Phil Jackson talks are still alive!

[OrlandO]

David Aldridge's story http://www.nba.com/2012/news/06/06/jack ... ef:nbahpt2
Agents for Magic, Jackson deny contact about job

In an unusual display of independent solidarity from NBA parties, both the agents for Phil Jackson and an Orlando Magic source denied Wednesday any contact between the parties on a potential kingmaker role for Jackson with the Magic organization.

Former Bobcats coach Sam Vincent was freelancing a proposal with no authorization to speak for the Magic, the agents said.

Stories in the Orlando Sentinel last week and on SI.com Tuesday said that a proposal that would bring Jackson to the Magic as an executive was on the table. However, Jackson's longtime agents, Todd and Brian Musburger, said Wednesday that the Magic has never contacted them about Jackson. And a league source familiar with the Magic's search for a new general manager said that Vincent was not speaking for the Magic, nor are the Magic interested in hiring Jackson.

"One, Phil never voiced any interest in Orlando," Todd Musburger said "never had us check it out, never checked it out himself. Two, Orlando never called."

Brian Musburger said Wednesday that the 66-year-old Jackson was interested in a "hybrid" management role -- a Pat Riley-Tex Winter combination," Musburger said -- that would make Jackson the head of basketball operations and give Jackson authority over the entire organization, including picking the next coach. (That coach would run Jackson's beloved triangle offense.)

The source with knowledge of Orlando's search said that Vincent, the former Magic player and Bobcats head coach, met with Orlando CEO Alex Martins, who is heading the GM search, last Thursday. Vincent, according to the source, said he had "a big idea" and could "deliver" Jackson to Orlando. But, the Musburgers said Wednesday, Vincent hadn't discussed the proposal with Jackson or with his agents.

But the source indicated that Martins wants no part of such an arrangement where Jackson was a "part time" director of basketball operations. At any rate, the team wasn't, and isn't, interested in pursuing the proposal.

However, the Magic is "very fond of" Shaw, the source said, and Shaw would be on the team's short list for potential head coaches after the GM is hired.

Jackson would definitely live in the city where he gets a job, Todd Musburger said, saying it was "insulting" to believe that Jackson was interested in being a commuter executive. "You will not find Phil Jackson on the golf course," he said.

Jackson, both Musburgers said, is not likely to coach again, even though he's been given a clean bill of health after having his left knee replaced in March. He would rather be a kind of consigliere to a new head coach, in the role that Winter played for him in Chicago and Los Angeles.

"Phil would be very comfortable I he never returns to the NBA," Todd Musburger said. "But I think he would be very comfortable returning. There's a lot of frustration when you're sitting in your living room and watching a team try to defend a screen and roll, and you can't put your hands on an organization."

Todd Musburger said Jackson would like to be involved with the new staff, "not to second-guess them, but to help them prepare for doing their job. I think he would find that challenging and rewarding."

Said Brian Musburger: "he valued that relationship (with Winter) too much (to interfere with a new head coach). I think he would love to mentor somebody in that kind of way" Winter did with him.

"We are not in contact with anybody who is in any authority to do anything," Todd Musburger said. "Until we hear from people who have real authority and real decision making capability, there's nothing worth discussing."

[dsg2021]

Nothing too surprising. Both Phil and Magic aren't interested in many parts of Sam's plan and it's going to take Magic officials to gauge Phil personally which seems unlikely at this point of where Martins has his finalists already and 4/5 of the candidates sound really amazing.

[SnuggLes__]

If the heat lose a coaching position will be available in Miami... Wouldn't Phil rather make a comeback ala Jordan instead of GM'ing this mess every sixth week? Hell it doesn't even sound right..

Just don't see it happening guys...

[Hilltop]

Okay, who is this Sam Vincent fool?

[HeartAndHustle]

If the heat lose a coaching position will be available in Miami... Wouldn't Phil rather make a comeback ala Jordan instead of GM'ing this mess every sixth week? Hell it doesn't even sound right..

Just don't see it happening guys...

Snuggles, first of all Spo will not be fired even if the heat lose tomorrow, mark my word. Second of all, you think Pat Riley and Phil Jackson actually get along?

[J the Drafter]

If it still matters, I have confirmation from LaLa, Sofa King, and Skyhook from the Lakers board that Luke did indeed ask Phil to start Ariza.

[HeartAndHustle]

If it still matters, I have confirmation from LaLa, Sofa King, and Skyhook from the Lakers board that Luke did indeed ask Phil to start Ariza.

[OrlandO]

Okay, who is this Sam Vincent fool?

Too young to remember?

[HeartAndHustle]

Okay, who is this Sam Vincent fool?

Too young to remember?

Is that the late, great O.J. in the backround selling peanuts??

[MasterGMer]

No, I personally don't want Triangle offense. We want exciting PnR offense that is uptempo and exciting. A good point guard play offense please.

[Hilltop]

Okay, who is this Sam Vincent fool?

Too young to remember?

I just looked him up. I was born in his first year in Orlando, so yeah

[OrlandO]

Okay, who is this Sam Vincent fool?

Too young to remember?

I just looked him up. I was born in his first year in Orlando, so yeah

He wasn't very good as a player. He also played for the Bulls when Phil Jackson was an assistant. I guess that's the connection between the two. Apparently he coached the Bobcats for one losing season, which I don't recall at all.

[otownflava21]

[quote="OrlandO]Too young to remember?
[/quote]
I just looked him up. I was born in his first year in Orlando, so yeah[/quote]
He wasn't very good as a player. He also played for the Bulls when Phil Jackson was an assistant. I guess that's the connection between the two. Apparently he coached the Bobcats for one losing season, which I don't recall at all.[/quote]

He wasnt good, but he wasnt bad either. pretty quick and strong for his size. not an amazing jumpshot but a legit, team directing pointguard that seemed to know a lot about the game and how its supposed to be played. he knew how to run a team at the point. he was his best taking it to the basket or on the fast break.

i believe he averaged 11ppg and almost 6apg his best season here with the magic, which was during the expansion days before Shaq.

[SnuggLes__]

If the heat lose a coaching position will be available in Miami... Wouldn't Phil rather make a comeback ala Jordan instead of GM'ing this mess every sixth week? Hell it doesn't even sound right..

Just don't see it happening guys...

Snuggles, first of all Spo will not be fired even if the heat lose tomorrow, mark my word. Second of all, you think Pat Riley and Phil Jackson actually get along?

It would be interesting to see Spo not get fired but I think he's done (IF miami loses to the celtics.. I have to admit i have doubts about that too lol).

As far is Phil and Pat's past relationship goes, they're grown men.. Riley is a businessman who wants another ring, and Jackson is the best in the business in getting rings, why the hell wouldn't they get past their differences if the opportunity presented itself?

Because Riley's Knicks were fouling the hell out of Jackson's bulls in the 90s!?!?... =/

Riley might as well coach again if he's gonna let hatred cloud better Judgement..

[TheMagicOne]

There is a few things about this story that does not add up.

#1 Why would both sides even dignify no contact with each other, especially when Alex Martins said he would not confirm or deny any rumors during the search.

#2 Why then would his agents personally "refute" the fact that Phil would indeed work int he city where he was hired, if in fact there was no interest in the Orlando job based on the fact it was the Orlando rumor that started that talk. saying..."insulting" to believe that Jackson was interested in being a commuter executive. "You will not find Phil Jackson on the golf course," he said.

#3 Why then would his agent go on and almost speak directly to potential NBA teams as to what Phil wants, which oh by the way is something the Magic could offer? "Musburger said -- that would make Jackson the head of basketball operations and give Jackson authority over the entire organization, including picking the next coach."

#4 PJ agent said this "the Musburgers said Wednesday, Vincent hadn't discussed the proposal with Jackson or with his agents." but it was not Vincent that was talking to Jackson "another intermediary were preparing to fly to Jackson's home in Montana to speak with him. And, if the talks went well, they would next approach Howard."

#5 The thing that interested me the most was realizing Phil would come with a lot of pissed off people with a chip on their shoulder wanting to prove some people wrong. the Lakers removed almost all of the living vestiges from the Jackson years last summer, letting go several long-time club employees, including assistant general manager Ronnie Lester, director of athletic performance Chip Schaefer and most of the team's former scouting staff.

#6 Phil wants to "MENTOR" a head coach like Shaw. Well the Magic are the ONLY team that has both a GM position and head coach position available. Which makes this part of what his agent said very confusing. Todd Musburger said Jackson would like to be involved with the new staff, "not to second-guess them, but to help them prepare for doing their job. I think he would find that challenging and rewarding." What NEW STAFF??? There is no other team where Jackson could come in as the head of Basketball Operations and hire a new staff. Not to mention there is no team out there except the Clippers in need of a GM and there is just no way the Clippers shell out the money for PJ & the staff he would want to assemble.

Finally
#7 - Why even say this because it implies you are in contact with someone like the intermediary with Vincent who has no authority, yet at the beginning of the story his agents try to deny any contact of any kind. "We are not in contact with anybody who is in any authority to do anything," Todd Musburger said. "Until we hear from people who have real authority and real decision making capability, there's nothing worth discussing." Seriously this is saying they are talking with people with NO AUTHORITY and once they actually HEAR from the Magic/Devos Family then they can actually discuss it. Seems so freaking cryptic.