New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season

Hi

I would like Phil Jackson to return but Mike d'Antoni wouldn't be a bad choice either .. I have read that (here?) that he now take defense seriously and he has the pieces to make a defense work with the right defensive coordinator... From everything I have read the ball is in Phil Jackson's corner .. It is his to take the job or not... Plan B is d'Antoni his reunion with Nash and now a superlative center and a more than adequate power-forward (Gasol) could be a rather interesting mix and of course they would still have the Black Mamba .. Nash talents must be used the man still sees the court and now has more weapons than he ever had in Phoenix ... I like d'Antoni in that scenario a lot for the Lakers ..
 
He'll come for a whole lot less $$$ than Phiil. Plus I bet Phil will want a share in the club
 
He and Jeannie have been an item for years
 
Lakers speak to Phil Jackson about return

By GREG BEACHAM, AP

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers spoke to 11-time NBA champion coach Phil Jackson on Saturday about returning for a third stint on their bench.

The Lakers confirmed on their website that Jackson discussed the job with owner Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak. They'll meet again early next week.

Los Angeles fired coach Mike Brown on Friday after a 1-4 start to a season of enormous expectations. Interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff led the Lakers to a blowout win over Golden State later that night, and the Lakers said Bickerstaff will coach the club in a home game against Sacramento on Sunday night.

Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard have voiced their interest in playing for Jackson, and the legendary coach's return to the 16-time champion franchise seems probable as long as Jackson decides he's up to another stint in the prestigious job with a team that won five titles and reached seven NBA finals in his 11 seasons on its bench.

"Knowing him the way I do, I think it's really just a matter of health, if he feels physically up to doing it," Bryant said Friday night. "He's a perfectionist. We all know he's a perfectionist. If he feels like he can come in here and give what he demands from himself, then I think he would be interested."

After several chants of "We want Phil!" broke out in the Staples Center crowd on Friday night, the Lakers had the day off Saturday.

Jackson walked away from the Lakers in 2011, eager to improve his health by avoiding the constant grind of NBA travel. The former Knicks forward spent nine seasons on the Chicago Bulls' bench, winning six titles with Michael Jordan before moving to the Lakers in 1999.

Jackson left the Lakers in 2004 after the club lost to Detroit in the NBA finals, but he returned for a second stint after Rudy Tomjanovich and Frank Hamblen led Los Angeles to a 34-48 record in his one-year absence. After a rough start to his second stint, the Lakers reached three NBA finals and won two titles after acquiring Pau Gasol.

They fell short of Jackson's fourth three-peat when they lost to eventual champion Dallas in the second round of the 2011 playoffs. Jackson followed through on his promise to leave the club, which didn't acknowledge his departure with a news conference or any ceremony.

"The one thing that's kind of always bothered me is that his last year, I wasn't able to give him my normal self because I was playing on one leg," said Bryant, who had knee problems throughout the season. "That's always kind of eaten away at me, that the last year of his career, I wasn't able to give him everything I had."

If Jackson isn't looking forward to travel, he could return at a good time. Los Angeles began a six-game homestand Friday night, and will host San Antonio on Tuesday night.

Bryant vocally backed Brown's work over the past two seasons, including his decision to install a new offense that didn't click immediately with Howard or Steve Nash. After reacting to Brown's firing with shock, the fifth-leading scorer in NBA history said he would welcome a reunion with the coach who created a nearly impossible act to follow in both Chicago and Los Angeles.

Bryant has stayed in contact with Jackson during the coach's retirement, even getting a couple of Jackson's famed book recommendations.

"A lot of it is Phil's fault," Bryant said of the struggles of the coach's successors. "He teaches guys to be thinkers. He teaches us the little nuances, the details and the intricacies of the game that just a lot of people don't know. It's no fault of their own. When it comes to basketball, he's genius-level. It's tough for anybody to step in those shoes afterward from players that were raised underneath that tutelage."

Mike D'Antoni and Nate McMillan also are thought to be candidates for the job if Jackson declines. Kupchak said the Lakers are likely to hire a veteran coach who isn't currently employed.
 
Lakers to interview D'Antoni, Dunleavy

By David Aldridge

The Los Angeles Lakers plan to speak with former Knicks and Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni and former Lakers, Blazers, Bucks and Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy about their head coaching job in the coming days, according to a league source.

Those upcoming discussions will follow Saturday's meeting between Lakers officials and Phil Jackson, in which the two sides discussed the job but no official offer was made. "There is nothing to report," said a source involved with the discussions Saturday. Jackson, though, remains the overwhelming favorite to take over early next week. The 11-time champion, who won five of those rings in two stints with the Lakers, has the enthusiastic support of all of the team's star players, including Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol. Interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff, who took over Friday after the Lakers fired former coach Mike Brown, will coach Sunday's home game against Sacramento.
The Lakers next play at home Tuesday against San Antonio, but then have two days off before their next game, next Friday, at Staples Center against the Suns. Not making a hire until after the Spurs game would give the next head coach two days of practice before debuting against Phoenix, and give them a chance to interview other candidates. It is not believed that the Lakers have contacted former assistant coach and player Brian Shaw, who was Jackson's and Bryant's choice to succeed Jackson after Jackson's final season with the team in 2011. Shaw is now the associate head coach of the Pacers.
Former Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan told USA Today Saturday that he had not been contacted by the Lakers.
D'Antoni's camp was resigned earlier Saturday to the idea that Jackson would be the next head coach. The Lakers didn't contact D'Antoni throughout the day while interviewing Jackson. The Los Angeles Times reported that executive vice president Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak met with Jackson.
Jackson's longtime agents, Todd and Brian Musburger, said in June that Jackson was looking for a deal similar to the one that Pat Riley has in Miami if he were to return to the game. At the time, they said Jackson's inclination was not to return to coaching, but to seek a job where he would pick a coach and work with that coach and his staff. In Los Angeles, Jim Buss has the final say on basketball-related matters. But Buss did not have a very good relationship with Jackson, and after he left the team got rid of almost all of the people that had had any association with Jackson. Jim Buss chose Mike Brown to replace Jackson instead of other candidates like Rick Adelman, who subsequently took the head job with the Timberwolves.
Jackson, according to a source who knows him well, is in good shape after having a knee replacement last March. The likelihood is that if Jackson returns to coach, he'd want to bring back many of his longtime assistants, including Jim Cleamons, Frank Hamblen and Kurt Rambis. Most observers around the league think it would be easy for the team's current personnel that weren't in Los Angeles when Jackson last coached the Lakers to pick up the triangle offense Jackson has used since his days in Chicago in the 1990s. The offense would be especially good for Howard, who could thrive in the low post the same way Shaquille O'Neal did when the Lakers won three straight titles from 2001 through 2003.
D'Antoni, who resigned as head coach of the Knicks in March, is obviously familiar to Nash, who won back-to-back league MVP honors playing in D'Antoni's system in Phoenix. D'Antoni is also quite familiar with Bryant, whom he first met while he played--and Bryant lived--in Italy, and then coached as an assistant on the U.S. Olympic teams that won the gold medal in 2008 and 2012.
Dunleavy started his head coaching career with the Lakers, making the Finals in 1991 before losing to the Bulls in six games, before moving on to the Bucks, Blazers and Clippers. He last coached in 2010, getting fired with a 21-28 record with the Clippers. He put together a group that tried to buy the New Orleans Hornets and was thought to be the favorite before the team was sold by the NBA to New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson.



Not sure if Dunleavy is one I would consider. He was a disaster in his first stint with the Lakers
 
Sources: Phil Jackson in lead for job

By Chris Broussard

When Phil Jackson met with Los Angeles Lakers executive vice president Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak on Saturday, he asked for travel restrictions, a salary in line with what he previously earned with the Lakers and significantly more say over basketball decisions, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

The travel restrictions would limit the number of road games Jackson would have to attend, a source told ESPN.

While Jackson clearly remains the Lakers' top target, the meeting ended without an agreement and the group agreed to talk again in "a couple days," sources told ESPN.

Jackson was expected to give the Lakers his answer Monday, a source said.

"He's intrigued by the job but not completely sure it's the right thing to do," the source said.

The Lakers had a phone interview Saturday with former Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, a source told ESPN. According to the source, the interview went very well, "except it still feels like it's Phil's job to lose."

There was no in-person interview with D'Antoni scheduled after Saturday's initial phone interview, a source close to D'Antoni told ESPN.

"Probably depends on Phil," the source said.

In the meantime, the Lakers will interview former Los Angeles Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy, a source told ESPN.

Still, Jackson remains their focus. Almost immediately after firing Mike Brown on Friday morning, the Lakers zeroed in on Jackson who has won 11 NBA championships, including five with the Lakers. If he is amenable to a return under the right conditions, it likely would be on a two-year deal, sources told ESPN.

A source close to Jackson told ESPN on Saturday: "I can't imagine this not working out. Phil's health is fine now. That's no issue at all. Phil's feisty. He gets feisty when he's ready to coach. He likes this Lakers team."

Jackson also has been in touch with potential assistant coaches in the past two days, the source told ESPN.

The name of former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan has come up as well, but he said he's not a candidate for the job.

"They won't contact me," Sloan said. "I'm not concerned about that.

"I'm concerned that my name is being thrown out there every time a job is open. It makes me look like I'm desperate. I'm not campaigning for any jobs."

With the Lakers courting Jackson so hard, other potential coaching candidates are wondering what happens if there's no reunion. While refusing to say his client is no longer interested, one representative for one of the top coaches available said the job has gotten less attractive over the past several hours.

"The (contractual) terms would have to be very favorable for whoever they hire if it doesn't work out with Phil," the representative told ESPN. "Because you're going to have to weather the initial storm, the initial storm of disappointment on the part of the fans."

Jackson walked away from the game after the Lakers were swept out of the second round of the playoffs in 2010-11.

In his final news conference, Jackson noted that he didn't have much of a relationship with Jim Buss.

"People took that the wrong way," one source told ESPN. "There's no ill will between Jim and Phil."

SVP & Russillo

ESPN's Kurt Rambis gives his thoughts on why Mike Brown was unsuccessful in LA, breaks down the type of system which would work with the Lakers and more.

More Podcasts »
Bernie Bickerstaff will continue as interim head coach for at least another couple days, including for the Lakers' game against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, during the grace period.

Despite reports that D'Antoni had knee replacement surgery and will be sidelined up to six weeks, sources told ESPN that if hired by the Lakers, he is expected to be available to coach within 10 days to two weeks.

"It's not going to be a long process; that's for damn sure," a source told ESPN. "But they're going to do their due diligence."

Jackson, 67, took last season off to avoid the frustration associated with a lockout-shortened season and to improve his health. Jackson, who underwent knee replacement surgery in March, is "getting better and better," according to a source familiar with the rehabilitation process.

"He's been in tune with the Lakers' season and has kept an eye on the league," a source close to Jackson told ESPN.

Jackson's presence never has fully left the Lakers. He still frequently stops by the team's practice facility to visit his longtime girlfriend, Jeanie Buss. Kobe Bryant often quotes Jackson maxims during news conferences. Even Jackson's two elevated chairs -- one he used at home practices and one the team took on the road for away games -- are still propped up against a wall by the entrance to the training room at the practice facility.

Should Jackson return to the Lakers, league sources feel he would be interested in bringing along an assistant coach or associate head coach whom he could groom to be his successor. Jackson feels like he owes much of his success to his longtime consultant Tex Winter, the architect of the Triangle offense, and he would like to pay it forward to another young coach. When Jackson spoke to Portland and Orlando about their head-coaching vacancies this past offseason, a mentor arrangement was discussed in both situations, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

Although Jackson values the process of going through a full training camp when taking over a team, a source close to the coach told ESPN that could be mitigated with this Lakers' group because Jackson would be joining it with preexisting familiarity with the roster, namely Bryant, Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace, whom he coached to a championship in 2009-10.

Jackson is in Los Angeles and was seen sporting a mustache, the same look he went with when the Lakers first hired him in 1999, at a recent dinner.
 
Sources: Phil Jackson in lead for job

By Chris Broussard

When Phil Jackson met with Los Angeles Lakers executive vice president Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak on Saturday, he asked for travel restrictions, a salary in line with what he previously earned with the Lakers and significantly more say over basketball decisions, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

The travel restrictions would limit the number of road games Jackson would have to attend, a source told ESPN.

While Jackson clearly remains the Lakers' top target, the meeting ended without an agreement and the group agreed to talk again in "a couple days," sources told ESPN.

Jackson was expected to give the Lakers his answer Monday, a source said.

"He's intrigued by the job but not completely sure it's the right thing to do," the source said.

The Lakers had a phone interview Saturday with former Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, a source told ESPN. According to the source, the interview went very well, "except it still feels like it's Phil's job to lose."

There was no in-person interview with D'Antoni scheduled after Saturday's initial phone interview, a source close to D'Antoni told ESPN.

"Probably depends on Phil," the source said.

In the meantime, the Lakers will interview former Los Angeles Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy, a source told ESPN.

Still, Jackson remains their focus. Almost immediately after firing Mike Brown on Friday morning, the Lakers zeroed in on Jackson who has won 11 NBA championships, including five with the Lakers. If he is amenable to a return under the right conditions, it likely would be on a two-year deal, sources told ESPN.

A source close to Jackson told ESPN on Saturday: "I can't imagine this not working out. Phil's health is fine now. That's no issue at all. Phil's feisty. He gets feisty when he's ready to coach. He likes this Lakers team."

Jackson also has been in touch with potential assistant coaches in the past two days, the source told ESPN.

The name of former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan has come up as well, but he said he's not a candidate for the job.

"They won't contact me," Sloan said. "I'm not concerned about that.

"I'm concerned that my name is being thrown out there every time a job is open. It makes me look like I'm desperate. I'm not campaigning for any jobs."

With the Lakers courting Jackson so hard, other potential coaching candidates are wondering what happens if there's no reunion. While refusing to say his client is no longer interested, one representative for one of the top coaches available said the job has gotten less attractive over the past several hours.

"The (contractual) terms would have to be very favorable for whoever they hire if it doesn't work out with Phil," the representative told ESPN. "Because you're going to have to weather the initial storm, the initial storm of disappointment on the part of the fans."

Jackson walked away from the game after the Lakers were swept out of the second round of the playoffs in 2010-11.

In his final news conference, Jackson noted that he didn't have much of a relationship with Jim Buss.

"People took that the wrong way," one source told ESPN. "There's no ill will between Jim and Phil."

Bernie Bickerstaff will continue as interim head coach for at least another couple days, including for the Lakers' game against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, during the grace period.

Despite reports that D'Antoni had knee replacement surgery and will be sidelined up to six weeks, sources told ESPN that if hired by the Lakers, he is expected to be available to coach within 10 days to two weeks.

"It's not going to be a long process; that's for damn sure," a source told ESPN. "But they're going to do their due diligence."

Jackson, 67, took last season off to avoid the frustration associated with a lockout-shortened season and to improve his health. Jackson, who underwent knee replacement surgery in March, is "getting better and better," according to a source familiar with the rehabilitation process.

"He's been in tune with the Lakers' season and has kept an eye on the league," a source close to Jackson told ESPN.

Jackson's presence never has fully left the Lakers. He still frequently stops by the team's practice facility to visit his longtime girlfriend, Jeanie Buss. Kobe Bryant often quotes Jackson maxims during news conferences. Even Jackson's two elevated chairs -- one he used at home practices and one the team took on the road for away games -- are still propped up against a wall by the entrance to the training room at the practice facility.

Should Jackson return to the Lakers, league sources feel he would be interested in bringing along an assistant coach or associate head coach whom he could groom to be his successor. Jackson feels like he owes much of his success to his longtime consultant Tex Winter, the architect of the Triangle offense, and he would like to pay it forward to another young coach. When Jackson spoke to Portland and Orlando about their head-coaching vacancies this past offseason, a mentor arrangement was discussed in both situations, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

Although Jackson values the process of going through a full training camp when taking over a team, a source close to the coach told ESPN that could be mitigated with this Lakers' group because Jackson would be joining it with preexisting familiarity with the roster, namely Bryant, Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace, whom he coached to a championship in 2009-10.

Jackson is in Los Angeles and was seen sporting a mustache, the same look he went with when the Lakers first hired him in 1999, at a recent dinner.
 
Memphis with an exciting blow out thrashing over the Miami Heat. :D

Grizz improves to 5-1, and they look impressive. At one point limiting the Heat's 107 point average to 70 plus before the bench was cleared by Miami. Lots of tres rained in by MEM too, overshadowing the outputs of Ray Allen and Lewis. The crowd was so noisy it looked like they won the championship. :D
 
MylesBAstor said:
Good luck! You see how much better the Knicks are after they got rid of D'Antoni!

Not a bad gig though considering the Knicks are probably still paying D'Antoni and he'll be collecting another check from the Lakers :)
Click to expand...

yeah, good luck. and it seems lakers might hit it off with d'antoni's famed run and gun offense, dubbed 'seven seconds or less'. nash loves the guy and they had good runnin' years in phoenix. there should be lots of pick and rolls with nash and howard.
 
Well he isn't Phil but you know what, he ain't Mike Brown either ;)

D'Antoni had 2 babies to coach at NYC and even though Kobe needs his own attention, he is far too smart to let it happen between him and Howard as it did between him and Shaq years ago.

I think he should be OK and there won't be a Triangle offense. Hopefully he will be able to get them to defend against the pick and roll as Ron always points out
 
It will be interesting to see if the Lakers ancient starting 5 can keep up with D'Antoni's run and gun offense.
 
Hi

I actualy think the Princeton Offense was more predicated on young legs than d'Antoni Pick and Roll offense. It is a mistake to think that his offense is was all about running ... It is in essence about running to a position and shifting to pick whomever is defending the ball handler at a given time... The current Lakers line-up can do it .. Howard, Kobe and Meta still can move and fast, Howard may well be the fastest moving big man in the game and Gasol is not really a lead foot for a 7-footer... Just an aside Slow teams can run .. The 80's Celtics were all slow players except for Dennis Johnson and he wasn't a rabbit.. The Celtics had the best Fastbreak in the league this side of their 80's Lakers counterparts ... They scored points off the fast break with slow players .. The Lakers are not that slow .. No one expect a 7 footer to run (no one ask Dirk Norwitzki or Tim Duncan to run for example) yet the Lakers have in their starters 4 players capable of running .. Metta, Kobe, Dwight and Nash, he still can run and was running last year.. That what he does plus he can run (pun intended) an offense... I somehow frankly think d'Antoni is a better fit to the current line-up than Jackson. People we have Nash! It is an imperative to let one of the best point guard ever run the show with superlative offensive weapons. With a defense this team may fulfill the promise made when they acquired Howard and Nash ... They have to make sure they can defend against the Pick and roll.. else they won't go past OKC ...
 
But and the big "but" for me is that D'Antoni's practices never preached defense, merely run and gun
 
FWIW, Andrew Bynum is out until January with yet another knee injury
 
Ex-Laker endorses D'Antoni.

Mike D'Antoni will prove to be an excellent choice to coach the Lakers. Mike has proven his ability to get the most from players with differing talent levels, blending them into an effective unit. The Lakers may even try an up-tempo approach on offense. That would be just what many Laker fans have been waiting for.
~Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
 
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