Phil Jackson’s reign as New York Knicks team president was not a particularly successful one. His personnel moves didn’t result in many wins on the court, while there was near-constant controversy off the court. However, Boston Celtics guard Shane Larkin believes Jackson still deserves a second chance as an executive, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
“He’s a great coach — obviously a great basketball mind,’’ Larkin told The Post of Jackson, who was fired after the draft. “Coach or GM, you have to have a great basketball mind. How many rings does he have? He could’ve been a great GM. Maybe he just had a few bad acquisitions. He had great ideas on what he wanted to do with the team. It didn’t work out, but that doesn’t change what he did — still a great coach.
Shane Larkin’s positive words regarding Jackson comes as a bit of a surprise given his history with the former Knicks executive. Jackson traded Shane Larkin away after one season with the team and made disparaging remarks about the point guard’s hands, which he said were too small.
Larkin certainly respects Jackson from a basketball perspective though and Jackson has earned such respect with his unmatched success as a head coach. Larkin also seems like a believer in second chances, much like what he’s getting in the NBA with the Celtics this season after playing abroad last year.
But given the three dysfunctional years Jackson had in New York on and off the court, it remains to be seen whether many other owners will share Larkin’s sentiment and give the Zen Master a second shot at running a team.
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