Lakers re-hire Phil Jackson as coach

[INTIMID8OR]

THIS sucks in my opinion .....Jackson sold his soul....



Lakers re-hire Phil Jackson as coach

June 14, 2005
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Phil Jackson is returning to the Los Angeles Lakers following a reconciliation with the team that cut him loose last year after three NBA championships in five seasons.

Spokesman John Black said Tuesday the team has rehired Jackson, who was let go by owner Jerry Buss last June 18.

A news conference was set for 5 p.m. EDT at Staples Center.


Jackson, who turns 60 in September, has had health issues in the past and underwent an angioplasty two years ago. He told ABC-TV before the opening game of the NBA Finals that he underwent a series of tests to make sure he was healthy.

Jackson's dismissal a year ago set in motion a makeover of massive proportions that proved to be disastrous.

Dominant big man Shaquille O'Neal demanded a trade and superstar Kobe Bryant opted out of his contract to become a free agent the same day Jackson's five-year run as coach ended.

The futures of O'Neal and Bryant were decided the following month, with O'Neal being traded to Miami and Bryant staying with the Lakers.

Rudy Tomjanovich succeeded Jackson, signing a five-year, $30 million contract, but lasted barely half a season, citing health reasons when he suddenly resigned Feb. 2.

Jackson's name was mentioned as a possible replacement almost immediately despite his having written a book detailing the 2003-04 season in which he called Bryant uncoachable and made other disparaging remarks about the franchise.

With injuries playing a major role, the Lakers lost 19 of their last 21 games under interim coach Frank Hamblen to finish 34-48 and out of the playoffs for just the second time since 1976.

Jackson has coached nine NBA championship teams -- six with the Chicago Bulls and in his first three years with the Lakers -- from 2000-2002. That ties him with former Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach for the most in league history.

Jackson also has a record 175 postseason victories and is tied for 10th on the NBA's all-time list with 830 wins in just 14 seasons -- nine with the Bulls and five with the Lakers. He has a .723 regular-season winning percentage and a .717 postseason winning percentage.

The Lakers were 285-125 in the regular season and 68-28 in the postseason under Jackson. But this figures to be his biggest challenge since the current team doesn't appear to have what it takes to return to elite status any time soon.

The Lakers are well over the salary cap, restricting their ability to bring in high-priced free-agent talent for at least two years. Their defense was abysmal last season; they had an unbalanced roster with too many small forwards; they had virtually no inside presence on either end of the court; and they were suspect at point guard.

Jeanie Buss, the owner's daughter and the Lakers' executive vice president of business operations, publicly lobbied for months for the return of Jackson, her longtime boyfriend.

She finally got her wish.

Bryant's reaction to a return by Jackson has seemed lukewarm at best. Shortly after Tomjanovich's resignation, Bryant said he would ``roll with it'' if Jackson returned.

Two days after the season ended, Bryant said he didn't care who was hired as coach, adding he trusted the track record of Jerry Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak.

``Whoever they bring in here, I'm going to be ready,'' Bryant said. ``I'm just open to whoever they feel like is going to get the job done.''

Buss said in early May he believed Jackson and Bryant could coexist.

``Oh, definitely. No question,'' Buss said. ``These people want to win.''

[THE BOUNCER]

he will bring the lakers back.

[Shibby]

I always though he would if Miami didn't make it to the finals. Since that happened it gives more attention to him coaching than what it will be like going up agains his former player who helped lead the heat to a confrence/NBA championship.

[INTIMID8OR]

Originally Posted by THE BOUNCER

he will bring the lakers back.

I agree .....I enjoy seeing Kobie on a losing team tho ..lol

[buccaneer19]

he will bring the lakers back somewhat, but not to what they were. not having shaq in the middle still takes away a lot.

[Taylor]

Originally Posted by buccaneer19

he will bring the lakers back somewhat, but not to what they were. not having shaq in the middle still takes away a lot.

jordan didn't have shaq...he had luc longley, cartwright, wennington, purdue


the only problem is nowadays theres a team called the spurs who have ginobli who pretty much cancels out kobe byrant right there

tony parker, tim duncan, robert horry (the playoff good luck charm), and a bench that's pretty much 12 deep

kobe byrant can win against anybody alone except for the spurs, and possibly the pistons...two TEAMS

kobe is probably the best tho, so theres no telling how far he can take them, the lakers would've been in the playoffs last year had kobe not missed a few weeks

[buccaneer19]

Originally Posted by Taylor

jordan didn't have shaq...he had luc longley, cartwright, wennington, purdue


the only problem is nowadays theres a team called the spurs who have ginobli who pretty much cancels out kobe byrant right there

tony parker, tim duncan, robert horry (the playoff good luck charm), and a bench that's pretty much 12 deep

kobe byrant can win against anybody alone except for the spurs, and possibly the pistons...two TEAMS

kobe is probably the best tho, so theres no telling how far he can take them, the lakers would've been in the playoffs last year had kobe not missed a few weeks

ok, you make somewhat of a point here but let me tell you a lil something. first off, your talking about micheal jordan, the best player to ever play the game, something kobe bryant will never be. second, jordan also had pippen every year, and rodman the year they won 72 games, two key players you forgot to mention in your first sentence. not to mention steve kerr, one of the games best three point shooters ever. what about john paxson, b.j. armstrong?? as for shaq, give me a break dude, kobe will never be as good as we was when the diesel was down low to open up shots for him. sure the lakers will be better than this year, but phil jackson could stay another ten years with kobe and i GUARANTEE that the lakers wont win another three championships (like they did with shaq.) you make a good point with the spurs, they play true team basketball because they are one of the few teams that actually take pride in their defense.

[Scotland]

I predict that Phil will be gone in 2 years with no championship to show for a mock come-comeback.

[hitmansb]

Originally Posted by buccaneer19

ok, you make somewhat of a point here but let me tell you a lil something. first off, your talking about micheal jordan, the best player to ever play the game, something kobe bryant will never be. second, jordan also had pippen every year, and rodman the year they won 72 games, two key players you forgot to mention in your first sentence. not to mention steve kerr, one of the games best three point shooters ever. what about john paxson, b.j. armstrong?? as for shaq, give me a break dude, kobe will never be as good as we was when the diesel was down low to open up shots for him. sure the lakers will be better than this year, but phil jackson could stay another ten years with kobe and i GUARANTEE that the lakers wont win another three championships (like they did with shaq.) you make a good point with the spurs, they play true team basketball because they are one of the few teams that actually take pride in their defense.

Agreed. What kind of chance do you think the Lakers have at landing a solid second star to bring them back to the top? Do you think any star in the league wants to play with Kobe Bryant after seeing the spoiled-child routine he pulled when Shaq was there? He's a terminal cancer to that franchise.

[Scotland]

Trade Kobe and get a whole new team with some opportunity. Send Kobe to the Clippers.

[buccaneer19]

Originally Posted by hitmansb

Agreed. What kind of chance do you think the Lakers have at landing a solid second star to bring them back to the top? Do you think any star in the league wants to play with Kobe Bryant after seeing the spoiled-child routine he pulled when Shaq was there? He's a terminal cancer to that franchise.

Exactly