Jackson/Kobe

[loopymitch]

I was just watching sportscenter and they were talking about Phil going back to the Lakers but then they said he hadn't met Kobe yet, apparantly Kobe hasn't had time. This amused me and 2 things came to my mind.
1. He really must be the GM if he's meeting with prospective coaches.

2. What else does he have to do??? It's not like he has a playoff game to play. Guess the fish are really biting this year.

I guess if Kobe wants him back there, it will happen.

Lakers are fishing and they're still getting more coverage than we are. Some things will never change.

 

[hoopsfan]

There will be no meeting unless Phil is hired back...per Magic and Dr. Buss.

 

[Gargamel]

I thought Kobe pushed Phil out. I thought Phil couldn't coach Kobe one more game.

 

[Team Dime]

I thought Kobe pushed Phil out. I thought Phil couldn't coach Kobe one more game.

Money cures all.

 

[Gargamel]

Money cures all.

What's Kobe's stake? Is he trying to tell us that he's going to completely submit to Jackson's ways? I thought he was incapable of that. At least, that's what Charlie Rosen told me.

 

[Team Dime]

What's Kobe's stake? Is he trying to tell us that he's going to completely submit to Jackson's ways? I thought he was incapable of that. At least, that's what Charlie Rosen told me.

I was referrig to Phillip. He said in his book that Kobe was uncoachable. It's just funny how he would be willing to take a second crack at it if the price were right.

As for Kobe's stake; I'd say maybe the taste of losing, going to the NBA lottery would make him be willing to have Phillip back.

 

[Just_Lurkin]

As for Kobe's stake; I'd say maybe the taste of losing, going to the NBA lottery would make him be willing to have Phillip back.

Exactly. He's had his serving of humble pie and now realizes how good he had it. Now all of a sudden the triangle isn't a "hinderence" of his skills.

 

[Gargamel]

Exactly. He's had his serving of humble pie and now realizes how good he had it. Now all of a sudden the triangle isn't a "hinderence" of his skills.

How's that when Rudy and Hamblen both used the triangle last year?

 

[C Diddy]

Hiring Phil back won't guarantee the Lakers will be healthy. As any Kings fan knows, injuries kill a season. Divac, George, Bryant, Odom, Mihm, Medvedenko, all missed games due to injuries. Some of those players missed several games. Lakers are still a playoff team if healthy with the current roster. They don't necessarily need Phil to win, but I'm sure it couldn't hurt.

 

[Gargamel]

Hiring Phil back won't guarantee the Lakers will be healthy. As any Kings fan knows, injuries kill a season. Divac, George, Bryant, Odom, Mihm, Medvedenko, all missed games due to injuries. Some of those players missed several games. Lakers are still a playoff team if healthy with the current roster. They don't necessarily need Phil to win, but I'm sure it couldn't hurt.

Oh, man. Shoot me if that's the team next year. If so, there's NO reason to bring Phil back at 7 figures per year. Buss and Kupchak are going to have to pull out some stops this offseason for there to be a reason Phil was re-hired.

 

[C Diddy]

Oh, man. Shoot me if that's the team next year. If so, there's NO reason to bring Phil back at 7 figures per year. Buss and Kupchak are going to have to pull out some stops this offseason for there to be a reason Phil was re-hired.

I'm not saying the Lakers won't be re-tooled but that they are capable of making the playoffs as a 6-8 seed with the current roster if healthy. The Lakers will definitely look for players that will fit in Phil's system in the offseason. Just because Hamblen and Tomjanovich ran with the triangle at times during the season doesn't mean Phil can't do it better. The Zen master is the triangle master. Reminds me of a song lyric, Triangle man, triangle man from They Might Be Giants! =)

 

[Just_Lurkin]

How's that when Rudy and Hamblen both used the triangle last year?

You mean after kobe said he not longer "had a problem" with it?

 

[Gargamel]

You mean after kobe said he not longer "had a problem" with it?

He didn't have a problem with it. He had a problem with Jackson's passive-aggressive help in pitting he and Shaq against each other.

 

[Gargamel]

Just because Hamblen and Tomjanovich ran with the triangle at times during the season doesn't mean Phil can't do it better. The Zen master is the triangle master. Reminds me of a song lyric, Triangle man, triangle man from They Might Be Giants! =)

I don't think the triangle is a bad thing, I'm thinking the baggage that comes along with Phil at that high a price is a bad thing unless they can get a decent, balanced team to run it. Imo, Phil's not worth the headache unless your team is a WCFs contender (at worst).

Otoh, Phil's a good coach when he has clay to work with and Buss is now clearly scared straight towards coaches like Rudy Tomjanovich who don't preach structure and defense. This is what you call a Catch-22. They need Phil. Phil needs good players (plural) for his system to work. A lot of us Fakers are just hoping that, a) he supports Kobe and finds another whipping boy to antagonize, b) he teaches defense and demands it like he did in 1999 and hasn't done since, c) he's able to build that mythical Kobe-centric team that everyone has wondered what would look like...because God knows Phil is going to be telling Mitch which players he will and won't accept.