All-Star break. Finally, they hold two first-round picks—including one likely in the top five—and four overall in the top 35 in the upcoming draft.

There are several pieces in place that suggest this team will contend in the near future. Nevertheless, Jackson hasn’t been known to take on a low-profile head coaching job—guiding only the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers to 1,155 wins and 11 NBA titles during his storied career.

He has attracted lots of attention since stepping down from the Lakers two years ago, but hasn’t taken the bait to leave the retired life. 

In addition to the Cavs, the report mentions the Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings—if they move to Seattle—as other potential suitors for Jackson’s services. 

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