Phil Me Up

Jackson nixes Bulls return; Nets intriguing
By Marc Stein and Chris Broussard/ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson, meeting with reporters in Phoenix before Game 4 of the Western Conference finals, announced Tuesday night that he has no interest in a second stint coaching the Chicago Bulls.

But Jackson also repeatedly passed on the opportunity to commit to a Lakers-or-retirement stance for next season and quash rising speculation about his future plans.

"I have no, at all, desire to go back to Chicago and coach the Bulls," Jackson said, responding to an ESPN.com report from Monday night that the Bulls had reached out to Jackson through back channels to gauge his interest in a return.

Interest in Jackson from teams planning to chase LeBron James in free agency is the latest wrinkle in James' highly anticipated foray onto the open market July 1, which is already dominating discussion leaguewide after Cleveland's second-round elimination.

Earlier Tuesday, ESPN.com reported that the New Jersey Nets had made similar back-channel inquiries to assess the possibility of luring Jackson away from Los Angeles to enhance their appeal to James, with Lakers owner Jerry Buss determined to reduce Jackson's $12 million annual salary.

"Those channels have not reached me," Jackson said, insisting that he has "not entertained any conversations" about coaching elsewhere.

Asked specifically about New Jersey, Jackson joked that he'd like to "have a vodka" with new Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov, saying Prokhorov seems "like a very interesting young man." But Jackson added that he is likewise not interested in coaching the Nets, pointing out that he has never lived in Brooklyn or Newark.

Jackson, however, said he couldn't go any farther than insisting that "the probabilities are great" that he'll be back on the Lakers' bench next season.

When asked at Tuesday night's pregame news conference if he'd either be with the Lakers or home in retirement come October, Jackson said: "Home is where the heart is, right?"

When asked later why he was being cagey, Jackson joked: "I've always had problems committing."

The Bulls and the Nets certainly had bad timing in courting Phil. I'm not sure if this story was a distraction for the Lakers Tuesday but it couldn't have helped. I do know that if Kobe was able to even entertain the thought that Phil would leave him to coach Lebron he would probably spontaneously combust. That said, it's not Phil's fault he's in high demand. But the truth is that Phil is fairly well burnt out. He gets exasperated with the team he has now and they're by far the most talented team in the league. I don't think he's going to go try and teach the triangle to Joakhim Noah or Devin Harris. The truth is that he'll probably be fishing next year. Unless of course the Lakers win it all and the allure of a fourth three-peat proves to be too much motivation.

P.S. - When did he ever say the Nets job was intriguing? He said he'd like to have a vodka with the owner. I'm pretty sure everyone would. It doesn't mean he wants to coach there. Way to go ESPN. The truth is never salacious enough.