Phil Jackson called his shot.
Then he swung.
Then he missed.
After a months-long courtship that began long before Mike Woodson was officially fired, the New York Knicks missed out on Steve Kerr, who agreed to a five-year, $25 million deal with the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night, according to NBA.com’s David Aldridge and Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski.
Welp.
First thing’s first: Kerr was the guy for the Knicks. He was supposed to be the guy, anyway. His name began cropping up in every nook and cranny of rumor mills as soon as Jackson assumed control of the team. The two won three championships together with the Chicago Bulls, Kerr was familiar with the Zen Master’s triangle offense and, having won two championships with the San Antonio Spurs, system basketball in general. For so long, this union appeared to be a formality, something that was going to happen no matter who else, the Warriors included, got involved. So yes, this is a huge a blow.
But it’s not everything. There’s a certain amount of deliberateness to this blunder. Kerr was looking for five years. The Knicks were apparently offering three. Then four. If Jackson was dead set on landing him, he would have offered that fifth year.
There’s always the possibility this is James Dolan-related, yet it’s unlikely. Jackson has control of this team. Plus, Dolan was never one to skimp on paying coaches. He paid Larry Brown more than this to go away. No, this was a Jackson thing. It was a Kerr thing.
Kerr, according to various reports, always wanted to remain close to his family and home in San Diego. Coaching the Warriors gives him that opportunity. They’re also the better team, ready to, unlike the Knicks, contend immediately. That’s been no secret.
Let this not, then, be a demonstrative example of Jackson’s declining mystique and inability to get the job done. It’s definitely discouraging that he wasn’t able to land his top—and seemingly only—candidate, but the sky isn’t falling on New York’s coaching search.
Jackson’s Plan B will be the defining act here. Other names haven’t been heavily linked to the Knicks of late. It’s been Kerr and Kerr alone. Derek Fisher’s name was dropped a while back, so he could re-enter the fold. Or, knowing Jackson, he could pull someone out of the blue, a candidate that no one sees coming.
Acting swiftly in response to this “loss” would be ideal. The public will want to see something from the Knicks after this. But Jackson isn’t one to rush into decisions. Prepare for a long, drawn-out process if that’s what it takes. Expect him to chase the relatively unknown or inexperienced. Believe that he’ll do whatever it takes.
The direction he will go remains unclear right now. Kerr was one of the top coaching prospects available, but he’s still inexperienced. Will Jackson follow a similar route? Or will he perhaps track down some big names, hoping to make the splash that Knicks fans are used to being seduced by (without them ever coming to fruition, but that’s besides the point).
If Jackson goes big-name hunting, any number of coaches could come into play. From Mark Jackson to George Karl to Jeff Van Gundy to Lionel Hollins, there are plenty of established honchos available. He could even try to renew the Knicks’ hope in poaching Tom Thibodeau from the Chicago Bulls (beyond unlikely).
Whatever the case, Jackson and the Knicks still have options. Their cavalier approach to negotiations suggests they have a backup plan in their arsenal, otherwise there would have been a greater hint of urgency in their pursuit for Kerr.
And if they don’t, if there is no Plan B or backup plan, there’s always Jackson reneging on his word and doing what Dolan, Knicks fans and plenty of others want to see by bringing his Zen back to the sidelines.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
