The speculation surrounding Phil Jackson’s immediate future is never ending. Jackson has made it clear that he doesn’t intend on returning to the NBA in a coaching capacity, but is ready to try a new role in the league as a team president.
Recently, Jackson agreed to help the Detroit Pistons with their head coaching search. Lawrence Frank was fired by the team after the 2012-13 NBA season and immediately reached out to Jackson in an effort to pick the brain of the one man that has done it the best as a shot caller from the sidelines in the league.
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Once Jackson agreed to help the Pistons organization bring in a new head coach, Brian Shaw of the Indiana Pacers came to mind as a potential candidate. Shaw is one of the more respected assistant in the league and a former colleague of Jackson with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Although Shaw may ultimately receive considerable interest from the Pistons, the team president Joe Dumars is leaning in the direction of Nate McMillan and Maurice Cheeks as top candidates for the job. Jackson and Dumars clearly don’t see eye-to-eye on the coaching search, leading to speculation that Dumars may very well be on his way out with the team’s front office and ownership simply not confident in his decisions anymore according to ESPN Insider Chris Broussard:
“Three weeks ago, the Pistons announced that owner Tom Gores had enlisted the help of Phil Jackson in Detroit’s coaching search. While Jackson is not joining the Pistons’ organization on a long-term basis, his involvement can’t be viewed as anything but a slight of Dumars.”
There’s no telling what direction the struggling franchise will take with Jackson currently helping the team and Dumars clearly not getting the job done. Jackson has been linked to numerous head coaching opportunities and potential front office positions, but it remains to be seen where the NBA legend lands.
If the Pistons ultimately decided to part ways with Dumars, Jackson may be waiting in the wings to assume the role as the president of basketball operations in Detroit.
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