After being the President for three years with the New York Knicks, Phil Jackson has finally said his final goodbye to the franchise. The news broke on Wednesday morning that Jackson and the Knicks have agreed to part ways. The owner of the New York Knicks, James Dolan, seemed to have called the shots and Jackson is finally out of New York for good.
James Dolan said that he appreciated Jackson and pointed out his great success as part of the NBA. The 71-year-old former Knicks President has been well-regarded for his contributions to the NBA teams he worked for.
Dolan further said that his legacy in basketball is unmatched and the New York Knicks wish him well in his future endeavors. The Knicks thanked him for his service as both an executive and a player.
Did the Knicks face issues with Phil Jackson?
phil jackson has publicly made it clear that he felt Carmelo Anthony should be on his way from the Knicks to another team. Anthony had $54 million remaining on his deal and Jackson didn't seem to feel he was worth the money or the headaches by remaining with the Knicks. Anthony, on the other hand, refused to waive his no-trade clause. While the Knicks were not interested in a buyout for Anthony, Dolan made it clear to Jackson that it was time to part ways.
It was a known fact that Phil wanted to buyout Anthony's contract or get rid of him in other ways. Dolan made it clear that Carmelo Anthony will remain with the New York Knicks. According to ESPN, some people close to Dolan were urging him to fire Jackson for a long time. That is what ended up happening and Jackson is on his way out while Anthony remains with the Knicks as he wished, at least for now.
New York fans are happy about Jackson's departure
Though Phil was loved by many in the Knicks organization, it seems that some of the team's fans took to social media to express their feelings. Some of them turned out to be happy about his departure, and the happiest person is Knicks megafan, Spike Lee. The actor posted a picture on Instagram stating that he believes in Carmelo.
In fact, Spike also said that he is ready to pack Jackson's bags.
Not everyone was upset about Phil leaving the Knicks, but at least they chose their paths in a respectful manner. Jackson stated that the New York Knicks remains close to his heart, it was the Knicks and New York that established his NBA career. He further expressed that he was grateful to Dolan for having him around.
One thing that has been made clear is that Carmelo will remain on the team, and the Knicks will be acquiring a new President in the days to come.
