Phil Jackson Moving New York Knicks Forward After First Taste of NBA Failure
The New York Knicks' depressing 2014-15 season was an anomaly for everyone involved, most of all for team president Phil Jackson. But with Carmelo Anthony (presumably) coming back healthy to a squad upgraded by summer acquisitions, Jackson's Knicks should soon be on the up-and-up.
In his 20 seasons as an NBA head coach with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, Jackson never once was responsible for a losing record, let alone a year absent of postseason play. Prior to his recent return to New York, the last time the Zen Master was party to a non-playoff situation came nearly 35 years ago, when he served as an assistant under Kevin Loughery for a 24-win New Jersey Nets squad.
To put that in perspective, that's still seven more victories than the franchise-worst 17 New York accumulated this past season.
Jackson has been part-and-parcel to bad NBA teams as both a player and coach, but never as an executive and never to anything quite so terrible as what the latest edition of the Knicks cobbled together. This past February, Jackson admitted to the New York Times' Harvey Araton that "So far, my experiment has fallen flat on its face."
And that was just halfway through what turned out to be a complete quagmire of a campaign.
Successes and failures alike, Jackson's NBA experiences have all offered lessons in what it takes to build a champion that apply to his present situation, and that should, in time, help him resurrect basketball at Madison Square Garden.
As currently constituted, the Knicks are still a long way from contending for a title, even with a bona fide superstar in Anthony on the roster. But the Zen Master has done plenty this summer to nudge them toward respectability in both the short and long terms.
On the one hand, losing out on the likes of LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre Jordan, Greg Monroe and Marc Gasol wasn't a good look for a franchise that fancies itself a prime destination for free agents. On the other hand, those who did heed Jackson's call to the Big Apple are far from shabby.
Arron Afflalo, for one, could be one of the best value buys of the summer. The eight-year veteran out of UCLA, who Jackson eyed at the trade deadline in February, is an above-average three-point shooter (38.5 percent from deep for his career) and also widely respected for his locker-room leadership and consummate professionalism. All of these qualities make Afflalo an upgrade, in one way or another, over each of the three shooting guards (J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and Tim Hardaway Jr.) New York has jettisoned since January.
Afflalo could be on his way out of Manhattan in short order, as well. The second year of his deal is a player option, and if he performs at a high level with the Knicks, Afflalo could look to cash in when the salary cap explodes next summer.
In the meantime, $8 million for a player of Afflalo's caliber, both on and off the court, looks like a steal.
The Knicks won't have to worry quite so much about Kyle O'Quinn, who can opt out of his new contract in 2018—and who'll never make more than $4.3 million per year.
That already looks like an outright steal for the Knicks. O'Quinn, a 6'10" New York native, can man either frontcourt spot. He's arguably better than any of the bigs (i.e. Jason Smith, Cole Aldrich, Andrea Bargnani, Travis Wear, Louis Amundson) who finished the season with the Knicks, and he's likely to come off the bench.
"I think I’ll have a solid backup role at first and then I’ll just work from there," O'Quinn told Basketball Insiders' Alex Kennedy. "I’m approaching it like I’m coming in as a rookie and have to work hard and prove myself. I do think that back-up big man role is pretty open and I want to capitalize on that."
He should have plenty of motivation to do so. O'Quinn has yet to taste postseason play, and at 25, his game is still growing. Last season, his third in the NBA, O'Quinn started to flash a three-point shot (12-of-43 from long range), which should boost his attempt to become a viable option in the triangle offense.
He'll be joined in New York's second unit by a slew of newly arrived misfits, from a former No. 2 pick (Derrick Williams) to a serviceable big man with an affinity for snakes (Kevin Seraphin) to a triangle-educated sniper (Sasha Vujacic).
Of all the players Jackson signed this offseason, though, Robin Lopez is the most important—and not just because his four-year, $54 million deal is far and away the biggest of the bunch.
Jackson had good reason for coveting the seven-foot Stanford product since at least last December. Lopez is a sturdy, two-way center who, prior to a hand injury this past season, had missed just two games across his three previous campaigns.
He isn't nearly as skilled as his twin brother, Brooklyn Nets All-Star Brook Lopez, but what Robin lacks in individual talent, he more than makes up for in other facets of the game. He's one of the league's most effective offensive rebounders, ranking just outside of the top 10 in offensive rebounding percentage among players who logged at least 20 minutes per game last season, per NBA.com.
Lopez is the sort of center who doesn't need the ball in his hands to affect the game offensively—a plus when working within the triangle and a must when playing alongside a ball-dominant player like Anthony. He's not afraid to mix it up inside for putbacks, set solid screens and knock down the occasional mid-range jumper if need be.
But if things go according to plan in New York, the bulk of Lopez's impact will be felt on the other end of the floor. According to NBA.com, Lopez checked in as one of the 10 most effective rim protectors among those who faced at least eight close shots per game.
Truth be told, the Knicks will need all the help they can get on both sides of the floor if they're to compete for a playoff spot in 2016. Per NBA.com, New York ranked 29th in offensive efficiency (97.1 points per 100 possessions) and 28th in defensive efficiency (107.2 points allowed per 100 possessions).
But Anthony's return from knee surgery should be a significant shot in the arm to the Knicks' attack. Say what you will about him, but when healthy, the eight-time All-Star remains one of the sport's most lethal scoring threats—and, just as importantly, one who commands the attention of multiple defenders more often than not. Plug Anthony into an operational triangle offense with upgraded talent around him, and New York shouldn't have too much trouble scoring at a league-average rate.
If the Knicks are really going to turn things around on Jackson's watch, they'll have to whip themselves into shape defensively. Despite his reputation as "Big Chief Triangle," Jackson has long buttered his bread on the defensive end.
As a player for the Knicks and New Jersey Nets, "Action" Jackson carved out a niche for himself as a physical defender and hard-nosed rebounder, by dint of his lanky frame and limited offensive game. The same held true for him as a coach, particularly when he first ascended to the head gig in Chicago in 1989. As the late David Halberstam wrote in Playing For Keeps:
"Phil Jackson had no illusions about his ability to coach an offense, but he knew he was a very good defensive coach. When Jackson got the team in the fall of 1989, he pushed all his players at camp to play pressure defense. That first camp was brutal. They were all to be in great shape and push hard on the defensive end; their energy there would create opportunities at the offensive end.
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According to Basketball-Reference.com, the Bulls finished 17th in defensive efficiency during that first season under Jackson. After that, Jackson's squads ranked among the top 10 in per-possession stinginess 15 times in 19 campaigns, including 10 of his 11 championship triumphs.
| 1989-90 | CHI | 17th | 55-27 | Conf Finals |
| 1990-91 | CHI | 7th | 61-21 | Championship |
| 1991-92 | CHI | 4th | 67-15 | Championship |
| 1992-93 | CHI | 7th | 57-25 | Championship |
| 1993-94 | CHI | 6th | 55-27 | Conf Semis |
| 1994-95 | CHI | 2nd | 47-35 | Conf Semis |
| 1995-96 | CHI | 1st | 72-10 | Championship |
| 1996-97 | CHI | 4th | 69-13 | Championship |
| 1997-98 | CHI | 3rd | 62-20 | Championship |
| 1999-2000 | LAL | 1st | 67-15 | Championship |
| 2000-01 | LAL | 21st | 56-26 | Championship |
| 2001-02 | LAL | 7th | 58-24 | Championship |
| 2002-03 | LAL | 19th | 50-32 | Conf Semis |
| 2003-04 | LAL | 8th | 56-26 | NBA Finals |
| 2005-06 | LAL | 15th | 45-37 | 1st Round |
| 2006-07 | LAL | 24th | 42-40 | 1st Round |
| 2007-08 | LAL | 5th | 57-25 | NBA Finals |
| 2008-09 | LAL | 6th | 65-17 | Championship |
| 2009-10 | LAL | 4th | 57-25 | Championship |
| 2010-11 | LAL | 6th | 57-25 | Conf Semis |
Granted, Jackson won't be stalking the sidelines in New York. That task will fall, instead, to Zen Master disciple Derek Fisher for the second year running. Fisher also won't have decorated defenders like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen or Kobe Bryant at his disposal, as Jackson did over the course of his coaching career.
But fashioning a team that focuses on getting stops and scoring easy buckets would be a step in the right direction for the Knicks. They'll have some young legs—in particular, those of rookies Kristaps Porzingis and Jerian Grant—who can get out in transition, ahead of Anthony setting up shop on the block.
Porzingis and Grant, in particular, figure to be the future of the organization. Porzingis, the No. 4 pick in the 2015 NBA draft, has all the tools to become a cornerstone for the Knicks down the line. At 7'1", the 20-year-old Latvian can run the floor, shoot from the perimeter and use his long arms to bother shots in the paint. Porzingis' pedigree—he hails from a basketball family and spent three years playing against grown men in Spain's Liga ACB—also points to positive growth in his future.
As for Grant, the 6'5" point guard has the size, shooting skills, smarts and bloodlines to shine in the triangle in short order. His father, Harvey, played 11 seasons in the NBA, and his uncle, Horace, won four titles under Jackson's tutelage—three in Chicago, one in L.A.
As Jerian explained in a piece for The Players' Tribune, he won't be mystified by Jackson's pet offense:
"A lot of people talk about the Triangle. It sounds mysterious, but I’ve watched game tape. I’ve studied up. I want to be able to master it some day, and actually, I think it’s a perfect fit with my style. Three of my biggest strengths are my passing ability, my size for a guard and my ability to space the floor, and every one of those strengths will lend well to running the Triangle.
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Grant and Porzingis won't have to carry a heavy load right away, not with veterans like Anthony, Lopez, Afflalo and Jose Calderon on hand. But the sooner New York's newest draftees mature into reliable NBA rotation players (and then some), the sooner the Knicks can start entertaining thoughts of a ticker-tape parade through the Canyon of Heroes. That new talent and youthful energy Porzingis and Grant bring to the table will need to form some facet of the Knicks' foundation going forward.
Especially since the Knicks are fresh out of draft picks until 2017.
"In truth, this is our last chance for a while to build through the draft," Jackson told long-time confidant Charley Rosen of ESPN.
| 2016 | Owe to TOR (After DEN Swap) | Owe to HOU |
| 2017 | Own Pick | Owe to HOU, Owed from UTA |
| 2018 | Own Pick | Owe Swap to PHI (with LAC Pick) |
| 2019 | Own Pick | Owed from HOU, CLE; Owe PHI; Swap with ORL |
| 2020 | Own Pick | Owe to PHI |
The players aren't the only ones in New York who will need time to spread their wings and grow into their new gigs. Fisher, too, still has a long way to go to establish his credentials as a coach. His debut season was an unmitigated disaster, and as highly respected as Fisher was during his playing days, credibility as a coach may be hard to come by if he can't squeeze significant improvement out of his upgraded roster in relatively short order.
That's also true for Jackson the executive, who's facing more scrutiny than anyone in the Big Apple these days. He's still at a point where his experience is counted in much the same way as an infant's age—17 months come August 18. Prior to signing his five-year, $60 million pact with the Knicks, Jackson had only circuitously sniffed a front-office job, as a personal confidant of Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, a professional one to Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores and a potential stakeholder in what might've been the revival of the Seattle SuperSonics.
As he detailed to Rosen in training camp last year, Jackson has a lot to learn about the ins and outs of his new job (via ESPN):
"I have to learn the deadline dates for various events, like when the rosters have to be finalized, when 10-day contracts can be signed, when contracts are guaranteed for the rest of the season, and things like that. Then there's learning who to call in the league offices if I need to get something done. Also, I've never really dealt with agents before. And, in order to make trades, I've got to know how to relate to the other individuals on all the other teams who are now my peers.
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In all likelihood, Jackson has mastered some of these particulars since then. Still, the road ahead will be a long one, and it won't be traveled overnight—not by Jackson, not by Fisher, not by the Knicks' new youngsters, not by the team or the organization as a whole.
Jackson's never been quite the quick-fix artist his historic track record might suggest. Though his teams have enjoyed success soon after his arrival, they've had to toil through growing pains.
His last pair of titles with the Lakers were preceded by three years of doldrums in L.A in the aftermath of Shaquille O'Neal's departure. The three-peat Jackson scored on the superior strength of Shaq and Bryant was the product of several seasons through which Jerry West constructed a talented roster that took its lumps against the West's best under then-head coach Del Harris.
Even Jackson's Bulls, in all of their unmatched glory, were no exception to this need for marinating. As Halberstam went on in Playing For Keeps, Chicago might not have been so close to the championship precipice upon Jackson's ascension if not for the hard work Doug Collins (with Jackson serving as an assistant) had previously expended to mold Pippen and Horace Grant into Jordan's star-caliber sidekicks:
"The team Jackson inherited was at a crossroads. If Collins had perhaps burned out emotionally, he had also brought Pippen and Grant to a much higher level of play. Years later, it was obvious that by dint of Collins' passion and drive, Jackson had picked up a team that was on the very threshold of greatness.
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Jackson didn't come by his first NBA post easily or quickly. He spent years toiling in the Continental Basketball Association (i.e. the forerunner to the D-League) and Puerto Rico before he caught on as an assistant in Chicago. Compared to those days, Jackson's time at the helm in New York, however choppy, probably seems a breeze.
In his nearly half-century affiliation with the NBA, the 69-year-old Jackson has never found himself quite so close to scratch as he did this past season, particularly after he shipped Smith and Shumpert to Cleveland for peanuts. If things break right for Jackson and the Knicks, they should find themselves at (or near) the top of the NBA's ladder in due course. Getting there won't be easy, even less so in light of Jackson's goal to "establish a way of playing basketball that will extend past my tenure here," as he told Rosen.
That tenure looks to be headed for better days.
Josh Martin covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.
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