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New York Knicks: Phil Jackson has revealed a troublesome pattern

By El-Nazr McDowell

Jun 22, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Frank Ntilikina of France is introduced by NBA commissioner Adam Silver as the number eight overall pick to the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 22, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Frank Ntilikina of France is introduced by NBA commissioner Adam Silver as the number eight overall pick to the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 6, 2017; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks general manager Phil Jackson watches during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 6, 2017; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks general manager Phil Jackson watches during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

Power Trip or Just a Flawed Approach?

Phil Jackson seems to believe that Kristaps Porzingis put himself in this position. Jackson has thrown blatant criticism, and has already told the world how he feels about a player who has constantly given the Knicks a fighting chance to compete: Carmelo Anthony.

In addition to throwing shade on Porzingis’ cited role model, Jackson has also fired Porzingis’ favorite assistant: Joshua Longstaff..

And now Porzingis is being threatened with a trade from New York. because Phil Jackson thinks forcing KP to develop a low-post oriented Triangle, when it isn’t conducive towards his perimeter-oriented skillset.

Regardless of even this fact, a marriage between the drafted prospect Ntilikina and Porzingis should be obvious to Jackson, and what he wants to install to the Knicks’ franchise moving forward. Porzingis is  a 7’3″ “unicorn”, that can be compared to what a unique guard Ntilikina is at his given position; boasting a height of 6’5″ and reportedly could own the longest wingspan of any point guard in this years draft.

Oddly enough, instead of finding common ground with Porzingis and his future for the Knicks in a more coveted manner, he decides to take matters via social media to flex his authority over him. Phil Jackson has already made it clear of his standing pursuit to shop Carmelo Anthony and Derek Rose. Now, what Phil Jackson has supposedly done is rile up an unnecessary circus to ruffle the feathers of Porzingis.

Ian Begley of ESPN New York remarked:

Phil Jackson gives Porzingis even more reason to alienate himself from the New York Knicks. And it furthers the belief that Jackson may be projecting his will towards his own players to stop risky, aggressive actions on and off the court, to validate his very own unapologetic, aggressive habits.

At some point in time, Phil Jackson may come to realize that effective aggression is what the New York Knicks currently needs; surely, not from himself, but for the sake of building a competitive and sustainable franchise for the impending future.

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