Now that the Lakers have won the NBA championship and the basketball season is over, it’s time for everybody to start wondering what’s going to happen next with the latest world champs. Are they good enough to repeat? Will they be able to keep Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza? Will Adam Morrison be allowed to touch the basketball next season?
The biggest question surrounding the Lakers, however, is the future of their head coach Phil Jackson. The Zenmaster just won the 10th NBA title of his 19-year career, and if there was ever a moment for the 63-year old coach to ride his motorcycle off into the sunset, this would probably be it (of course, according to some, Phil hasn’t been coaching the Lakers for a while now). Well, Jackson hasn’t given any indication of what his plans are, but some are already speculating that he is going to retire and that Mike Krzyzewski is waiting in the wings.
From THE WOELFEL WORLD OF SPORTS:
At least one well-informed NBA informant insists that Lakers coach Phil Jackson will hang up the clipboard this summer and his successor could be Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski — especially if his highly-influential agent (Kobe Bryant) puts the heat on Lakers management.
The validity of this rumor is unknown. After all, it is appearing on a blog called THE WOELFEL WORLD OF SPORTS in the RACINE (WI) JOURNAL. Now I’m not trying to criticize Gery Woelfel, his blog, or the newspaper it’s written for. It’s just that if a “well-informed NBA informant” was going to leak this news, why would he choose Woelfel?
Also, why is this tidbit buried at the bottom of an entire post dedicated to the Milwaukee Bucks and their NBA Draft plans?
Personally, I don’t see this happening. I wouldn’t be shocked at all if Phil Jackson decided to retire, but I do expect him to come back next year. And if he did retire, I don’t see Coach K giving up what he has at Duke to come out to L.A. and try to win there.
Sure, he and Kobe got along just fine when they worked together for Team U.S.A., but Kobe realized that wasn’t his team. The Lakers are, so while the clash of their titan egos would be fun for us to watch, I don’t think it would bring any joy to the two of them.
11:53 am on June 17th, 2009
Physically, Phil Jackson is on his last legs. Anybody doubt Kobe picks the next Lakers' coach? The rumor that Kobe wants Coach K as the next Lakers coach has been out there for awhile. Where there is smoke, there is often fire. We'll see where this goes.
11:16 pm on June 17th, 2009
Coach K has been targeted (or at least was rumored to be targeted) by the Lakers before. He didn't leave Duke then, and he won't leave Duke this time.
7:42 am on June 18th, 2009
Thereis no way Coach K leaves.
That begs the next question. If Phil retires who does take the job ?
Any ideas out there ?
7:47 am on June 18th, 2009
To follow-up my previous post, I would like to throw out Byron Scott or Rick Carlisle.
Any hoopla either way ?
5:43 pm on June 29th, 2009
Seems like this rumor surfaces every 5 or 6 years. 1999, 2004, and now 2009. In the past I dismissed it, like the annual Pete Carroll to (fill in NFL team du jour).However, this year, the story will have legs. Mainly, because Phil Jackson doesn't. Phils hurting. Phil is also a master of the golden exit. See Chi, See Lakers I and now hes primed for Lakers II. All champion teams.I'm a laker fan, and if Phil is hanging up his whistle, I'm hoping they'll offer coach K, PJ type money. I honestly can't see a championship team in the hands of a rookie coach. Rambis and Shaw might be good head coaches at some point. But not now. Not the ferrari. If the lakers decide thats where they'll get the money to keep ariza and odom, then we can start the countdown to the next Kobe meltdown.Welcome to LA coach K.