Phil Jackson Says He Won't Opt Out Of Contract, Committed To Turning Around Knicks
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Phil Jackson says he has no intention of opting out of his contract with the Knicks next year.
In an interview with ESPN, the Knicks president said he's committed to ensuring the franchise is competitive again. There has been speculation that Jackson could take a front office role with the Lakers, where his fiancee, Jeanie Buss, is the team president.
"Do I have to win a championship before I feel I've done the job I've been asked to do, which is to bring this group back to that competitive level? No, I don't," Jackson said. "We're starting to make progress. I like a lot of the things we are doing here. But we've got more to do.
"It was never important to me to go back (to the Lakers) and be a part of that. Especially not now. I have this job, this commitment."
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Jackson added that the reason he had an opt-out clause written into his contract was in case there was a lockout.
"If it was going to happen in December and everybody chose to walk away, there was no way I was going to sit in New York for three, four months when I didn't have a job, because (the players) aren't even allowed to show up to work," he said. "So, in that case, I would go back to L.A."
The "Zen Master" also was asked if he was frustrated with new head coach Jeff Hornacek for not employing the triangle offense enough.
"No. But when they run it, I want them to run it the right way," he said. "If you are going to do it, use your skills and run it the right way. I'm not frustrated at all. Derrick Rose missed three weeks of training camp (because of a civil rape trial). It's totally understandable where we are as a ballclub."
Jackson said he was drawn to Hornacek during his coaching search because he has "a learner's mind."
"I followed this guy since he went to Iowa State," Jackson said. "When he came to the pros I wondered, 'Would he have enough athletic talent?' He found a way. He's adaptable. He's also very competitive. I like the way he talks to young players. It's become so restrictive on how much of an intrusion a coaching staff can be in the players' lives. There has to be so many days off, and so many days for players' association meetings and community appearances."
As for his decision to trade for Derrick Rose, Jackson said it was the best option because the top free agent point guard, Mike Conley, was going to cost $30 million a year, a price tag Jackson called "almost insane," and that it gave the Knicks a year to see if Rose has "enough left in the tank" before evaluating the 2017 free agent market.
