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Report: Jackson offered job with Lakers

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Posted: Saturday June 12, 1999 08:58 AM

At Chicago, Phil Jackson proved he can handle a star-laden team. Jonathan Daniel/Allsport

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Phil Jackson, who coached the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships in the 1990s, might be California-bound.

Jackson, who left the Bulls following last season after they won their sixth NBA title, is speaking with the Los Angeles Lakers about their vacant coaching job.

"We're not going to deny the fact that we've talked to Phil Jackson about coaching the Lakers next season," Jerry West, the team's executive vice president for basketball operations, said Friday. "With the success he's had in the NBA, he's definitely an attractive candidate.

"However, we're exploring several possibilities with different individuals, and no decision has been made yet."

Fox Sports West reported late Thursday the Lakers offered Jackson a four-year deal worth more than $20 million, and ESPN reported Friday that an offer was made.

However, while admitting there was interest, West told the Los Angeles Times no offer had been made before issuing his statement Friday.

Jackson's Chicago-based agent, Todd Musburger, was reported to be in "serious negotiations" with the Lakers by Fox Sports News. Musburger wouldn't comment when contacted by the Times, and was unavailable for comment Friday.

Jackson, 53, who coached the Bulls for nine years, was reportedly on vacation in Alaska and unavailable for comment.

The Showtime Lakers of the 1980s won five championships, but haven't won a title since 1988, and haven't reached the NBA Finals since 1991, when they lost to Jackson and the Bulls to begin Chicago's run of six titles in a span of eight seasons.

Led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, the Lakers reached the Western Conference finals last spring before being swept by the Utah Jazz.

This year's team was swept by Western Conference champion San Antonio in a second-round playoff series to complete their chaotic lockout-shortened season.

Many viewed the Lakers as the logical successor to the Bulls after Jackson left, Michael Jordan retired and other key players were either traded away or signed contracts with other teams.

However it didn't work out that way.

Del Harris was fired as coach of the Lakers after just 12 games of the abbreviated 50-game season, and former Bulls rebounding star Dennis Rodman played his first game with the team on Feb. 26 -- the same day Kurt Rambis was hired to succeed Harris on an interim basis.

The Lakers won their first nine games with Rambis as coach and Rodman in the lineup, but Rodman took a leave of absence at that point, and things were never the same.

In addition, the Lakers acquired Glen Rice and J.R. Reid from Charlotte for Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell right before Rodman left the team.

Rodman, who thrived under Jackson in Chicago, was finally waived April 16; Rice had a difficult time adjusting to his new team, and the Lakers seemed to miss both Jones and Campbell.

Rambis, under contract as coach through the end of the current season, said the day after the Lakers lost their fourth and final game to the Spurs that he expected to be back next year.

That appeared to be the direction the Lakers were headed until the last few days. Now, it appears likely that if Rambis does return, it won't be as head coach.

 

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