That is the fundamental question facing him as he contemplates his first coaching hire as the Knicks’ president. Jackson is charged with the responsibility of bringing a championship to a franchise that has not won a title in more than 40 years.

Jackson has three great options: the former coaches Lionel Hollins and Mark Jackson, and Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Derek Fisher, who has no coaching experience and would be the most malleable of the group.

Fisher, 39, would follow a path similar to the one Jason Kidd took last when he retired as a player from the Knicks and went directly to the bench as the Nets’ coach. Mark Jackson retired as a player in 2004 and went into broadcasting, where he enjoyed success before being hired to coach the Golden State Warriors. Lionel Hollins spent 18 seasons as an N.B.A. assistant before getting his first full-time opportunity as a coach.

Fisher, an 18-year N.B.A. veteran, played for Phil Jackson with the Los Angeles Lakers and is familiar with his triangle offense, as his five N.B.A. titles with the team attest.

Mark Jackson is a former N.B.A. player and a New Yorker — who was hired by Golden State in 2011 from the broadcast booth. He was fired this month despite compiling a 51-31 record in the last of his three seasons with the team. His successor, Steve Kerr, was also hired from the broadcast booth, though before that Kerr — who was apparently Phil Jackson’s first choice for the Knicks — retired after three years as the president and general manager of the Phoenix Suns.

“One of the keys is to make things as easy as possible,” Mark Jackson said in a recent phone interview. “Make sure you have the right people around you; that’s whether you are a first-year coach or a 20-years coach.”

This season, Mark Jackson had one assistant, Brian Scalabrine, reassigned and another, Darren Erman, fired.

Negotiating management and ownership is also crucial, particularly in New York, where the mercurial James L. Dolan rules.

“Owners are like players,” Mark Jackson said. “Some are better than others. Some let you do your job; some are involved. At the end of the day, it’s 30 different stories.”

Hollins took the more traditional route to his first job. He played 10 N.B.A. seasons and won a championship in 1977 with the Portland Trail Blazers. He was an assistant coach with Arizona State, the Suns and the Vancouver Grizzlies before becoming an interim head coach with the team in 1999-2000. In 2000, he was the coach of the Las Vegas Silver Bandits of the International Basketball League, and in 2002 he led the St. Louis Skyhawks of the United States Basketball League.

He was interim coach again in 2004 when Vancouver relocated to Memphis and was an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2008-9. He was hired as Memphis’s coach in 2009, but his contract was not renewed last year after he led the Grizzlies to the Western Conference finals with a 56-26 record.

At any level, coaching requires a unique skill set. Just as there are a lot of people who play basketball but few basketball players, there are many who coach basketball, but there are relatively few basketball coaches.

“The uniqueness of this job is that every day I go to work it’s different,” Hollins said by phone. “I set out to do the same thing, but there’s something you have to adjust to. There’s so much adversity you have to overcome. It’s a lot like life. You learn a lot of what not to do.”

He added, “I’ve had a lot of experiences that have taught me a lot.”

What do you get from a coach like Hollins who paid his dues as an assistant before getting his first full-time job?

You get an experienced coach who knows disappointment and knows how to stay focused and overcome obstacles.

A lot of good choices. An abundance of riches. I'm almost tempted to believe again.Almost.

Let Phil coach and let that be the end of it.

Thank God you didn't suggest Isiah Thomas.Sorry pal. Your three choices are not championship winning coaches.Phil needs to find a way to...

“That’s what you get,” Hollins said. “Does it take 18 years? No, but if you don’t get an opportunity you have to stay out there. Everybody wants to do, but when opportunities aren’t there, what are you going to do? Are you going lay down and quit? Whine and cry? I’m able to share from my perspective. I’ve got all this stuff inside me that I can impart that relates to them without even telling my story. But telling them the concepts of how you have to deal with adversity.”

Hollins, Jackson or Fisher would be a good fit in New York. Fisher knows Phil Jackson, Mark Jackson knows New York and Hollins has rich life experiences.

It might make sense for the Knicks to hire Fisher, who has served as the president of the players union. As a neophyte coach close to his boss, he would be Jackson’s mentee.

Mark Jackson and certainly Hollins are far more formed and set with strong coaching personalities, philosophies and calluses after having been fired.

The good news for the Knicks and their fans is that Phil Jackson has a number of good options, perhaps including hot college coaches like Florida’s Billy Donovan and Kentucky’s John Calipari.

“It’s the nature of the business,” Hollins said. “It’s competitive. There are 30 teams, but there’s not 30 teams that have vacancies every year. There’s always competition. That’s what makes it such a privilege to have one.”

If the triangle offense teaches anything, it’s that there are many good options; the trick is to choose the best one.

Mark Jackson, Lionel Hollins, Derek Fisher.

Will Phil Jackson make the right move? That depends on whether he wants a head coach — or a marionette.

nixluva wrote:The only way the Knicks end up with a "GREAT" coach is if Phil takes the job. Other than that we have to accept his idea of an apprentice who has leadership qualities. Phil will help to build up whoever ends up as coach. This is the best we can hope for. Champions aren't just sitting around waiting for us to call. Phil was the only one available and he wants to move upstairs.

I already said it doesn't matter who the coach is as long as he has no precious ties to a different coach and system. The coach should be an extension of Phil and be able to execute his system and philosophy. Over time that coach will be less reliant on Phil and he gains experience and respect. See Eric Spoelstra and Pat Riley. Riley doesn't need to involve himself as much any more. Spo has the players under his control but it took a few years. Continuity and winning culture. It ain't that hard. But let's hire Lionel Hollins Jeez

I mean seriously, read 'Eleven Rings: the Soul to Success'. Anyone who has to be that hands on with calling plays or just that hands on in general will not be the right fit.

In that book Phil basically says the beautiful thing about the triangle is that it is a read and react offense. Very rarely did they call a set play. Phil's teams knew how to exploit the other team's weakness within the confines of the triangle.

Anyway, read the damned book instead of this garbage because what Phil is looking for makes so much more sense to me after reading it

gunsnewing wrote:Doesn't mean Shaw can't have success here running the triangle for Phil. He doesn't have the same kind of support from the front office that he would have here with Phil. That said I want nothing to do with Shaw if it means giving up ANY pick as compensation

Im thinking more of how he relates to his players. He benched Miller knowing that would break his streak, and knowing that they were statistically better on the floor with him. To do that to a fellow vet who had shown he was the better option doesnt inspire much confidence.

gunsnewing wrote:Fair point. I like that Shaw has years of experience under Phil as a coach whereas fisher has absolutely none. I think it took Kidd a while to figure out the Nets. I'm not opposed to fisher at all but we will see I guess. I liked Kerr because he spent a lot of time as GM and analyst and has been studying the game from a coaching standpoint since he almost got the job through Phil in Seattle

Also a fair point about experience.

chewy wrote:Thibs said his dream job is the Knicks... That a great choice. I understand why Phil might not want him but why not call the Bulls?

We would need to send multiple picks chicagos way since Thibbs is under contract for years

fishmike wrote:

Vmart wrote:

nixluva wrote:I don't like the puppet tag the media is touting. I think that is a diss to how intelligent Phil is. His former assistants expressed how he gave them freedom to contribute their own ideas. I don't think he would hire a guy and expect him not to have their own ideas. He'll be there to help and set the overall tone for the team but he can't control everything from upstairs and I don't think he wants to. Phil wants to be able to trust his coach and have some idea of how he'll handle things.

The media has it's agenda of chopping Phil down from the pedestal and into a pauper. They want Phil to fail and the Knicks. There is nothing good about the media they like to cause turmoil in the club house simply because it sells more papers.

they hate Dolan and his ridic media policy.

No they hate everybody. They like to create tabloid type sensation to up sales.