Steve Kerr can empathize with what former New York Knicks president Phil Jackson had gone through after parting ways with the organization this past offseason after a fiasco of a summer involving a potential Carmelo Anthony trade and the untouchable Kristaps Porzingis.
Jackson had spelled his last days after threatening to seek a trade for the young unicorn, ultimately getting the boot and making way for Steve Mills to take his place and Scott Perry to become the general manager after a short successful revamp of the Sacramento Kings.
“I felt bad for the way things ended,” Kerr said, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. “I think Phil did some good things here. Drafting [Kristaps] Porzingis and hiring Jeff Hornacek. I think [Frank] Ntilikina looks like a good player. It feels like they’re on a good path right now.”
Kerr played under Jackson and won three titles with the Chicago Bulls, recently admitting Jackson was in the right place at the right time, taking the reins after Doug Collins.
“It’s a hard league, man,” Kerr said. “Things really have to fall [in your favor], you have to do a good job. But you also have to get some luck. Phil knows that better than anybody. You can be really lucky and inherit Michael Jordan, and you can also be unlucky and things don’t go your way.”
“It’s all part of it. We’re all going to have our moments in this league — ups and downs. Phil had so much success as a coach. I don’t know, maybe he was due for the down part of it.”
Kerr was offered the New York Knicks job in 2014 before former point guard Derek Fisher was offered his first shot at a coaching gig — one which Kerr kindly declined, instead opting to take over for Mark Jackson and winning two titles in his three years as a coach with the Golden State Warriors.
Like Jackson, seems like Kerr has had his share of luck too.
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