Sir Charles in Charge
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New York Knicks: It’s Time For Phil Jackson’s Circus To End

By Jonathan Macri

Mar 27, 2017; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks general manager Phil Jackson laughs during the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 27, 2017; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks general manager Phil Jackson laughs during the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 6, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) talks with head coach Jeff Hornacek during the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 6, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) talks with head coach Jeff Hornacek during the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

The Force Awakens

The reason these moves didn’t carry much long-term meaning, of course, is because the only thing that made any difference to this franchise was the move that Phil Jackson made on draft night in 2015.

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Zach Lowe, who is as well-connected and informed about the NBA as anyone these days, has said multiple times throughout all of the Knicks drama some version of the following: None of this matters. KP is on the Knicks and in a few years he’s going to dominate the league. Relax.

That warm, fuzzy thought that has been in the back of the minds of many fans for the last two years just got some kerosene poured on it in the form a report from ESPN’s Ian Begley stating the following:

"Kristaps Porzingis skipped exit meetings with New York Knicks management due to frustration over what he perceives as the dysfunction and drama surrounding the organization, team sources told ESPN.com."

No match has been lit…yet. There is no reason to think at this point that this is anything more than a player feeling his own weight as a young NBA star. The NBA, and sports in general, has been littered with examples throughout its history of star players voicing displeasure about how their franchise is run and then going on to do great things with those same teams. Phil Jackson has coached two of the best examples in Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

After the Bulls traded Jordan’s running mate, bodyguard, and close friend Charles Oakley, it is well documented the Jordan was not happy. He got over it. Almost 20 years later, Kobe Bryant was on the verge of being traded because he was so fed up with how things were going in Los Angeles. No trade occurred. He got over it.

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