Lakers' Jeanie Buss: Fiancé Phil Jackson not leaving Knicks
Los Angeles Lakers co-owner Jeanie Buss says that Phil Jackson, her fiancé and the president of the Knicks, will not be leaving New York to rejoin the Lakers.
"No. To visit, yes ... but in terms of basketball, he's committed to New York for many years," Buss said Monday on ESPN Radio's Beadle and Shelburne Show. "He's building something there. He has a mission, he's on that journey to get the team back to where he believes it can be and it will be. He's a former Knick ... he loves New York, he loves the fans, he wants to make them proud.
"In terms of the Lakers, we have a front office. They're putting together a team ... they have a vision. I'm excited to see what the future holds for us. So, to answer your question ... no, there's no plans for Phil to come back here."
Jackson has three seasons remaining on his five-year deal with the Knicks. Speculation about Jackson's potential return to Los Angeles will likely continue because his contract contains an opt-out clause after the 2016-17 season, according to ESPN's Chris Broussard.
New York has won just 48 games over the past two seasons of Jackson's presidency, but Jackson and the Knicks hope to build a contender around rookie Kristaps Porzingis and veteran Carmelo Anthony. The club is expected to announce Jeff Hornacek as its next head coach some time this week. Hornacek will be the second head coach Jackson has hired (a total that doesn't include 2015-16 interim coach Kurt Rambis and 2013-14 head coach Mike Woodson, whom Jackson fired).
Buss also addressed her brother Jim Buss' public stance on stepping down if the Lakers aren't one of the top teams in the Western Conference in two to three seasons. The stance taken by Jim Buss, the Lakers' executive vice president of basketball operations, has fueled speculation that Jackson will leave New York for a management role with the Lakers some time in the near future.
"We talked about it as a family," Jeanie Buss said Monday of Jim Buss' stance. "My brother spoke about it publicly. It is something that I think he's very sincere in when he says that if he can't get this team to where we're competitive, being in the playoffs, second round, competing for the Western Conference final.
"He would feel that he isn't living up to the job that my father left to him, and he [Jim] made it clear if he couldn't do the job that he would step aside and make sure that somebody would come in and do that because that's how much he loves the Lakers. That's how much my family loves the Lakers."
