Phil Jackson is reportedly open to the idea of coaching the New York Knicks during home games in 2016-17. Who would be best to pair with him for those on the road?
Dec 16, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks general manager Phil Jackson looks on during a stop in play against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
The biggest news of 2016 has arrived for the New York Knicks. The next head coach of the Knicks has yet to be announced, but a light was shone on what may be in the works for the future of the organization.
That light is shining directly on 11-time NBA champion head coach and current Knicks team president Phil Jackson—a dream that many never believed would become a reality.
According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, Jackson could take over as the Knicks’ head coach for home games in 2016-17.
There’s even talk Jackson could offer to coach home games next season, with Rambis coaching the road games. It’s an offer the late Lakers owner Jerry Buss once flatly rejected, but it could be an interesting compromise to hiring Rambis as the head coach next season.
Jackson would make the Knicks an exciting team for 41 games, but what about the outings played away from home?
Kurt Rambis currently holds the interim tag, but he’s yet to be locked in as the full-time head coach. There are an abundance of options to fill that role, but only so many can be rationally expected to embrace the opportunity to split coaching duties with Jackson.
The question is, who should Jackson take under his wing in 2016-17?
Ramona Shelburne of ESPN</a>, Jackson could take over as the Knicks’ head coach for home games in 2016-17.</p>
<blockquote><p>There’s even talk Jackson could offer to coach home games next season, with Rambis coaching the road games. It’s an offer the late Lakers owner Jerry Buss once flatly rejected, but it could be an interesting compromise to hiring Rambis as the head coach next season.</p></blockquote>
<p>Jackson would make the Knicks an exciting team for 41 games, but what about the outings played away from home?</p>
<p>Kurt Rambis currently holds the interim tag, but he’s yet to be locked in as the full-time head coach. There are an abundance of options to fill that role, but only so many can be rationally expected to embrace the opportunity to split coaching duties with Jackson.</p>
<p>The question is, who should Jackson take under his wing in 2016-17?</p>
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<a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2016/03/15/knicks-ideal-candidates-to-co-coach-with-phil-jackson/"https://dailyknicks.com/files/2016/03/kurt-rambis-carmelo-anthony-nba-portland-trail-blazers-new-york-knicks-1.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-58698"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-58698" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2016/03/15/knicks-ideal-candidates-to-co-coach-with-phil-jackson/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F03%2Fkurt-rambis-carmelo-anthony-nba-portland-trail-blazers-new-york-knicks-1-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389" /></a><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Mar 1, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks interim head coach Kurt Rambis looks on with forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Madison Square Garden. The Trail Blazers defeated the Knicks 104-85. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports</p>
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<h3>5. Kurt Rambis</h3>
<p>As a head coach, Kurt Rambis has a resume that can only be described as lackluster. He entered 2015-16 with a career head coaching record of 56-145, having made just one postseason appearance in his three seasons.</p>
<p>The reality is, there are very few candidates who can be described as willing to split head coaching duties, and Rambis is one of them.</p>
<p>Rambis isn’t the most desirable of candidates, based on his track record, but he’s essentially Phil Jackson’s partner already. They <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2016/03/15/knicks-ideal-candidates-to-co-coach-with-phil-jackson/"https://dailyknicks.com/2016/03/11/phil-jackson-discusses-carmelo-anthony-future-of-the-knicks/">speak far more often</a> than Jackson and Derek Fisher did, and their history together is admittedly strong.</p>
<p>Rambis won two championships as an assistant to Jackson in 2002 and 2009, and made another two NBA Finals appearances in 2004 and 2008.</p>
<p>Rambis has the advantage of spending the past two seasons as the associate head coach to Fisher with the Knicks. Thus, he’s already developed a relationship with players such as Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis, Robin Lopez, and Jerian Grant.</p>
<p>The question is, who are the superior options to the interim incumbent?</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Mar 5, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Sean Miller speaks to the crowd after the second half against the Stanford Cardinal at McKale Center. Arizona won 94-62. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports</p>
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<h3>4. Sean Miller</h3>
<p>The Arizona Wildcats play home to one of the most NBA-ready head coaches in college basketball. Long referenced as a potential fit for the professional ranks, Sean Miller has the larger-than-life persona and youth to be groomed as the next head coach of the New York Knicks.</p>
<p>Miller may not jump at the possibility of having to split coaching duties, but this would be the perfect way to prepare him for life in the NBA.</p>
<p>Miller has gone 188-60 since taking over at Arizona in 2009, and is 307-107 over the course of his college career. He’s made it to the Elite Eight on four different occasions, has six Sweet Sixteen appearances, and is the head coach of the USA’s under-19 men’s basketball team.</p>
<p>Outside of a Final Four appearance and a national championship, Miller has achieved roughly all there is to achieve on the collegiate front.</p>
<p>Miller is a masterful recruiter, which could translate well to his potential efforts in NBA free agency. He’s also a superb defensive coach who thrives in maintaining pressure along the perimeter, and crowding the paint with length and athleticism.</p>
<p>Miller can somewhat underwhelming on the offensive end of things, but there’s no better man to teach him how to execute in the half court than Phil Jackson.</p>
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<a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2016/03/15/knicks-ideal-candidates-to-co-coach-with-phil-jackson/"https://dailyknicks.com/files/2016/03/brian-shaw-nba-phoenix-suns-denver-nuggets.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-58697"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-58697" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2016/03/15/knicks-ideal-candidates-to-co-coach-with-phil-jackson/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F03%2Fbrian-shaw-nba-phoenix-suns-denver-nuggets-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389" /></a><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Feb 25, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports</p>
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<h3>3. Brian Shaw</h3>
<p>There’s a conflicted opinion amongst those who merely watch the NBA, but aside from a Denver Nuggets team that was loyal to George Karl, those within the Association love Brian Shaw. He was an incredibly successful assistant who won his players over and helped his head coaches execute with precision.</p>
<p>One of those head coaches just so happens to have been the man of the hour: New York Knicks team president and potential part-time head coach Phil Jackson.</p>
<p>Shaw won three championships as a player under Jackson, helping the Lakers achieve a three-peat between 2000 and 2002. He then served as an assistant coach to Jackson from 2005 to 2011, winning a second pair of titles in 2009 and 2010, respectively.</p>
<p>Shaw also experienced a great deal of success as an assistant to Frank Vogel with the Indiana Pacers between 2011 and 2013, helping the team reach the Eastern Conference Finals in the latter season.</p>
<p>Thus, it stands to reason that Shaw could thrive in a similar capacity with the Knicks in 2016-17. Whether or not he’s the answer in the long-term, he’s proven to be an excellent complement to Jackson in the past, and that’s something worth exploring.</p>
<p>If Shaw is willing to take on this unconventional task, then he’d be worth hiring.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Nov 26, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Ettore Messina watches from the sideline against the Indiana Pacers during the first half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports</p>
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<h3>2. Ettore Messina</h3>
<p>Ettore Messina is one of the most iconic head coaches in European basketball history. During his brief NBA career, he’s spent time as a consultant for the Los Angeles Lakers and as an assistant to San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>What better way to prepare for life as an NBA head coach than to go from an assistant to Popovich, to a temporary co-coach with Phil Jackson?</p>
<p>Messina is a four-time Euroleague champion who owns a combined 11 league championships between the Italian League, Russian League, and VTB United League. He also won seven Italian Cup titles, and another two rings through the Russian Cup.</p>
<p>Most recently, Messina made an acquaintance out of Kristaps Porzingis when he coached Team World at the 2016 Rising Stars Challenge</p>
<p>Messina is more than qualified to take on the duties of full-time head coach, but he’s a true student of the game. While it may be unlikely that he teams up with Jackson as an unorthodox coaching team, it’s certainly worth exploring whether or not he’d be open to it.</p>
<p>Messina, who built his European success through a system that emphasizes the value of big men, could help Jackson develop Porzingis and enhance the effectiveness of the Triangle Offense.</p>
<div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2016/03/15/knicks-ideal-candidates-to-co-coach-with-phil-jackson/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">No. 1</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—></p><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_58693" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2016/03/15/knicks-ideal-candidates-to-co-coach-with-phil-jackson/"https://dailyknicks.com/files/2016/03/luke-walton-nba-golden-state-warriors-denver-nuggets.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-58693"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-58693" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2016/03/15/knicks-ideal-candidates-to-co-coach-with-phil-jackson/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F03%2Fluke-walton-nba-golden-state-warriors-denver-nuggets-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389" /></a><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Jan 13, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Golden State Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton reacts to a play in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets defeated the Warriors 112-110. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports</p>
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<h3><strong>1. Luke Walton</strong></h3>
<p>The No. 1 option to split coaching duties with Phil Jackson is a man who has spent time as a player under Phil Jackson. Luke Walton, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers from 2003 to 2012, won two championships as a role player in Jackson’s Triangle Offense.</p>
<p>This season, Walton emerged as a big name on the coaching front by leading the Golden State Warriors to a record of 39-4 during Steve Kerr’s recovery from back surgery.</p>
<p>Walton is still a rookie from a coaching perspective, and his 39 wins in 43 games don’t actually count due to his interim tag. Nevertheless, he’s firmly solidified himself as one of the top options for a vast majority of coach-hungry NBA teams.</p>
<p>The hurdle for New York, per <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2016/03/15/knicks-ideal-candidates-to-co-coach-with-phil-jackson/"http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14973195/phil-jackson-feels-sense-urgency-knicks">Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles</a>, is that Walton isn’t keen on leaving the Warriors in the beginning stages of a dynasty.</p>
<blockquote><p>Golden State Warriors assistant coach Luke Walton will get a long look this offseason, but Walton is in no hurry to leave the Warriors. Not when they seem poised to contend for titles for years to come. After the job he did filling in for Steve Kerr at the start of this season — when he went 39-4 while Kerr recovered from back surgery — Walton can afford to be just as picky as Kerr was in choosing his first head coaching job.</p></blockquote>
<p>In other words, Walton isn’t too concerned with making an immediate jump to full-time head coach—and that’s exactly why he’s the No. 1 option.</p>
<p>Being able to split coaching duties with Phil Jackson, thus maintaining both head and assistant coach positions, would make life significantly easier for Walton. He could be Jackson’s up-close understudy for 41 games out of the season, and would somewhat independently put those lessons to use for the 41 on the road.</p>
<p>Come 2017-18, Walton would ideally be ready for his first career stint as full-time head coach.</p>
<style>.theiaPostSlider_nav._lower { display: none !important }</style><div class="nextpost sm relatedstory amp-stories"><a class="location" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2016/03/15/knicks-ideal-candidates-to-co-coach-with-phil-jackson/"https://dailyknicks.com/2016/03/14/knicks-kobe-bryant-says-fans-need-to-trust-phil-jackson/" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="more-stories-shortcode">More knicks: <span class="amp-teaser">Walton's former teammate, Kobe Bryant, believes that the Knicks need to trust Phil Jackson?</span></a></div>
<p>It’s hard to make a case that leaving Golden State would be wise, but coaching with Jackson is as appealing an opportunity as they come.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">