NBA Rumors: 10 Reasons NY Knicks Made Smart Choice by Not Hiring Phil Jackson

According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, the New York Knicks have no plans to contact Phil Jackson regarding their head coaching position—a sound decision to say the least.

Though his resume speaks for itself—he has in his possession more championship hardware than LeBron James would care to acknowledge—at this point in time, he's simply not what the Knicks need.

And as painstaking as it may be to admit, James Dolan made a wise decision to forgo the pursuit of the universally respected head coach.

Expectations

There is already enough pressure on the Knicks to perform, and Phil Jackson's presence would only heighten it.

New York's Big Three has seemingly become a Big Four with the emergence of Jeremy Lin, and the last thing the Knicks need right now is another star-caliber name added into the fold.

Mike Woodson is no slouch of a coach, but the pressure to win would be greater with Jackson at the helm.

For a Knicks team with a fragile psyche, the risk of disappointing even further is not worth the potential return Jackson could provide; a subpar season with a coach like Jackson could lead to the entire organization imploding. 

Ties to Los Angeles Lakers

Even as head coach of the Knicks, Phil Jackson's heart may forever lie in Los Angeles.

Jackson has passed up the chance to coach the Knicks twice before in favor of the Lakers and is also the longtime companion of Jeanie Buss, the daughter of Lakers owner Jerry Buss.

Factor in Los Angeles' deep appreciation and longing for Jackson's triangle offense, and you've got yourself a messy situation.

What if Jackson began to miss the life he had in Los Angeles or constantly compared his New York team to the one he coached across the country.

Jackson is one of the greatest coaches of all time, but the Knicks shouldn't be chasing someone who has yet to make their team a priority. 

Continuity

Championship-caliber teams must exude continuity from the front office all the way down the sidelines, and right now, the Knicks simply don't.

Hiring Phil Jackson only uproots an already unstable organization, and after a decade of musical coaches, revolving execs and targeting other teams' players, it's time New York danced with what it came with—including Mike Woodson.

Jackson's resume is incredible, but he would be another new face for a franchise that has yet to establish an identity.

With Jackson thrust onto the scene, the Knicks revert back to square one.  

Health

Phil Jackson's health may be improving, but at 66, he comes with a huge question mark.

Jackson is the owner of a fused spine, artificial hip and newly replaced knee, leaving the door open for an array of things to go wrong.

With stability being of the utmost importance, the Knicks need someone they can count on. Jackson boasts a brilliant basketball mind, but there's no guarantee he is able to make it through the season without having to miss extended time.

New York already has an injury-waiting-to-happen in Amar'e Stoudemire, hiring Jackson would just be overkill.

Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire

Unlike Mike D'Antoni, Mike Woodson has earned the support of both Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire.

That's huge.

Neither Anthony nor Stoudemire is likely to balk at the opportunity to play for Phil Jackson but at the same time, the Knicks finally have both their cornerstones on board with the current coach.

And there's no reason to disrupt that, because as we saw in the case of D'Antoni, going against Anthony's wishes will not make for a happy locker room.

The Dolan Family

James Dolan is not one to support the actions of an individualistic coach.

While this is no knock on Mike Woodson, the man kicked his agent to the curb to please New York's brass. That's the type of forced thinking Dolan has become accustomed to.

Jackson, though, is not one to bite his tongue. His tendency to offer up not-so-flattering comments would likely put him in the hot seat before the All-Star break.

Unless the Knicks are interested in creating a Jeff Van Gundy-type debacle, resisting the temptation to contact Jackson was a smart move. 

Larry Brown

Remember what happened the last time the Knicks landed the coach of their dreams?

That's right, Larry Brown, the man who barely lasted a year in the Big Apple.

While the Knicks were a considerably younger team in 2005, their roster still requires patience.

Phil Jackson is used to taking over upstanding franchises like the Lakers or Bulls. If New York turns out to have less than a picture-perfect season, the 66-year-old Jackson may become impatient.

Last time that happened, it left the Knicks' wallet considerably lighter and a New York with a head coach-sized hole to fill on the sidelines.

Jeremy Lin

Jeremy Lin is at a crucial stage in his development, and Phil Jackson's triangle offense may not be the best immediate fit for him.

The triangle offense doesn't call for a point guard who can drive-and-kick or penetrate in general on a consistent basis. Extensive familiarity with corner threes would be what Lin has to look forward to and that's more of a Steve Novak specialty.

While Jackson is the established difference maker, Lin serves as a cash-cow for the Knicks—one that James Dolan's not going to relinquish.

And as long as Lin's going to be around, he should be utilized in a system that calls for him to learn the ins and outs as an actual offensive facilitator.

Not a Fan of Carmelo Anthony

It's really no wonder why Carmelo Anthony is high on Mike Woodson.

According to Ian O'Connor of ESPN.com, Phil Jackson is not a fan of Carmelo Anthony's game—or Amar'e Stoudemire's, for that matter. 

While the possibility of dealing one of the two superstars has been broached, there's no point in bringing in a head coach who isn't sold on a single one of the Knicks' pillars.

New York has already chosen Anthony over one coach, and it would be absurd for the team to change its stance now. And pitting the two together knowing full well where Jackson stands is asking for trouble, as well as a slew of losing streaks.

Those are two realities the Knicks have experienced enough of.

Mike Woodson Deserves a Chance

Despite injuries and a wealth of uncertainty, Mike Woodson earned the right to coach for a full season after he took the reigns from Mike D'Antoni.

Woodson led the Knicks to an 18-6 regular season finish and, as ugly as it was, helped New York end its record-setting playoff drought.

Most importantly, though, the Knicks' Big Four—Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, Jeremy Lin and Amar'e Stoudemire—who were 8-9 together for the entire season, went 6-1 under Woodson.

Through accountability and two-way prioritization, he injected hope and potential into a star-laden roster without a clear direction.

And for that, the Knicks owe it to Woodson to see what he can accomplish with a full season under his belt.

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