PJax using us for Leverage?

[Glen Infante]

Written by the "adored" Roger Brown...

If NBA free-agent play ers can play teams against each other to leverage better contracts from their preferred clubs, Phil Jackson certainly can do it as a free-agent coach - and sources suggest that's why the coaching legend spoke with owner Dan Gilbert about the Cavs coaching job.

By speaking with Gilbert, Jackson is making sure to "work the whole room" and use the Cavs' interest to leverage more money from his real coaching target, the Lakers or Knicks.

Cavs superstar LeBron James

is pushing team ownership to re-sign center Zydrunas Ilgauskas (not a good idea) and reportedly lobbying it to consider Nate McMillan, now coaching Seattle, as coach (not a bad idea). Shouldn't Gilbert start drawing boundaries on just how much power James should wield on team decisions? What's next? Will the Cavs change the team colors to green and gold because James sported them at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High?

Source

 

[RichOne]

it is know being reported today that the cavs are out of the question for jackson. his main desicion will come down to the lakers or ny. god i wish that we could land jackson and start something great here in cleveland..

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2051543


again though this is coming out of the new york post.. we know reliable they are and there wishes to get any one they want to come to the knicks..

 

[King]

I dont trust the NYpost, especially when they dont give a more credible source for their info. But if it is true, I think Phil is making a mistake. The Cavs are a good opportunity for him and I dont think the Knicks or Lakers have as much to offer him as the Cavs do.

 

[Mac]

Roger Brown??? He is a joke..

 

[cavincali]

roger is racist.

and yeah believe what comes out of new york, they know what they are talking about.

 

[OC Zip]

The report could be true. But, on top of the fact that it came out of New York, is the fact that it came from the NY Post. New Yorkers don't even believe the NY Post. It's a tabloid.

Secondly, remember Phil loves his Zen Master title. I think he likes the mysterious aura of keeping people guessing. Who knows what smoke screens he's sending out and why. Just sit back and wait and see how it unfolds.

But, as for Gilbert, he shouldn't wait around. If Phil is yanking his chain for the sake of fun or for getting a better contract from another team, go after Flip or Nate. You don't want to lose out on 1 of those 3 and end up courting Dell Harris, Johnny Davis, and Jeff Bdzelik (or however you spell his name). Oh, man. I'm getting sick thinking of the 2nd tier of NBA coaches. I'd rather have someone like Rick Majerus or Rick Pitino than the NBA retreads.

 

[LyXo]

Yea, I have a sick feeling that we might end up with one of them. But I guess the worst we could do is a Lenny Wilkens.

Seriously though, throw money at Nate McMillan. We'd be getting a quality coach at a price a bit cheaper than Phil Jackson, probably around Flip Saunders range. We should not pick and choose between coaches. Either Flip, Phil, or Nate will be excellent coaches, so the first one that's willing to ink it up should be our coach.

 

[Glen Infante]

Story

It's in the ESPN sites now. It really looks like the Cavaliers are out of the Phil Jackson sweepstakes.

Thats a shame, at least we tried. I can't really put the blame on anyone, but I think that Dan Gilbert may have been a big turnoff to Phil for the fact that he doesn't know his basketball. Gilbert should find himself a GM 1st and asap before pursuing Phil Jackson. That way, PJax would know where the team is heading. Right now, its all in the air.

 

[King]

I really dont see why Phil would turn us down before a team going downhill like the Knicks. I hope all the bad publicity Gilbert was getting for being a "meddling" owner isnt the thing thats hurting our chances at getting a top-tier coach.

 

[Karma]

I doubt this has anything to do with Gilbert, but would have alot to do with that we are Cleveland. People just dont want to come here no matter how much we sing and dnace about salary cap space and Lebron James. Its still the same old city.

 

[Glen Infante]

More NY Post on PJax...
http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/23673.htm

May 4, 2005 -- The Lakers are moving closer to rehiring Phil Jackson, sources have told The Post. One person with knowledge of the situation expects Jackson's official decision "soon."

The Knicks have not been told by Jackson's agent, Todd Musburger, that they are out of the running and Isiah Thomas is still pursuing Jackson to coach the Knicks, hoping for a second meeting. However, sources say the Knicks have become giant

underdogs in the two-team race.


Meanwhile, the word around the league is that the Knicks are hesitant about pursuing Pistons coach Larry Brown when his season wraps up, not just because of the compensation package involved. There is more serious concern about his health (he's had two leaves of absence this season because of his surgically repaired hip).




Brown's wife, Shelly, several days ago said Brown would take a few weeks off after the season to decide whether he wants to continue coaching. That's a bit long for the Knicks to wait.


Meanwhile, the Lakers offer Jackson everything he desires in the future - ncluding a potential piece of ownership from Jerry Buss, his potential father in-law, as well as the team presidency.


Isiah Thomas is a handsome man with a charming smile - but in the end, it appears he could not compete with Lakers VP Jeanie

Buss, Jackson's girlfriend and the owner's daughter. As one Knicks insider said yesterday, "The Jeanie Buss factor is big."

Promising a piece of the ownership? Can't beat that. Must be nice to be dating the owners daughter.

As reported by The Post on Monday, the Cavaliers are out of the running. Said one friend of Jackson: "He'd have more interest

in being the curator of Cleveland's Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame than coaching that team."

Oh come on, Cleveland isn't that bad of a town. These kind of comments really frustrate me.

 

[NarlCavs]

Cleveland does not have a good reputation around the country. If people or players have a choice of where to go they usually don't have Cleveland at the top of their list. It is frustrating but it's just something we have to deal with.

Cleveland teams, especially the Cavs, have always had a very hard time drawing free agents. It makes it that much more difficult to try to build a team.

 

[CavsTalk]

Yeah, although if you bring in guy like Nate M. from Seattle he might bring a few free-agents with him, which doesn't seem all that bad especially when you consider Ray Allen and Antonio Daniels + A coach... Could be an interesting possiblity