LAS VEGAS – Knicks president Phil Jackson hasn’t spoken to the media since his modest free-agent haul, but as early as December he was making comments to a confidant about chasing free-agent centers Greg Monroe and DeAndre Jordan.
Jackson called Jordan the league’s best “defensive center,’’ but doubted being able to lure him away from the Clippers. He didn’t.
In an online series called “The Phil Files,’’ being published by ESPN in 10 weekly installments, author and Jackson pal Charley Rosen writes of the Zen Master’s center wish list during a meeting in December, when the Knicks were beginning to flail along to a 17-65 season.
Robin Lopez, who signed a four-year deal at $13.5 million per year last week, was on the list, but clearly was not the first choice — there’s no brief scouting report for him.
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Greg Monroe is introduced by the Milwaukee Bucks on July 9.
Photo: NBAE via Getty Images
Jackson, along with general manager Steve Mills and coach Derek Fisher, met with Monroe at midnight on July 1, but he chose the Bucks because of their better roster.
“Greg Monroe, for sure,’’ Jackson told Rosen. “He can hold his spot in the low post and he’s a good passer. His issues are his court speed and if he can defend.”
Rosen wrote Jordan was the center Jackson craved most.
“He never touches the ball on offense, and Doc Rivers used to ride his a– all the time, but Jordan’s the best defensive center in the league,” Jackson said. “We’ll never get him, though, because the Clippers can give him the most money.”
Also on Jackson’s list: restricted free agents Pero Antic, Enes Kanter, Miles Plumlee and Jonas Valanciunas, plus Mason Plumlee and Timofey Mozgov .
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Clippers center DeAndre Jordan
Photo: AP
Jackson also revealed in Part III of the series he deviated from his “hands-off’’ policy with coaching the team and ran a 90-minute film session in December during another losing streak because the club wasn’t grasping the ins and outs of the triangle.
“I basically reprised my coaching persona and did a tape session with the team,” Jackson said. “I spent 90 minutes going over 15 minutes of game action, taking them through what I saw. Everything from their faulty footwork to their flinging the ball instead of passing it, to their defense, to leaving the middle wide-open and getting beat on the offensive boards.’’
Jackson said he sensed the triangle was “too much work’’ for the players.
“Too many of these guys don’t want to change the way they’ve always played … running isos and screen/roles,” he says. “We simply don’t have enough talent to win playing that way. If we executed the triangle with a full commitment, and had the same attitude on defense, then we’d win our share of games. But that’s too much work.
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Robin Lopez landed with the Knicks for $54 million.
Photo: EPA
“Because they resist even trying these changes out, they’re way too passive out there. We are robotic in our actions; I’m waiting for this team to start to play using this offense for the individual talents, but together. The entire mindset and culture around here has to be improved.”
Since taking over 16 months ago, Jackson has let everyone go from the roster except Carmelo Anthony, with Andrea Bargnani being the last to flee.
Jackson also said Anthony had a loose cartilage in his right knee. The Knicks have announced Anthony had surgery to repair a left knee patellar tendon.

I hope he continues to deviate the "hands off approach" and jump in the fire this training camp

Does he have some kind of offensive ability that has been totally hidden up to now?

Shaq could not hit from outside, but he had a strong game in the post...can the same be said about Jordan?

Berman is such a piece of ****, sigh. Yes, we were desperate to keep Bargs and he just had to "flee". smh

knicks1248 wrote:

WaltLongmire wrote:I still have NO idea how Jackson would use a guy like Jordan in his offense, and this is why I never thought we would even pursue him as a FA.

Does he have some kind of offensive ability that has been totally hidden up to now?

Shaq could not hit from outside, but he had a strong game in the post...can the same be said about Jordan?

Thats the thing about most fans, the minute you talk about a player, your first thought is, how can this player impact the triangle with his skill set, but clearly phils first thought is, how can this player sure up our horrible defense. Notice he said D jordan was/is the best defensive center in the league. He brings up how the middle of our defense was a layup line.

when you bring in a player like rodman, are you thinking, how is he going to fit in the triangle, no your thinking, he can pass, defend, and rebound, and thats what winning is all about

There is a reason why Doc limited his touches on offense, and I doubt if it only has to do with FT shooting.

Jordan is a Great defender and good rebounder (again...not in Rodman's class), but a liability in our offense, with limited passing and post-up scoring ability, IMO. Actually glad that we did not spend $20M/year on him, and if he really had the ability to be a focal point in an offense like we run, I expect SA would have tried to pick him up instead of Aldridge.

WaltLongmire wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:

WaltLongmire wrote:I still have NO idea how Jackson would use a guy like Jordan in his offense, and this is why I never thought we would even pursue him as a FA.

Does he have some kind of offensive ability that has been totally hidden up to now?

Shaq could not hit from outside, but he had a strong game in the post...can the same be said about Jordan?

Thats the thing about most fans, the minute you talk about a player, your first thought is, how can this player impact the triangle with his skill set, but clearly phils first thought is, how can this player sure up our horrible defense. Notice he said D jordan was/is the best defensive center in the league. He brings up how the middle of our defense was a layup line.

when you bring in a player like rodman, are you thinking, how is he going to fit in the triangle, no your thinking, he can pass, defend, and rebound, and thats what winning is all about

Jordan's BB IQ is not in the same universe as Rodman's...Jordan has not been a good passer in the pros or college- has never gotten over 1APG, even in the extended minutes stats. Rodman was also a good player off the ball on the offensive end, and could cut to the basket well. Rodman knew his limitations, and he never wanted to be a focal point of an offense.

There is a reason why Doc limited his touches on offense, and I doubt if it only has to do with FT shooting.

Jordan is a Great defender and good rebounder (again...not in Rodman's class), but a liability in our offense, with limited passing and post-up scoring ability, IMO. Actually glad that we did not spend $20M/year on him, and if he really had the ability to be a focal point in an offense like we run, I expect SA would have tried to pick him up instead of Aldridge.

I wasn't comparing Rodman to Jordan by any stretch, I just used rodman as an example of a player with a certain skill set that wasn't on the offensive side.

jordan walked away from the meeting pretty impress with whatever phil, mills, and fisher told him (maybe he told him he could be a hall of famer by just rebounding, blocking shots, and playing lock down d like rodman)

actofgod wrote:"with Andrea Bargnani being the last to flee."

Berman is such a piece of ****, sigh. Yes, we were desperate to keep Bargs and he just had to "flee". smh

Berman is the greatest writer of his time. Unfortunately, his time was in pre school.