Phil Jackson’s vision for the New York Knicks may not include the acquisition of an elite point guard. That may not be a bad thing.
The New York Knicks have entrusted the future of the organization to 13-time NBA champion Phil Jackson. Jackson has won at every stage of his professional career, thus far, including a pair of titles as a player, and a league record 11 as a head coach.
The major difference from his playing days to his illustrious tenure as a head coach: the emphasis on point guard play.
Jackson won his titles as a player as a member of the 1970 and 1973 Knicks—a team that relied heavily upon point guard Walt Frazier. As head coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, however, Jackson never bought into the mentality that an elite point guard is needed to achieve success.
According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, Jackson has maintained the latter mentality as an executive.
"“My idea of chasing a point guard where it becomes just an obsession isn’t necessary,’’ Jackson said. “It’s not necessary. We can play the game without that. But we still need good performers.”"
Jackson is the utmost authority on what it takes to win a championship, but this approach has rubbed Knicks fans the wrong way.
The reigning NBA MVP is Stephen Curry—a point guard who led the Golden State Warriors to the 2015 NBA championship. The track record behind him isn’t stupendous for point guards winning titles, but his success has captivated the masses.
In fact, since 1990, only three point guards have won Finals MVP: Chauncey Billups in 2004, Tony Parker in 2006, and Isiah Thomas in 1990.
Clearly, Curry was the best player on the 2015 Warriors, but there isn’t exactly a promising track record of point guards leading teams to championships. Even Curry has become something of a hybrid guard, with power forward Draymond Green thriving as the team’s primary facilitator.
With all of this being established, teams don’t win championships without players or systems that emphasize ball movement and team play.
The 2014 San Antonio Spurs had Gregg Popovich’s masterful system, and the 2012 and 2013 Miami Heat had LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. The 2011 Dallas Mavericks had Jason Kidd, and the 2009 and 2010 Los Angeles Lakers had Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom to both score and facilitate.
For what it’s worth, the latter group also had Jackson running the Triangle Offense.
New York doesn’t need an elite point guard to compete for a championship, and that’s something that history has proven. What it requires, however, is a player who can consistently hold their own and not get exploited against the best in the NBA.
Jackson hopes to round his rotation out with players of that breed.
"“Everybody’s going to be flush with money. It’s going to be a seller’s [player’s] market,’’ Jackson said. “We have a definite idea how to help this team. I don’t think they’re secrets or mysteries. We’re just going to do just fine in free agency.”Jackson said he’s not sure if “the market will provide enough money for more than one” important free agent.“We’d like to have more than one and like to keep some of our guys who will be free agents,’’ Jackson said."
The pursuit of Mike Conley falls in line with Jackson’s philosophy.
Conley, who has helped the Memphis Grizzlies become a perennial postseason team, will be an unrestricted free agent this coming summer. The 28-year-old has stated that he’s open to the idea of signing with the Knicks, which is reason enough to believe that The Zen Master can and should make a run at him.
Conley isn’t a household name, but he’s a two-way player who lives for the clutch moments and provides Memphis with everything it needs.
Conley could essentially be a better version of what Derek Fisher was to Jackson’s Lakers squads.
Conley’s health has been a serious point of contention, but he’s merely a symbol for what New York needs. Players ranging from D.J. Augustin and Greivis Vasquez to Brandon Jennings and Rajon Rondo will be available.
Per Berman, Jackson is high on the recently signed Tony Wroten, as well.
"Jackson acknowledged Calderon is “entering the latter part of his career,’’ but hinted the soon-to-be-signed young 76ers castoff Tony Wroten is someone to consider for next season as a starter. Wroten is not expected to play this season because he’s still weakened from last season’s ACL tear, but Jackson said he’ll be at summer league."
Jerian Grant and Wroten could be the future at point guard, but Knicks fans are growing impatient with the development process.
Wroten has a non-guaranteed contract for 2016-17, and Grant will enter his second season in the NBA. Many are high on Grant’s end-to-end speed and defensive tenacity, as well as Wroten’s size and playmaking ability, but neither have established themselves as postseason-caliber players.
The question is, can the player New York needs at point guard be found on the current roster? If not, can they be found on the free agent market?
Those questions will be answered in the coming months. Until then, Jackson will continue to pull at Knicks fans’ heart strings with every word he utters.
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With blissful optimism, the hope remains that Jackson can find a way to make the Knicks of the late 2010s rival the Bulls of the 1990s and the Lakers of the 2000s.