Phil Jackson denounces KG's remarks

[Andrew]

I guess this is kind of an obscure story to talk about, but it caught my eye nevertheless.

Jackson Says KG Didn't Understand Lakers' Situation

Last week, Kevin Garnett told the Los Angeles Times that, despite the fact he has a home in Malibu, he didn't want to depend on a Lakers' front office he saw as ineffective.

Comparing the Lakers to his former team, the Minnesota Timberwolves , who weren't able to provide him with sufficient help, Garnett, now a Boston Celtic, said, "I knew I didn't want to deal with that. I didn't want to duplicate that. I didn't want to mimic that."

After practice Saturday, Lakers' Coach Phil Jackson was asked if he thought Garnett's criticism was an isolated case.

Jackson said it wasn't even a solid case.

"Where did he get his information from?" Jackson said. "What does [his] statement mean? Does he even know our organization? I don't think anybody has a better winning record as an owner than Jerry Buss. He doesn't want to win? I just kind of brush that off as not understanding the situation."

I can understand Phil Jackson standing up for his boss and suggesting that Kevin Garnett does not have in-depth knowledge of what goes on in the Lakers' front office, but all the same I wonder if he's suffering some short term memory loss.

Where is Kevin Garnett getting his information from? On what is he basing those assumptions Why does he have reservations? Perhaps it has something to do with the Lakers' star player expressing those exact sentiments and citing them as his reasons for wanting a trade this very offseason. Jackson of course should be well aware of this since he's not only reportedly spoken to Kobe about the situation throughout the offseason but he's supported Kobe's criticism of Lakers' management.

Jackson's comments admittedly came after KG was traded to Boston but nevertheless they support a criticism that Kobe has expressed since before the Draft. Considering that KG reportedly spoke with Kobe at times during the offseason and Kobe's comments were made quite public, it really shouldn't be a mystery to anyone how KG might have gained such an impression of the Lakers' brass - an impression that Jackson has since expressed support for - whether accurate or not.

[maceo24]

I think Jackson is just trying to save face for the franchise. Phil knows full well where KG got his sources from.

The same person that Phil wrote his book about.

[Axel]

I agree with Phil in this, because agreeing with KG means agreeing with Kobe - who I think is completely in the wrong. He signed the max deal. He got what he wanted. People and their entitlement. I would love to be entitled to millions of dollars.

[Andrew]

]I think Jackson is just trying to save face for the franchise. Phil knows full well where KG got his sources from.

The same person that Phil wrote his book about.

Absolutely, and if he hadn't gone to the extent of questioning where KG got that impression, he'd have a much better case. It's laughable for him to suggest there's no way KG could possibly come to such a conclusion when the story of the offseason for the Lakers has been the Kobe trade rumours and Kobe's allegations that the Lakers' executives, namely Mitch Kupchak, are incompetent and not making the moves that need to be made.

I agree with Phil in this, because agreeing with KG means agreeing with Kobe - who I think is completely in the wrong. He signed the max deal. He got what he wanted. People and their entitlement. I would love to be entitled to millions of dollars.

But that's just it. Phil Jackson has already publically supported Kobe's stance on Lakers management. Does this mean he's changed his stance and now disagrees with Kobe?

[Dan's Brain]

Does this mean he's changed his stance and now disagrees with Kobe?

Possibly. And that could be an indicator that the trade trigger could be pulled soon.

[Andrew]

Perhaps. One can't help but wonder if the Lakers have resigned themselves to trading Kobe given Buss' recent comments that he isn't untouchable.

[Dan's Brain]

And a more frightening thought is the Bulls havent yet committed to Deng or Gordon extensions.

A link? Hopefully not.

[Andrew]

I know it must sound mad to a lot of people, but I'm still not sold on the idea of Kobe coming to the Bulls considering what they'd have to give up to make the deal work under the cap and the risk involved. Adrian Wojnarowski,'s latest column has a good take on the risks of trading for Kobe.

For now, I'd rather the Bulls stay the course. If the Lakers blow their leverage then it's an avenue worth exploring but as Wojnarowski point out the Bulls are in a good position right now. Compared to a team like the Celtics that desperately needed some good fortune and shaking up, rolling the dice is a much bigger gamble considering they're already in a position to be one of the top teams in the East.

[Matthew]

I agree with Phil in this, because agreeing with KG means agreeing with Kobe - who I think is completely in the wrong. He signed the max deal. He got what he wanted. People and their entitlement. I would love to be entitled to millions of dollars.

I would love for you to shut the fuck up. Just because someone earns 20 million dollars or 20 dollars an hour does not change the value of their opinion.

Kobe must be religious he is so close minded.

[TheMC5]

I agree with Phil in this, because agreeing with KG means agreeing with Kobe - who I think is completely in the wrong. He signed the max deal. He got what he wanted. People and their entitlement. I would love to be entitled to millions of dollars.

I would love for you to shut the fuck up. Just because someone earns 20 million dollars or 20 dollars an hour does not change the value of their opinion.

Kobe must be religious he is so close minded.

My God, man, chill out.

[Sauru]

well, i too think kobe got what he asked for so i dont give a shit about his crying either. wanted the money, wanted to be the man. well now he is so deal with it

[Indy]

Anyone who denies that Kobe deserves the deal he got is wrong.

Anyone who denies that Kobe is all about winning is wrong.

[TheMC5]

Anyone who denies that Kobe deserves the deal he got is wrong.

Anyone who denies that Kobe is all about winning is wrong.

I won't argue the second point, but I will argue the first. NO athlete deserves to be making $20 million as a base salary. I understand the money was there for him, and that it's pretty much in-line with what comparable players make, but that does not mean that he (or any other athlete) deserves it.

[Indy]

Supply and demand my friend. We live in a capitalist system. If the company you work for makes billions and billions of dollars off of you, then you deserve a good chunk of that.

[TheMC5]

Supply and demand my friend. We live in a capitalist system. If the company you work for makes billions and billions of dollars off of you, then you deserve a good chunk of that.

That rationale doesn't apply. I mean, you know, there's a big demand for drugs, too. So Columbian coke lords deserve their money, right?

Like I said, I know the money is there for him (which is basically what your argument is), but I don't think he deserves it.

Also, the Lakers are a multi-billion dollar enterprise, all thanks to Kobe? That's news to me.

[Indy]

If the money that the NBA made didn't have millions going to the players, then the owners pockets would just be even fatter then they already are.

Also, the Lakers are a multi-billion dollar enterprise, all thanks to Kobe? That's news to me.

I was referring to the NBA, and the players, not just specifically the Lakers and Kobe. Each franchise is worth about 326 million dollars on average. That is thanks to fans purchasing tickets, jerseys and television contracts. If the players, who do all the marketing and playing don't deserve a large chunk of that money, who does? Would you rather see Kobe's money go to Jerry Buss?

[Jackal]

Would you rather see Kobe's money go to Jerry Buss?

I'd rather it go to the team, which would enable them to hire some decent help. I mean...he is all about winning as a team, right?

But that's just me.

[Indy]

Would you rather see Kobe's money go to Jerry Buss?

I'd rather it go to the team, which would enable them to hire some decent help. I mean...he is all about winning as a team, right?

But that's just me.

Now that's a different story. I'm all for guys taking paycuts to bring in other players. Peyton Manning has done it, Shaq has done it.

[Sauru]

Anyone who denies that Kobe deserves the deal he got is wrong.

Anyone who denies that Kobe is all about winning is wrong.

i agree on both points

[Andrew]

Like I said, I know the money is there for him (which is basically what your argument is), but I don't think he deserves it.

Are you talking about deserving the money in terms of the NBA and the ridiculous salaries that are available to NBA players or simply in terms of someone being able to earn that much money simply for playing a sport professionally?

[TheMC5]

Like I said, I know the money is there for him (which is basically what your argument is), but I don't think he deserves it.

Are you talking about deserving the money in terms of the NBA and the ridiculous salaries that are available to NBA players or simply in terms of someone being able to earn that much money simply for playing a sport professionally?

Just someone being able to earn that much money for playing a sport. As I said:

I understand the money was there for him, and that it's pretty much in-line with what comparable players make, but that does not mean that he (or any other athlete) deserves it.

[Donatello]

I have always (silently) been a big hater of Phil Jackson. He has waddled into extremely good situations and been praised as the spark behind it, when really he was just lucky.

[Andrew]

Just someone being able to earn that much money for playing a sport. As I said:

I understand the money was there for him, and that it's pretty much in-line with what comparable players make, but that does not mean that he (or any other athlete) deserves it.

I agree that their salaries seem disproportionate compared to people whose occupations perform a more vital service to society but it's simply the nature of their profession. I don't think anyone necessarily deserves or certainly needs as much money as they earn but my feeling is that when we're talking about NBA players deserving their contracts it's really only fair to compare them to their peers, as it goes without saying they are paid a ridiculous amount of money to play a sport many people play and enjoy for free (or indeed, pay to play).

I have always (silently) been a big hater of Phil Jackson. He has waddled into extremely good situations and been praised as the spark behind it, when really he was just lucky.

I wouldn't completely agree as I still feel that despite the talent he's had at his disposal, he's done a tremendous job managing to get players on the same page long enough to win championships and to believe in Tex Winter's triangle offense and make it successful in the NBA. That said, the late great Red Auerbach certainly had a point when he said that Phil Jackson didn't build the teams he enjoyed so much success with and Jackson himself has come across as a bit cocky and arrogant as the years have gone by (though admittedly he's got a resume to back up the bragging). Perhaps I just didn't notice it as much when he was coaching the Bulls due to my own bias.

[Indy]

I lost all respect for Phil Jackson during that war of words during the Bulls/Pacers 98 ECF series. Scottie Pippen too. All the bitching and moaning they did about Mark Jackson's physical defense still drives me crazy. The fact that the refs started calling touch fouls on Jax because of it gets under my skin to this day.

For those of you who don't know, Mark was pressuring Scottie all the way up the floor all series, and using his forearm everytime Scottie tried to back him down. Phil and Scottie whined and whined to the media (Scottie was doing the same thing to Mark) and the refs called the rest of the series differently. Pathetic.

[shadowgrin]

I didn't even know Mark Jackson played defense.
Boo on Phil and Scottie!