NBA News Wire
Report: Mark Jackson draws Knicks’ interest
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
New York Knicks president Phil Jackson is open to hiring a coach not familiar with his triangle offense, according to the New York Post.
Since the Knicks lost out on Steve Kerr, who took the Golden State Warriors’ coaching job, former Warriors coach Mark Jackson is on the Knicks’ radar.
Mark Jackson does not specialize in the triangle offense, but Phil Jackson is reportedly willing to hire an experienced coach flexible enough to at least adapt to some principles of it.
ESPN.com reported Thursday that Luke Walton, Tyronne Lu and Derek Fisher are also among the candidates to become the Knicks’ next coach.
Walton spent this season as a developmental coach with the NBA D-League’s Los Angeles D-Fenders. Lue is an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers. Fisher is still playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder but he has said this is his last season. All three played for Phil Jackson with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Phil Jackson was scheduled to meet with general manager Steve Mills on Thursday night at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago to discuss candidates.
Mark Jackson is a Brooklyn native who starred for St. John’s and was a point guard with the Knicks. He coached the Warriors for three seasons, which included guiding them to the playoffs in each of the past two years.
Fisher is considered a similar candidate to Kerr because of his knowledge of running Jackson’s triangle offense as a player with the Lakers. Fisher could also be a candidate for the Lakers’ coaching job, which could create a bidding war between the two teams.
Fisher’s season is still ongoing as the Thunder advanced to the Western Conference finals Thursday. However, Fisher has also said he plans to sit out a year to spend time with his family before considering a coaching or front-office career.
Fisher was a finalist for the Lakers’ coaching job that ultimately went to Mike D’Antoni, who resigned after this season.
According to the Post, Jackson may also interview his former assistants, Kurt Rambis and Jim Cleamons, but needs permission from the Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, respectively. Both are experts at running the triangle offense. Indiana Pacers assistant Nate McMillan might also be a candidate, but his team in still in the playoffs.
Another possible candidate, Denver Nuggets coach Brian Shaw, told the Denver Post on Thursday he was not interested in interviewing for the Knicks job.
