Despite another disappointing season, the New York Knicks and Phil Jackson have reportedly agreed to exercise their two-year option to keep the 71-year-old at the helm and continue with his role as team president.
According to a piece made by ESPN's Ian Begley and Ramona Shelburne, it helped that the NBA and its players' union have already come to terms with the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, which will eliminate the possibility of another lockout. It would have been the deal breaker, as Jackson's contract stipulates he is not looking to work should a lockout happen again.
“Sources familiar with the situation told ESPN that the Knicks and Jackson quietly picked up their option on the remaining two years of his contract this spring.”
“Jackson and the Knicks each had an option to walk away from each other at the end of this season. It was built into the contract after Year 3 because Jackson had no interest in working through a lockout. The NBA and its players' union made sure to avoid that this fall, when they agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement.”
The Zen Master is a proven winner, both as a player and coach. He won two championships during his playing days with the Knicks and also has 11 rings from coaching the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. However, it has been a different story for him as a front office executive as the Knicks have now missed out on the playoffs for three-straight years under his leadership.
With a busy summer ahead of him, Jackson will look to get back to work immediately as big decisions are expected to be made by the franchise; Carmelo Anthony‘s future being one of them.
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