Don't Be Shocked if Mark Jackson Becomes Knicks Coach

To be honest, he's really the best candidate.

Unfortunately, it looks like the New York Knicks are not gonna go after free agent coach, Frank Vogel. Who I liked and still think is the best fit for the Knicks, but after that little bit of news of the Knicks "contacting" Vogel's reps, we've heard no tractions since.

I like Vogel as Knicks coach, but to be honest I think the best free coach out there now, whose gonna really speak to these Knicks players and a coach that'll really connect with Carmelo Anthony, is Mark Jackson.

There's a feeling around the New York sports media that Knicks president Phil Jackson will hire Kurt Rambis as full-time coach. Which is a move Knicks fans will not like. Nor the the Knicks players will like.

But if there was surprise hiring, that was someone not in the (Phil) Jackson circle, it could be (Mark) Jackson. And the reason why I say this is because (Mark) Jackson is the only coach Phil reached out to, earlier this year.

Phil never reached out to free agents Tom Thibodeau, Jeff Van Gundy, Patrick Ewing, David Blatt; the only other name I feel he had real personal interest in was Luke Walton, before he signed to coach the Los Angeles Lakers. Walton was Phil's first choice. Besides Walton, Jackson is the only free agent coach Phil came to -- which speaks a lot.

I don't think Phil has called Vogel or reached out to him personally, like he's done with Jackson. All we heard was the Knicks reps contacting Vogel. While the Mark Jackson interested in the Knick camp sounded more significant.

Now this may seem foolish and may not mean a thing, but during one of the playoff games this year when Jackson was commentating with Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy, he did mention how big a Knicks fan he was growing up and how he enjoyed watching Phil Jackson play (when Phil was a player on the Knicks). So...that could mean nothing at all, but it is funny how brings that up.

I always felt Jackson is someone who will translate to players and free agents. He'll be rejuvenated coming to the Knicks, after watching his former team the Golden State Warriors win a championship and break the single-season record, and being born in Brooklyn, New York, we all know he'd absolutely love to coach the Knicks. And like I mentioned, he grew up a Knick fan, even watching Phil Jackson play.

Mike Breen whose the main play-by-play man for the Knicks and is very close to Jackson, must be pushing for the Knicks to hire the former Warriors coach.

But it is strange, for a coach like Jackson who in his two last seasons with the Warriors won 47 and 51 games, can't find another job. And the Warriors players liked him. Players like Draymond Green and other Warriors always come greet him, when Jackson is commentating a Warriors game. We never hear players bad mouth him. We hear players bash George Karl and he tends to always find a job, minutes after he gets fired from one.

If Phil Jackson doesn't finish his contract with the Knicks and opts out next season, then he needs to find a coach that'll be right to coach this team and be part of the organizational decisions, for years to come. Sometimes the organization needs opinions from the coach. I think Mark Jackson is tough, smart enough and knows about New York City to know what players the organization should or shouldn't go after. (Mark) Jackson to me is the guy that'll be fine, if (Phil) Jackson left the team to him.

I don't know who the Zenmaster will be pick, but don't be shocked if Jackson hires Jackson.