New York Knicks president Phil Jackson has let it be known that he has free reign to perform his duties for the team. This includes being able to operate without having team owner James Dolan constantly overpowering him on decisions.
Dolan has received his fair share of criticism in the past regarding his constant role in affecting the day to day decisions of the Knicks. In recent years this constant “meddling” has even drew the backlash of fans, who have actively protested against Dolan.
Jackson has stated that he believes Dolan was “forced to meddle” in decisions that were made prior to his arrival as the teams current president. As a 13 time champion world champion, 11 of which as a head coach, Jackson understands more than most what it takes to get a team and front office to buy into what you’re trying to create.
Per Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com:
“I was point blank and honest with him and said, ‘If I walk into your office or call you up on the telephone and tell you that I want to trade X player who’s an All-Star or Y player who’s the fans’ favorite, if I think it’s the right move, I want you to feel confident that I can do this, will you give me the liberty to do this?’ And he said yes, and that’s really the key,” Jackson said while speaking at The New Yorker Festival in Manhattan.
Jackson’s authority extended to the team’s decision to re-sign Carmelo Anthony, according to the team president. Dolan told Jackson before he took the job in March that if Jackson didn’t feel signing Anthony was the “right direction to go, then you don’t have to sign him.”
Phil Jackson, speaking Sunday at The New Yorker Festival in Manhattan, said he talked to Knicks owner James Dolan about having full autonomy to make basketball decisions before he accepted the job as president.
“I had that liberty to make that choice and needed to have that to come and do the job the right way,” said Jackson, who inked a five-year, $60 million deal to run the Knicks.Jackson ultimately re-signed Anthony to a five-year, $124 million contract.
“He has just touched the surface of his greatness, and I think we have a guy that has a lot more to offer,” Jackson said of the 30-year-old Anthony.
His time in New York has already created a noticeable shift, as one of his first major moves was hiring former player Derek Fisher to as head coach. This has also brought up the decision to implement the triangle offense into the Knicks game plan, which the team has demonstrated in their preseason appearances.
Jackson also joked that he expects Dolan to spend his time pursuing his other interests while he handles business with the Knicks.
Dolan has said that he isn’t as involved with the team now that Jackson has taken over.
He instead has chosen to focus on working with his blues band, JD and the Straight Shot.
“Hopefully, I can allow him to [play music] and relieve him of many of the pressure that’s about basketball,” Jackson said. “And we can go forward, and he can enjoy what he’s doing in the musical world.”
Other News Around The League:
Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle issues an apology to Dallas player Chandler Parsons for comments made about his conditioning. The apology comes after Parsons seemingly responded to the coach with a post on Instagram. Via Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com:“It was unfair and inappropriate to single out Chandler Parsons after the game Friday night,” Carlisle wrote. “I have apologized to him and the entire team for this error in judgment. Not only is Chandler Parsons one of our best players, he is also one of our hardest working players and the kind of high character person we strive to bring to our city and franchise. “I also made it clear to our players and staff this morning that this type of bad example is not acceptable and beneath the dignity of a championship organization like the Dallas Mavericks.”
Dallas Mavericks point guard Raymond Felton is expected to miss time as he recovers from a high ankle sprain. Felton, who is already facing a four game suspension when the season begins as a result of gun charges that he plead guilty to was acquired by Dallas via trade during the summer. Per Tim Macmahon of ESPN Dallas: Mavericks guard Raymond Felton will miss an extended period of time due to a high right ankle sprain, coach Rick Carlisle told reporters. Raymond Felton suffered a high ankle sprain in the first quarter of Friday’s loss to the Thunder. Felton suffered the injury when he landed on the foot of Oklahoma City Thunder swingman Anthony Morrow on a drive to the basket during the first quarter of Friday’s preseason loss. He did not return to the game and left the American Airlines Center that night on crutches with a protective boot on his right foot. Carlisle said the team would provide an update on Felton’s condition in 10 days. The recovery time for high ankle sprains can be up to six weeks, depending on the severity.
Detroit Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope injured his knee in a preseason game against the Washington Wizards on Sunday. Per Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News: For all the planning and hope that goes into a new season, there’s always an unforeseen factor teams cannot plan for or predict. And while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s left knee injury is the biggest illustration of such uncertainty, his potential emergence leaves a probable big hole on the perimeter. He slipped on a wet part of the floor in Washington, D.C.’s Verizon Center in the third quarter Sunday, the same part of the floor where Andre Drummond slipped in the first quarter of a 91-89 loss to the Wizards. Caldwell-Pope didn’t put any weight on his knee, and was helped off by team personnel Mike Abdenour and Arnie Kander on the way to the locker room. That doesn’t appear to be a good sign, which is why the team initially termed it a sprain and didn’t want to speculate further — although they have to be fearful of the worst. “We’ll re-evaluate it going forward,” Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said to reporters afterward. “We’ll get him an MRI and we’ll go from there, see what’s going on.”
Esau Howard is a regular contributor to Sheridan Hoops. You can follow him on Twitter.