There have been plenty of rumors over the course of the 2011-12 NBA season that Jackson will return to the sidelines with the New York Knicks, but that’s not the case anymore with the Knicks deciding to remove the interim tag and sign Mike Woodson to a three-year contract extension.
With the Knicks off the table, Jackson’s return to the NBA in a coaching capacity is uncertain. There’s no question that being the head coach in New York was considered to be the perfect opportunity for Jackson, but now he must consider other options and it appears the Hall of Famer is doing just that.
Reportedly, Jackson showed some serious interest in joining the front office of the Orlando Magic. Unfortunately for the Magic, Jackson backed out on Thursday for another undisclosed opportunity in the NBA according to Sam Vincent via Brian Schmitz of the Orland Sentinel:
“It drew some interest from Phil,” Vincent said. “But in the end, Phil decided to go with another opportunity.”
Jackson is apparently headed back to the NBA in some capacity, but he pulled out here before Martins had a chance to run it by owner Rich DeVos. Martins learned of Jackson’s exit Thursday, but would not comment.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for Jackson in the NBA, but it’s become clear that he aims to return in some form or another. Whether or not that return to the league will include the Los Angeles Lakers is unclear, but it might not be out of the realm of possibility.