Phil Jackson took over as the Knicks' president in 2014 and in the three seasons since, New York has gone 80-166 (.325). His decisions as an executive clearly haven't worked out, and that's why former NBA coach Mark Jackson had some harsh words for Jackson.
Speaking on a conference call Tuesday, the ABC/ESPN commentator began by offering praise for the coaching legend, but quickly turned to criticism. A New York native and former Knicks guard, Jackson, the commentator, has some emotional ties to the team.
“If I look at the numbers, look at the body of work, I can say that six championships later, Phil Jackson is one of the greatest coaches in the history of sports. Not just basketball, but in sports. And I can say that definitively. And I can also look at the numbers and say that as the guy running the New York Knicks, he’s done a poor job. When you look at the results, he’s been a failure thus far. Carmelo Anthony is an outstanding basketball player who has handled himself remarkably during these last couple of years. At the end of the day, he negotiated a no-trade clause. I think [Phil Jackson is] going about it the wrong way trying to force [Anthony] out. He has all the power and he’s taking full advantage of it.”
Most Knicks fans, or anyone keeping on eye on basketball in recent years, probably would agree with Mark Jackson, especially on the last part. Phil Jackson has been highly criticized by people in NBA circles for how he publicly handled Anthony's situation this season, especially at the end.
"We have not been able to win with him on the court at this time and I think the direction with our team is that he is a player that would be better off somewhere else," Phil Jackson said in his exit interview of Anthony.
There's also an issue with Kristaps Porzingis, who reportedly has some frustrations with the team.
The Knicks have missed the playoffs for four straight seasons, and unless something dramatic changes, we probably can expect more ineptitude from the franchise in the coming years.
