Phil Jackson Comments on Knicks' Free Agency and Future

New York Knicks president Phil Jackson remains optimistic about the direction of the organization despite missing out on some coveted targets this summer. He's also confident they will start attracting top free agents again once they turn the corner in their current rebuild.  

Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com reports LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre Jordan and Greg Monroe were among the marquee names linked to New York when free agency began. Jackson considered those "long shots" and understands what it will take to become a popular destination again.

"We need to win, be a competitive team," Jackson said, per MacMahon. "I think we showed agents and players around the league a serious nature of what we're trying to accomplish. People who know basketball will recognize that, and we'll have people who want to come here."

The Knicks attempted to upgrade a 17-win roster by adding some second-tier options, including Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo, Derrick Williams and Kyle O'Quinn. Jackson explained he definitely had a plan of attack and, for the most part, it worked out, per MacMahon: "We made a defensive attempt in free agency to really kind of solidify our team and give ourselves a basis from which we can work from. I think everything went according to how we thought it would go. There were some long shots out there that we took, but the reality was, we wanted what we got."

It's hard to argue with the approach. Improving at the defensive end is essential for the Knicks after finishing 21st in points allowed and 28th in defensive efficiency, per ESPN.com, last season. Being built around a superstar like Carmelo Anthony, who's a lackluster defender, makes the process tougher.

That said, the Knicks are still going to need to bring in more high-impact players to become truly competitive again, even in the weaker Eastern Conference.

Jackson hasn't wavered from the rebuilding plan. He even went as far to argue that he deserved Executive of the Year votes last season—not for the team's performance, of course, but rather for starting to reshape the roster and getting rid of some bad assets.

That praise will eventually arrive if his plan to rebuild the Knicks works. So far, the results have been mixed, and not landing any stars to pair with Anthony ensures there's plenty of work left to do. He's confident the team is going to continue to make strides, though, per MacMahon: "We're a team sport. When we're putting a team together, that's our first priority. How do we make it a team that works together? That's the important aspect of it. ... Obviously Carmelo is the guy that's the premier player. We understand that, but it's a team game. It has to fit together."

All told, the puzzle Jackson and Co. are working on is still in the early stages, and there are some pieces missing. But the basketball legend is clearly committed to making it work.