Knicks fans have been desperate for change in the Knicks organization because it has had no NBA titles since ‘73 and questionable signings and moves over the years. Phil Jackson, aka The Zen Master, won 13 NBA championships which makes him on top as a player and coach of all time. In 2014, the Knicks announced that Phil Jackson would return to the Garden as president. This move gave Phil Jackson have full control of the coaching staff, player contracts and exploring trade options to make the Knicks as good as possible. Phil Jackson won 2 of his championships as a defensive minded player on the New York Knicks back in 1970 and 1973 and played alongside Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Willis Reed.
He was then hired as head coach of the Chicago Bulls in 1989. It took Phil, Michael Jordan,Scottie and their supporting cast 2 short seasons to win their first championship in franchise history. The Chicago Bulls went for a 3 peat from 1991-1993 and 1996-1998 which solidified Michael Jordan as the greatest player of all time and Phil Jackson as a basketball genius. Phil retired as a coach in 1998 but signed with the Lakers in 1999 and won the 5 championships in the span of 11 NBA seasons as coach which also solidified Kobe Bryant as one of the greatest of all time. Phil retired in 2011.
The New York Knicks had been in a terrible slump for almost 16 seasons after losing the NBA finals against the Spurs in the 1998-1999 season and only making the playoffs in only 11 of the last 16 seasons. In his first move as president he fired the entire coaching staff and hired someone who he’d coached for 10 plus years Derek Fisher. After this huge signing, Phil Jackson and the Knicks organization brought a lot of hope to their fans because a lot was expected from Phil.
Heading into the 2014-15 season, the Knicks were projected to be a playoff team but things didn’t go as planned. Phil’s first major move was trading a fan favorite, Tyson Chandler, and Raymond Felton to the Dallas Mavericks. Some Knicks fans thought it was a great move but the majority thought it was pointless.
The Knicks ended up 15th in the east and 29th (out of 30) in the standings, with a record of 17-65. The Knicks later got a lottery pick in the NBA (4th overall) and Phil Jackson put all his trust on a 19 year old Latvian named Kristaps Porzingis. Many people automatically lost hope on the Knicks after this random pick by Phil.
Kristaps’ first season (2015-16) recently ended and he ended 2nd in votes rookie of the year and averaging 14 points, 7 rebounds, and roughly 2 blocks per game. A lot of people doubted the overseas star but they also saw him evolve under Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony who guided him on the floor.
The NBA started the offseason in July 1 but the Knicks started to make power moves with a blockbuster trade acquiring Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose while sending Jose Calderon, Jerian Grant and Robin Lopez to the Bulls. As free agency began, the Knicks made another huge signing by acquiring free agent big man Joakim Noah who was Derrick Rose’s teammate in Chicago since 2008 that could bring in good team chemistry.
I’ve asked 10 basketball fans who live in New York if the Knicks can be contenders for the championship and three people thought they could and 7 they couldn’t. My personal opinion is that the Knicks could become a playoff team next season but it might take some time to be contenders for the championship.
Knicks fans are starting to have hope and starting to believe in the Zen Master aka Phil Jackson to make the Knicks a championship team once again.