http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/what-if-phil-jackson-is-quietly-planning-to-coach-the-knicks/

As the coach hirings and firings continue to swirl, one man stands still. A conversation here, a secret interview there ... but for the most part, Phil Jackson has been quiet.

Having spoken informally with Luke Walton and more formally with David Blatt and Frank Vogel, Jackson still doesn't have a head coach nearly three months after firing Derek Fisher amid the Knicks' third straight losing season.

Or does he?

Even the most plugged-in figures in the NBA coaching business are puzzled by Jackson's meandering search -- except when you consider the possibility that the search never really began. One theory that was making the rounds in league circles at the Chicago pre-draft combine last week is this: Maybe Jackson already has his coach.

And it's him.

Well, not exactly Jackson -- but Jackson coaching behind the scenes with his friend and former assistant Kurt Rambis orchestrating it from the bench.

It's a farfetched idea that's so unorthodox, Jackson and Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan might just go for it: Jackson as the de facto head coach behind the scenes, with Rambis on stage as the glorified associate head coach.

On a sunny Friday in Chicago, Rambis strolled through the lobby of the Intercontinental Hotel, made his way out onto Michigan Avenue and ambled down the street. He was wearing jeans and carrying a backpack. To 95 percent of passersby, he was just another tall guy fetching an Uber XL.

Later, Rambis took a seat right behind the basket during 5-on-5 drills. Owing to past failures and shortsightedness, the Knicks don't have any picks in next month's draft, but have to do the grunt work anyway, in case they buy one.
Jackson, 70, has been vacationing in Montana, though the New York Daily News reported Sunday that the Zen Master took a break from the great outdoors to meet face-to-face with Vogel, who was let go by the Indiana Pacers despite making the playoffs in five out of six seasons -- including two trips to the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Knicks haven't been to the conference finals in 16 years.

Before you dismiss the idea of surrogate head coaching, let's make a few things clear: This is only a theory, though an informed one proposed to me during the combine by an executive within the NBA who has some experience with how business is conducted at the Garden. Several other equally plausible explanations for Jackson's pedestrian search exist:

1. Like Dolan, Jackson is a contrarian and doesn't care how anyone else conducts a coaching search. He'll do it his way, on his time.

2. Dolan, who has been known to mettle with basketball affairs, isn't keen on Jackson hiring his friend and paying him millions of dollars a year to serve as a body double.

3. Jackson honestly isn't sure what to do yet.

"Maybe he's decided that he wants to take a bigger bite out of the apple," one league source speculated, "but needs some time to figure out if he can do it or not."

Maybe Jackson will cave to convention and hire an accomplished coach like Blatt or Vogel, the latter of whom would bring instant credibility to a team that needs a steady hand to assure Carmelo Anthony that winning and competing in the postseason is within reach. Remember the heartfelt good-bye that Paul George posted on Instagram after Vogel was let go? George is friendly with Anthony and could easily assure him that he's in good hands with Vogel.

But maybe Jackson's real plan for his executive role with the Knicks is to do more of what he does best. The Knicks aren't paying him $12 million a year because of his accomplishments as an executive; there aren't enough decimal places even in MSG's rich coffers to compensate Jackson for the 11 championships he won as a coach (not to mention two as a player).

At the Garden, they say "once a Knick, always a Knick," which doesn't explain why the team won't interview its biggest legend, Patrick Ewing, but does explain something about Jackson. "Once a coach, always a coach" is what the saying should be where Dr. Phil is concerned.

There's no one else alive whose coaching resume can compare to Jackson's. So getting Jackson to earn his keep by actually coaching the Knicks would be viewed as a coup -- if only he were physically capable. Reality dictates that Jackson can't do it anymore; the grind of the road, even in first-class, layback seats on the Knicks' charter, would grind his artificial joints into dust. The monotony of it would drive him to distraction.

But there's nothing wrong with Jackson's coaching mind. And when you have the most decorated championship coach in NBA history in your employ, why pay a coach who hasn't won anything the going rate of $7 million a year to do it his way?

Why not just have a president of basketball operations and coaching?

Rambis would do it Jackson's way, and maybe that's been the point all along. How the Knicks sell it, and whether everyone involved has the devil-may-care fortitude to actually pull it off, is the great mystery of Jackson's weird search.

Maybe, just maybe, the de facto coach of the Knicks is already in the building, staring back at Phil Jackson in the mirror.

Even after Phil has interviewed 3 additional coaches besides Rambis, there's still a refusal to just accept that Phil is legitimately looking for the best man who can coach the team and also work well with him and his staff. He knows that it's not just about the players but also the front office and he himself. I think he just wants to do everything he can to help the team win, but he's not looking to seriously coach as if on a daily basis from the front office.

CrushAlot wrote:Great article. Thanks for posting it. It does provide a theory for the indecision regarding who the next coach will be. I do think Phil wants to coach and the only way he truly has a voice is thru Rambis. This kind of reminds me of the Knicks with the 15th spot. Wroten was available forever, would hint at a knick signing on twitter and then finally was signed.

CrushAlot wrote:

nixluva wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:Great article. Thanks for posting it. It does provide a theory for the indecision regarding who the next coach will be. I do think Phil wants to coach and the only way he truly has a voice is thru Rambis. This kind of reminds me of the Knicks with the 15th spot. Wroten was available forever, would hint at a knick signing on twitter and then finally was signed.

If Phil hires Vogel I think he still gets the same level of access. Vogel is on record as being a fan of Phil and wanting to get his thinking. He even hired Brian Shaw just to try and get some of that Mojo. I think Phil is just too old to actually coach but he'd like to be able to help from time to time. I see nothing wrong with that.

That would be awesome.

I personally think this is the best fit. He's a coach that has the right defensive credentials and has coached more traditional offense like the Triangle in the past. He has respect for Phil. He seems like he would be a perfect fit.

TLover wrote:I mentioned the possibility of PJ coaching in an earlier thread I started. Phil would coach for 1 year then turn the reins to Rambis. But maybe he brings in Vogel to be associate coach for a year to learn the triangle from Phil. It would almost be like a reverse Tex Winter scenario (if that makes sense)and put Rambis in the front office.

I don't think any such thing is gonna happen. Unless Jesus comes and gives Phil new hips and spine, I see no practical way he could return to the sidelines. His body is wrecked. I think the man simply wants input and a capable Head Coach.

newyorker4ever wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

newyorker4ever wrote:We've already done plenty of the maybe Phil will coach speculating on here and while i just can't see it happening it wouldn't surprise me too much if it did.

This is the part that interested me:

This is only a theory, though an informed one proposed to me during the combine by an executive within the NBA who has some experience with how business is conducted at the Garden. Several other equally plausible explanations for Jackson's pedestrian search exist:

I think that Phil might have been thinking about coaching next year in the beginning but has since changed his mind and i think that maybe the trip to Montana was to clear his mind and give it some serious thought and after some serious thought he probably decided against it which is why he's since started to interview more candidates for the job. Of course i have zero idea if that's true but it sounds like it's something that could be true. I also think that he's feeling out these other coaches on how they'd feel about having Rambis as their top assistant and wouldn't doubt if all this ends up being a different situation on how the head coach and assistants end up working out.

I just hope that after all of this he doesn't come out with Rambis as the head coach next year. as i've said i do think with the right talent that Rambis could win games but i really don't wanna take that chance and hoping for Vogel or Blatt but don't really know which one i'd have rated #1 or #2. Blatt is interesting cause he's a winner but that was overseas but i don't think he got a fair chance in Cleveland and think he would of done a good job if he did get that fair shot with them and i know they'd be as good as they are now with him. Vogel only scares me because of his offenses not being all that great but i think that's where a Rambis or even B.Shaw would come in handy.

I don't know what Phil ends up doing, but there is a process and the media and ourselves are not privy to it.

nixluva wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:Great article. Thanks for posting it. It does provide a theory for the indecision regarding who the next coach will be. I do think Phil wants to coach and the only way he truly has a voice is thru Rambis. This kind of reminds me of the Knicks with the 15th spot. Wroten was available forever, would hint at a knick signing on twitter and then finally was signed.

If Phil hires Vogel I think he still gets the same level of access. Vogel is on record as being a fan of Phil and wanting to get his thinking. He even hired Brian Shaw just to try and get some of that Mojo. I think Phil is just too old to actually coach but he'd like to be able to help from time to time. I see nothing wrong with that.

If that turns out to be true then Vogel better be ready to get absolutely ripped apart by the new york media clowns and it won't be a ripping that lasts a week or two, it will go on for most of the season with these clowns.

H1AND1 wrote:

nixluva wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:Great article. Thanks for posting it. It does provide a theory for the indecision regarding who the next coach will be. I do think Phil wants to coach and the only way he truly has a voice is thru Rambis. This kind of reminds me of the Knicks with the 15th spot. Wroten was available forever, would hint at a knick signing on twitter and then finally was signed.

If Phil hires Vogel I think he still gets the same level of access. Vogel is on record as being a fan of Phil and wanting to get his thinking. He even hired Brian Shaw just to try and get some of that Mojo. I think Phil is just too old to actually coach but he'd like to be able to help from time to time. I see nothing wrong with that.

I seriously doubt Vogel wants Phil breathing down his neck, second guessing him, etc. How many people want their boss doing that at work? The only reason Rambis puts up with it is because he had zero chance of getting a head coaching job anywhere besides a team Phil Jackson runs.

Relax, Rambis didn't come here to be a head coach. He was hired to be Fish's assistant.

Regarding Vogel, he might be ok for year or two have the greatest coach in the history of the NBA mentor him might not be the same as ones boss breathing down their necks.....