Phil Jackson was honored along with the 1973 Knicks championship team last year.
Credit: Getty Images
Knicks star Carmelo Anthony knows about as much as most about the possible hiring of Phil Jackson to work in the team’s front office. But he’s already looking forward to the possibility.
“You can always use Phil Jackson inside an organization, his philosophy, his mindset, his resume, what he brings to a team, what he brings to an organization,” Anthony told reporters at the morning shootaround before Wednesday’s game in Boston. “That goes without even saying, so we’ll see how that plays out.”
Jackson has won 11 NBA titles as a head coach — six with the Bulls and five with the Lakers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
But Jackson will not be joining the team as coach. He was reportedly offered the role — despite Mike Woodson still holding that role — but turned it down. He has said he is interested in a front office job, similar to that of Pat Riley’s in Miami.
Anthony told reporters he has not talked to Jackson but management told him it will happen earlier in the week.
“I still don’t have a lot of the details, all the details,” Anthony said. “Have I heard? Yeah, I heard he will be coming on board — not official yet.”
The big question still remains whether the hiring of Jackson will affect Anthony’s decision to stay with the team. He can opt out at the end of the season and become an unrestricted free agent. He has not indicated whether he will remain and says Jackson joining the team will not affect that choice.
“I don’t think it’ll have any effect on me, just as far as what I’m thinking or my decision or anything like that,” Anthony told reporters. “Like I said, I haven’t talked to Phil yet, just to get his insight on a lot of things — what’s his plan, what’s his future plan — because everything’s in his hands now.”
Follow Metro New York Sports Editor Mark Osborne on Twitter @MetroNYSports.
