Knicks, President Phil Jackson agree to part ways

After it was reported on Tuesday night, the New York Knicks and Phil Jackson, their President of Basketball Operations have decided to part ways after three seasons.

After being hired, Jackson made an immediate impact, resigning Carmelo Anthony who was surely headed to play for the contending Chicago Bulls. And on opening day that season, the Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, spoiling LeBron James return to the franchise. But it was all down hill from there.

Jackson began to tank the franchise, but not in a good way. In his first season, he signed Shannon Brown and Lamar Odom, two of his former Lakers. Brown, you could argue no longer had a place in the league, while Odom was in the beginning stages of a downward spiral in his personal life. He would also trade away Tyson Chandler, who had been phenomenal for the Knicks. It continued to get worse. The Zen Master traded away J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert for literally nothing, to the Cavs, completing the tanking process.

Phil Jackson with his mouth open
Photo credit: Keith Allison

This all amounted to the frustrating (at the time) pick of Kristaps Porzingis. Melon hated the pick. The fans hated the pick. But Porzingis would become the only move Jackson played right. He would fail to put the right pieces around the “Unicorn” Porzingis and Melo. Again.

This past season was a nightmare. Jackson began to try and force Melo out of New York, despite a no-trade clause in his contract, claiming that the superstar was no longer happy with the team. Melo would continue to reiterate that he wanted to win as a New York Knick. He even (lightly) put Porzingis on the market this summer, for no real reason other than skipping his exit interview.

From forcing the triangle offense down the throats of everyone in New York, to ruining the roster, things were ugly to say the least. If I’m a Knicks fan, I’m saying “good riddance.” This stint will effect the outlook on his career to fans of this generation, and he has nobody to blame, other than himself.

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