nbc news Jeanie Buss and Phil Jackson are perhaps the NBA's biggest power couple, and the Los Angeles Lakers president recently discussed her relationship with the New York Knicks president as well as her
desire to work with him.
In an interview with Bleacher Report Radio (h/t Marc Berman of the New York Post) Monday, Buss revealed that she wanted Jackson as part of the Lakers front office but was ultimately overruled:
I'm not going to say that was not always my hope at some point. But it was made clear to me by my brother [Jim] and [general manager] Mitch Kupchak, we didn’t need any more voices involved with the Lakers, that they felt they had everything under control. I respect that, but had to respect Phil's desire to work again. He had to pursue whatever made him happy. Would I have preferred to do it together? Of course, but I'm happy he's doing something that makes him happy.
Jackson was the Lakers head coach from 1999 through 2004 and again from 2005 through 2011. He is an 11-time NBA champion as a head coach, with five of them coming in L.A.
The 70-year-old Hall of Famer showed interest in taking a front office position, and he was ultimately hired last year by the Knicks, with whom he played from 1967 through 1978.
After a rough first year at the helm, Jackson has helped guide the Knicks to an 8-10 start in 2015-16, and Buss is pleased with his success, despite it meaning they can't spend as much time together as she'd like:
I'm happy for him. I think he works hard. He took a job that's difficult. He moved to New York. That part's tough is that we're not together. He's finding satisfaction and fulfillment in the job. I wish him luck. The best thing would be if the Lakers and Knicks played in the playoffs because that would mean we're both in The Finals. I wish him luck. I think he's enjoying what he's doing. He's fully focused. We're not the first couple that have been bicoastal. We try to see each other, but it's tough. In terms of the entertainment business, we're not the first long-distance couple.
While Jackson still has plenty of work to do in terms of making the Knicks contenders, he may be thanking his lucky stars that he went to the Big Apple, as the Lakers are among the NBA's worst teams at 2-15.
The biggest story regarding the Lakers aside from their futility is
Kobe Bryant's recent announcement that he will retire at the conclusion of the season.
While Kobe will no longer be an active player, Buss believes he will continue to be involved in basketball in some capacity.
"[Kobe] has to stay competitive. You can't squelch that," Buss said.
Bryant is essentially the last remaining symbol of the Lakers' glory days, and while he is among the greatest players of all time, his retirement may be precisely what the franchise needs to move forward.
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In the same vein, it can be argued that Jackson working with the Knicks rather than the Lakers will turn out to be a positive move for Buss' organization since it is no longer looking toward the past.
Buss' desire to work with her fiance is certainly understandable, but the current arrangement may very well be best for the Lakers and Knicks, as well as both Buss and Jackson from a professional perspective.
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