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“Saturday morning, [Lakers executive] Jim Buss called to ask if he could come and visit. I didn’t solicit or ask for the opportunity but I welcomed both him and [team executive] Mitch Kupchak into my home to discuss the possibility of my return to the Lakers as head coach," Jackson said.

“We talked for over an hour and a half. No contractual terms were discussed and we concluded with a handshake and an understanding that I would have until Monday [today] to come back to them with my decision. I did convey to them that I did have the confidence that I could do the job. I was awakened at midnight Sunday by a phone call from Mitch Kupchak. He told me that the Lakers had signed Mike D’Antoni to a three-year agreement and that they felt he was the best coach for the team. The decision is of course theirs to make. I am gratified by the groundswell of support from the Laker fans who encouraged my return and it is the principal reason why I considered the possibility."

"No discussion of those ideas being contractual terms or demands was ever made," Musburger said. "They had a full discussion of the club, the roster, the schedule, assistants, etc. But to allow someone either on their side or on D’Antoni’s side to make these allegations -- unsubstantiated and incorrect -- and incorrectly maligning Phil is so objectionable to us that the process would have concluded this way."

I am gratified by the groundswell of support from the Laker fans who encouraged my return and it is the principal reason why I considered the possibility."

GreenWithEnvy wrote:I'm sorry I just gotta ask...you guys are cool with the idea that Phil's main reason for coming back, as he said, was the fans of Los Angeles? Not the team? hahaha

Kilroy wrote:At the very least, it doesn't sound like Phil really wanted the job... "I could do the job" is not the same as "I want the job"...
I think with this Hall of Fame roster, any thing less than "Please may I have the job" is a little disappointing.

I love Phil... But it sounds to me like he interpreted the visit from Mitch/Jim as the lakers begging him to come back. When it was just a heat-check.

Too bad... I'd have loved to have him back. But it just doesn't sound like he was that eager about the opportunity or underplayed his interest.

dingclancy wrote:I am fine with Phil not being the coach. However, the pattern of doing business by the Lakers FO is astounding.

Who calls a coach in the middle of the night/morning to say they chose a different coach? Why can't they wait until they talk to Phil in the morning? Where's the courtesy.

Mike D.A. signed his contract 3am via fax. Everything feels rushed. I think they do not want Phil to wake up then say yes or else they'd be in a bad spot.

Whatever it is this is shady as it gets. From the way they treated Brian Shaw to Ronnie Lester, and yes even Mike Brown (he had that coming), and now Phil Jackson.

dingclancy wrote:I am fine with Phil not being the coach. However, the pattern of doing business by the Lakers FO is astounding.

Who calls a coach in the middle of the night/morning to say they chose a different coach? Why can't they wait until they talk to Phil in the morning? Where's the courtesy.

Mike D.A. signed his contract 3am via fax. Everything feels rushed. I think they do not want Phil to wake up then say yes or else they'd be in a bad spot.

Whatever it is this is shady as it gets. From the way they treated Brian Shaw to Ronnie Lester, and yes even Mike Brown (he had that coming), and now Phil Jackson.

Phil XI wrote:sports tear...

Musburger said that while he respected the Lakers right to hire whomever they wanted as coach, he was disappointed in the way the entire situation unfolded.

"Phil is someone who brought nothing but trophies to their bookcase and value to the franchise," Musburger said. "He deserved to be dealt with honestly.

"He didn't deserve the job, that's their decision. They can hire whoever they wish. But don't say to someone you've got until Monday and then roust him from slumber at midnight to say, 'By the way we hired somebody else.' That's just not fair dealing and Phil deserved fair dealing. He's a good faith person and he was dealt with poorly. It is indicative of the shabby way that organization is being run."

ESPN NBA analyst Kurt Rambis, a former Lakers player and assistant coach who worked on Jackson-led staffs from 2001-2004 and 2005-2009 and remains close friends with Jackson, said Jackson told him there had never been any discussions of salary or restrictions on a potential return and that he and the Lakers had agreed to wait until Monday to negotiate.

"It's a process with Phil," Rambis said Monday. "He goes through an entire mental process of envisioning the season and how to get the team to the NBA Finals. It's about winning for him, not just whether he wants to coach."

Mike Bresnahan @Mike_Bresnahan

Phil said to call this Lakers team a championship one is a "misnomer." Wasn't sure they had "mobility and agility" to compete w/ East teams.