Tuesday, March 18, 2014

The Impact of Phil Jackson


By Joseph Landini

Today marks a new era in the history of the New York Knicks. Phil Jackson will be announced Tuesday as the Knicks new President of Basketball Operations.

The longtime NBA coach and player will take the reigns of the storied franchise, which hasn't won a championship since Jackson played for them back in 1973. Although successful as both a player and coach, the impact on the franchise as president is to be determined. Right off the bat, Jackson will have to face obstacles and decisions, which will make or break the Knicks near future.

Personnel wise, there is one man on this roster and one only, which will determine the direction the franchise goes. With the decision upon us this off season, Carmelo Anthony will most likely decide whether he stays or goes. This decision will also show if the Knicks will attempt to contend, or in fact sink into another rebuild, which the city of New York is never privy too. Anthony has already made it clear on many occasions that he wants to win. The problem is whether or not he can win in New York with the situation they are in.

Pretty much in cap hell until 2015, Jackson may have to be imaginative and slick when it comes to this off season. In a way, you wonder if the Jackson hiring was to help bring in quality players. With a name like Phil Jackson at the top of the franchise corporate tree, the Knicks become an attractive destination for Free Agents. Jackson having the Pat Riley effect would be essential to the fix of the Knicks. Riley, partly due to his name, was able to build the Miami Heat into a powerhouse by bringing in quality players for less money. Hoping for Anthony to take a pay cut may be something Jackson prays for as well.

On the court, Jackson will not be coaching, but his presence has already been felt. Since the rumors have started to swirl, the focus went from the disgraceful and underachieving Knicks team, to Jackson. Within this time period the Knicks have quietly rolled off six straight games, all winning by double digits. With the focus not on the players for a brief moment, the Knicks have gotten themselves back in the hunt for a low playoff seed.

Although all may be good today, Knicks fans around the world have to be asking themselves: Is this going to end up like the last big name, Isiah Thomas? For everyone who does not remember, Thomas may be the worst President of Basketball Operations in the history of the NBA. With continuous head scratching transactions, a sexual harassment lawsuit and making the Knicks a complete joke from 2003-2008, Thomas will always be known as poor taste in New York.. Thomas put the Knicks in a five year drought, which many have called it the lowest point in franchise history. Obviously Phil Jackson will be given time to prove his worth, but this thought will be in every fans mind when moves go array.

Today the New York Knicks enter a new era, the question is whether it will be one which brings the title back to Madison Square Garden or one that brings even more heartbreak to a fan base starving for success?