So maybe some of us are wrong. Maybe Phil Jackson is intrigued by teaching Dwight Howard and Steve Nash the Triangle offense and getting Kobe Bryant ring his sixth ring. All this while grooming a successor for the soon-to-be-new Lakers era that features Howard and a cast that may include a well known superstar in Miami.
At first thought, for most of basketballs most enthused, Jerry Sloan was the first coach that probably came to mind when pondering who would coach the Lakers after the abrupt firing of Mike Brown after the Lakers’ 1-4 start to the season.
The focus and emphasis of a Princeton-style offense was rather ironic coming from a defense-minded coach. Why wouldn’t Brown, in that position, simply allow Nash to run a fast-break type offense even if the Lakers are technically considered an older team?
Howard runs the floor with ease and although 33, Kobe can still do whatever is asked. And even if he didn’t play much, Nash, along with Steve Blake, would have flourished being able to simply run and distribute the ball to Kobe, Howard and Pau Gasol. Even Kobe would have benefited from being able to get on the break, handle and distribute the ball, but Brown seemed insistent on putting on the college offense clamps.
Former coach of Nash in Phoenix Mike D’Antoni is in a supposed neck-and-neck race with Jackson as of late but the reality is, D’Antoni doesn’t necessarily know how to deal with a character like Kobe; Jackson does.
Jackson also holds 11 titles to the zero for D’Antoni, with a vast knowledge of how to deal with the Los Angeles media and egos of superstar players.
The biggest question is: Does Phil really want to come back to coaching?
In all honesty, that depends on him. His health and mind-state are probably big factors, along with the real thought of enduring the grueling season of the NBA schedule, travel and all.
Jackson coaching the Lakers after his time off would most likely lead to at least 55 wins and a berth in the Western Conference Finals.
At that point, No.6 for Kobe may very well depend on No. 6 in Miami.
Read more Los Angeles Lakers news on BleacherReport.com
