Close, but no cigar, David Griffin reportedly moving on from New York Knicks general manager consideration

It seems that David Griffin will not be taking the New York Knicks general manager position, after all, a source told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.

There appear to be at least two sticking points according to those close to the source.

Contract talks between David Griffin and the NY Knicks broke down because Griffin wants to bring in his own people.

Griffin also wants to be president just like Phil Jackson, who the Knicks fired on June 28, 2017.

Griffin, who was general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers, believes being a leader on the management team that brought the Cavs its first NBA championship should count for something.

Not directly reporting to Jim Dolan and having to report to Steve Mills, who is rumored to be named New York Knicks President, was not an option.

If you're a New York Knicks fan, I know how you feel.

If you bleed orange and blue, trust me, I understand what you are going through and the current weather does not make life any more pleasant.

On the bright side, at least we can feel some sense of encouragement from what Phil Jackson, the president of basketball operations has orchestrated over the past few weeks.

It's called not standing still.

Jackson, action Jackson is active and has traded the contracts of Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith to the Cleveland Cavaliers, freeing up cap space for this summer when the Knicks will have an excess of $30 million and more to spend on an impressive 2015 free-agent class (Rajon Rondo, Tobias Harris, Marc Gasol, Paul Millsap, Goran Dragic, Kawhi Leonard and more all expected to be available).

According to Yahoo Sports, the Knicks could waive injury-prone Andrea Bargnani and are shopping Jose Calderon.

Like I said, action Jackson.

What's also encouraging is the fact that the Knicks are 5-35.

It's the worst record in the league but possessing said record favors the Knicks when it's lottery time.

The Knicks will be major players with the hopes of obtaining the No.1 pick and in this year's draft it's a must.

The Case for Jahlil Okafor

It's a must because there's a clear cut, obvious, without-a-doubt No.1 pick this year and he's currently a freshman at the University of Duke, a true definition of a phenom.

Two words: Jahlil Okafor.

The Blue Devils will take the court tonight at 9:00 pm against the Miami Hurricanes on ESPN2 & ESPN3, which brings the opportunity of watching #15.

Okafor, averaging a near double-double in 19-9, is a 6'11 center starting for the Blue Devils.

He's a former McDonald's All-American and a Jordan Brand All-American.

Okafor's production and influence on the (14-1) Blue Devils has made him a candidate for player of the year honors and his game explains why.

Okafor is a true back-to-the-basket big-man, a style which symbolized the root of the big-man and is now extinct.

It's hard to find these days and even Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies takes 15-footers from time-to-time.

But that's why Okafor is worthy of being selected No.1 overall this June.

He had all the post-moves with his back-to-the-basket at the tender age of 19 years-old.

Drop-steps, quick turn-around's to his off-shoulder, hook-shots a face-up game, 15-footer and spins, Okafor can do it all and does most, if not, the majority of his damage in the post-area.

It's the maturity of Okafor's game that makes him a can't miss prospect and being 6'11 with 270 pounds on his frame with the development of his all-around skills as a player and physical stature yet to come is what makes Okafor a can't-miss.

Just watch the video below of what he did to Wofford.

That's all you need to see.

The kid is an instant double-double and he's exactly what the Knicks need.

He can be the inside presence the Knicks have sorely lacked since Patrick Ewing.

Okafor has the potential to be a star at the next level and could be someone Carmelo Anthony can take under his wing, groom and mentor as he progresses towards the later stages in his NBA career.

The Knicks need to hope that the odds are in their favor as far as the lottery is concerned.

Okafor is worth praying for.

After falling to 5-26 following their 102-91 loss to the Washington Wizards on Christmas Day, New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony shared his thoughts on the current state of the players comparing it to one of the fans that lives and dies by the orange and blue.

"I feel what the fans are feeling," Anthony said, according to ESPNNY.com. "The Fans are dying, we're dying....As much as I feel for the fans, I feel for us going through it too."

He's not lying.

On ESPN FirstTake with Cari Champion, Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith, last week Chris Rock stopped by as their guest and when asked about the state of the Knicks, Rock said that the Knicks were "Eddie Curry Bad."

If you know the Knicks, then you KNOW what Eddie Curry bad is.

The Knicks are in the midst of a six-game losing streak, with their last win coming in Boston almost two weeks ago. Tonight they will travel to the west to take on the "okay", 12-17 Sacramento Kings at 10 pm tonight.

It will probably be a loss but what's new.

As far as the losses are concerned, first-year Head Coach Derek Fisher remains as cool as ice-cream on the sidelines, keeping his emotions in check without showing any signs of melting throughout this season.

"No I have plenty of (emotion)," Fisher said, according to ESPN.

"It's just there are appropriate times to do it....Emotions during the game are already high enough. Oftentimes that's when you see confrontations between players and coaches.

"There are ways to be confrontational and let guys know how you feel without being angry and out of control. But as time goes on, the longer I'm here, the more you'll see."

There it is, Fisher expressing himself the only way Fisher can.

Fisher won't say he's suffering but it's obvious he is, especially for a first-year Head Coach whose playing career revolved around winning championships and having a win-at-all-cost type of mentality.

And if this hurts Fisher, you can only imagine how the newly appointed President of Basketball Operations in Phil Jackson feels.

Jackson is a two-time NBA Champion as a player and an 11-time NBA Champion as a Head Coach.

His Wins, have Wins.

So in his first experience as a general manager, without the opportunity to pace along the sidelines and teach and draw up strategies for the players to digest and implement, Jackson is out of his natural element.

Knicks fans did not expect the 2014-15 Jackson-Knicks to win a championship in its first year, but Jackson hauling in an excess of $12-million over the next 5-years should, at least translate to the 8th seed this year right?

It all goes back to Jackson's first summer as a GM and the transactions he executed.

He fired then Head Coach Mike Woodson and his coaching staff and replaced them with Derek Fisher and Kurt Rambis.

Phil Jackson signed Jason Smith.

He also traded center Tyson Chandler and point guard Raymond Felton to the Dallas Mavericks for guards Jose Calderon, Shane Larkin and Wayne Ellington, center Samuel Dalembert and two second-round draft picks.

Jackson extended Anthony to a 5-year deal worth over $120-million, re-signed Cole Aldrich, drafted Cleanthony Early, exercised the third-year option on point guard Tim Hardaway Jr. and acquired forwards Quincy Acy and Travis Outlaw from the Sacramento Kings for guard Wayne Ellington and forward Jeremy Tyler.

It was a busy off-season, including many moves which have yet to pay dividends.

Chandler has rejuvenated the Mavericks providing the authority in the middle that is so absent from the Knicks right now as Dalembert's efforts scream "Release".

Ellington could've been a viable option from the perimeter but the log-jam at the shooting-guard position with Hardaway Jr., Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith forced Jackson to part ways with the shooter.

Calderon suffered an injury early in the season, forcing Fisher to start Larkin, which spelled trouble for the Knicks as early as the first month.

Anthony is Anthony and everyone else has struggled to grasp the concept of the new "Triangle" offense.

To be honest, Jackson didn't sign many winners and that can have an effect on a franchise hoping to change its dreadful past into an optimistic future.

Aaron Brooks, backing up Derrick Rose for the Chicago Bulls could have helped.

Rumors circled around Pau Gasol wanting to team-up with Jackson once again, but he, like Brooks elected to go to a winner in the Bulls.

Shaun Livingston, Kris Humphries (actually playing well for Washington), Rasaul Butler (Shooting 51.2% from three), and Al-Farouq Aminu (a good defender) were all available, and Jackson failed to sign these players who are all playing essential roles for their teams, who all sport winning records (Golden State Warriors, Washington Wizards and the Dallas Mavericks respectively).

Jackson made moves with the future in mind and the immediate future of this season is an absolute travesty.

I hate to mention Andrea Bargnani and his allergic reaction to playing basketball.

What saves Jackson is the fact that it is only year-one.

Rome wasn't built in one day.

Even pancakes take time to make.

The Knicks need time.

If you want some good news: the Knicks are on pace to secure a top-5 pick in a draft that boasts potential stars in center Jahlil Okafor (Duke), guard Emmanuel Mudiay (China) and forward Karl Towns (Kentucky).

The Knicks will also have enough money coming off the cap next off-season, to sign a max player when unrestricted free-agents in Marc Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge, Al Jefferson, Goran Dragic, and Paul Millsap, among others, will all be available.

But the 2015 NBA Draft and the 2015 NBA Off-Season seem like years away and New Yorkers are hurting as we speak.

Until then there's not much we can do except "Hold On......." like Drake said.

And cut Jackson some slack because it's his first year.

At 10:33, Phil Jackson tweeted to #Knicksnation: "Merry Christmas to all and Peace on earth. Please be assured your hopes and wishes are getting through to Santa. He will bring a better 2015 than 14. The effort and skill of our team will grow as the players learn how to play with and for each other."

Let's hope so.

One Door Closes, Another Opens

The New York Knicks announced that it waived forward Lamar Odom and re-signed Cole Aldrich.

Overall, the What's The 411Sports team likes the New York Knicks' move to re-sign Cole Aldrich.

Aldrich, 6-11, 245-pounds, averaged 2.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 46 games for the Knicks this past season after originally signing as a free agent on September 24, 2013. The four-year NBA professional is currently playing for New York's entry at the 2014 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, NV.

However, What's The 411Sports reporter Glenn Gilliam is lamenting over Lamar Odom's release from the team.

Odom, 6-10, 221-pounds, was originally signed as a free agent on April 16, 2014.

How could Lamar Odom blow this opportunity to play in his hometown and for veteran coach Phil Jackson?

VIDEO: Conversation about Cole Aldrich and Lamar Odom

Phil Jackson Selects Derek Fisher to Coach New York Knicks

June 10, 2014 signaled a date in New York Knicks history that we can actually acknowledge as the start of the Phil Jackson era, finally.

As we all know by now, Jackson was appointed the President of Basketball Operations for the Knicks earlier this year. As good as it felt to have the knowledge that Jackson, the owner of 11 championship rings as a coach was joining the Knicks in a management role, overseeing basketball operations, there is still a bit of uneasiness. Yes, there is nervousness because we have no evidence that his great coaching will translate into great management.

Although, Jackson relieved then Knicks Head Coach Mike Woodson as one of his first orders of business. Hiring Woodson's replacement was a little problematic, as Jackson's first choice, Steve Kerr, a TNT basketball color analyst, bowed out and signed on with the Golden State Warriors.

But, June 10, 2014 signaled a day when Jackson stepped forward into the future of the Knicks franchise making his presence felt in NY besides occupying a seat at an occasional Knicks home game. He hired a coach. He hired someone he could trust. He hired someone who knows his basketball philosophies. He hired someone he has coached and he hired someone he has won championships with. He hired Derek Fisher. On June 10, 2014 it became official that Derek Fisher would become the newly minted Knicks floor manager from the bench,

It makes sense. After failing to lure Kerr, his initial target, Jackson went with the next best thing. In seeking the right candidate to fill the shoes that Jackson has mastered as a head coach, Jackson required a young mind, someone he has ties with and is also comfortable with, and most importantly, someone who understands the triangle offense, the coaching strategy that Jackson has implemented throughout the duration of his head coaching career.

Fisher fit the bill. Is this hiring a result of the success that first-year head coaches have enjoyed in most recent times? It's difficult to dismiss what Jason Kidd has accomplished in the neighboring borough of Brooklyn. Kidd steered the Nets to 44-38 finish, earning a second place finish in the Atlantic Division, as well as a trip to the second round of the 2014 postseason.

How about Jeff Hornacek in Phoenix? He transformed a team that only won 25 games during the 2012-13 Season into a team that won 48 games this year. Not to mention David Joerger who spearheaded the Memphis Grizzlies attack, exceeding Hornacek with 50 wins. Those are just a couple of examples, but I think in the eyes of someone like Jackson, he seems like the kind of guy who will do exactly what he wants to do, and in adding Fisher he did just that.

For those who do not know Derek Fisher, he is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas. He played collegiate basketball at the University of Arkansas for four years and is a member of one of the most celebrated draft classes in NBA History. Fisher holds a career average of 8.3 points and 3.0 assists. Fisher didn't exactly light the world on fire during the NBA season, but the reason why he is a household name is because of what he was capable of producing when the lights shined the brightest. I'm referring to the NBA postseason. That's how I will remember Fisher. Fisher possesses NBA records of 259 playoff games played, winning 161 of those games. He has five rings to serve as evidence. Some would even argue that other than Shaquille O'Neal, Fisher played a pivotal role in aiding Kobe Bryant to secure the championships he won early in his illustrious career.

For all the key defensive stops, steals, big shots and breakout performances Fisher has accumulated throughout the NBA postseason, one particular series of events stands out more than most. The 0.4 shot. During Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference Semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs, Fisher, then suiting up for the Los Angeles Lakers, down 73-72 caught an in-bound pass from teammate Gary Payton, only to catch the ball, turn and force a shot up all within 0.4 seconds to give the Lakers a 74-73 win, and a 3-2 series lead.

Fisher delivered a 100% effort every night he stepped on the court whether it was defensively, doing the dirty work or guarding the opposing teams best perimeter player. When called upon he responded, and there's no reason why I feel that he won't do the same as a coach. Fisher was tough, strong-minded, a character guy and a competitor, all characteristics we can expect will allow Fisher to make a smooth transition to the bench, this time around wearing a suit. Fisher is well respected around the league, and beloved by all of his peers.

"He's a smart guy, smart mind," says Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant to Marc Berman of the New York Post. "He's a great motivator, great speaker and can really relate to a lot of guys and demands that respect from everybody," Durant continues.

"I think he can be a great coach," TNT analyst Reggie Miller expressed during the Spurs and Thunder playoff series.

As Fisher is small in stature, his heart made up for his lack of size displaying an all for one team basketball inspired play that generates interest and support. If that doesn't influence your belief in the job that Fisher is capable of doing, look no further than his introductory press conference held by the New York Knicks at their training facility.

"I look forward to sharing my experiences with my players, and helping to reestablish a championship culture," says Fisher while addressing the NY media in attendance.

Here's another one. "This is not for Phil and I to just hang out again as friends," says Fisher, in which he concludes that statement by adding, "We want to add more banners to this ceiling here."

How Fisher and Jackson will go about their business in doing so is intriguing and yet worrisome, but the power, sternness and matter-of-fact tone in which Fisher articulated throughout his press conference leads me to believe that he will do just that. I'm encouraged. The only problem facing Fisher is the obvious fact that he has never coached before on any level. He has never occupied the bench as an assistant head coach or even as an intern.

Jackson made it clear that in the beginning of Fisher's tenure in New York, he will be very hands-on, most notably participating in their training camp where Jackson expressed that a co-op operation will be in effect. Fisher has to gain the respect of his players.

He's Fisher and certainly not Kidd. See Fisher wasn't a superstar in this league the way Kidd was. As head coach, Kidd received near instant credibility from his players. Fisher will have to earn his. I believe he can do it. I believe in Fisher. I believe that he can mold the Knicks to play like champions like he once did. I believe a Fisher coached team could exhibit the same characteristics that Fisher displayed while he graced the hardwood as a player in being strong, tough, defensive minded, as well as, adopting and instilling an all-team mentality.

It's hard to not believe in a guy who has won at the highest level attainable not to mention five times. When a deal like this comes into focus and becomes official, I have only one question for Jackson: Why wasn't Fisher the initial candidate?

VIDEO CONVERSATION: Johnny Manziel, Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, Pam Oliver and more

What's The 411Sports Episode 3 featured a discussion of the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers losing season; Phil Jackson coming to New York, Michael Jordan's earnings for 2013; the NFL contemplating allowing the use of medical marijuana; Michael Sam declining an invitation to the White House Correspondents Dinner; who's going to win the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship; and where will Johnny Manziel land in the 2014 NFL Draft.

The featured interview was with Fox Sports Analyst, Pam Oliver. The interview took place at Media Row during the NFL's Super Bowl media week.

What's The 411Sports is hosted by Bianca Peart and Glenn Gilliam.

Phil Jackson New President of New York Knicks

Just as the New York Knicks shocked the basketball universe winning 54 games last year, their division and their first playoff series in more than 10 years, they have done a complete 180 this year. It's been a Murphy's Law kind year for the Orange and Blue that has it 13 games under .500 and currently 4 games out of the last playoff spot.

Think of a way for them to lose a game and they have done it. With criticism mounting, talk of a new head coach and a protest planned before their game against Indiana Wednesday night, rumors began that owner Jim Dolan had reached out to ex-Knick Phil Jackson. The meeting was brokered by mutual friend Irvin Azoff back in December. When Jackson made it clear that he had no interest in coaching, Dolan offered him President of Basketball Operations.

Jackson was introduced to the media Tuesday morning at the World's Most Famous Arena, the place where Jackson earned his first two championship rings with the Knicks, the last coming in 1973. Since then, Jackson added 11 more rings between the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. Signing a 5-year contract at an estimated $12 million per year, the clock has started to see if he can add another ring to his illustrious career.

Phil Jackson spoke off the cuff after being introduced not relying on a pre-written statement. Aside from Dolan and General Manager Steve Mills, former teammates Walt "Clyde" Frazier and Dick Barnett attended as well. He began by talking about the concept of a team.

"We want to build a team. This is a franchise that developed a team back in the 60's that was consistently playing team basketball for 7, 8 years. That's the cache that I think brought me here. There are things I believe that the players should have that's important to them. They should have the security in knowing they will be supported by the organization and coaching staff. Putting yourself on the line, you need to have that support. This is something we want to build for them."

Dolan's history in meddling with his past hires has been well documented; most notably the Donnie Walsh saga, and more recently with his last GM, Glen Grunwald. Dolan rarely speaks to the media and thus, the media feels he has little regard for them. Aware of that, Jackson made a plea, as he emphasized he wants to change the negative perception surrounding the team.

"I want to develop relationships with people here. I'm reaching out to you today and the media people to say we can have an open relationship. We need your support and the fans need a positive atmosphere to come and enjoy the game and the players need a positive attitude in which to play."

Phil Jackson would not have taken the position if he was not guaranteed total autonomy and control of basketball operations. His first official order of business will be talking to Head Coach Mike Woodson and the team before they face the Pacers riding a 7-game winning streak. He's hoping his presence will have an effect on the rest of the season culminating in getting into the playoffs, even if their opponent is Miami or Indiana.

While not the most athletic player on those championship teams, Phil Jackson was a student of the game under legendary coach William "Red" Holzman who stressed passing the ball, finding the open man and playing good old fashion team defense. Jackson remembers when Holzman picked him up at Kennedy airport the year he was drafted by the Knicks in 1967. In short, driving to the city Jackson experienced New York City first hand as a kid threw a brick from the overpass, smashing the front window.

Not deterred, Holztman looked at Jackson and said, "You know New York is not the easiest place to live. But if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere."

Jackson has made it as a player in New York and as a coach in Chicago and Los Angeles. He wants to come full circle and make it as President of the New York Knicks.

This might be the best bittersweet news of the entire year, if you're an avid Knicks fan and supporter. Reported first by Stephen A. Smith, a journalist and NBA insider for ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports, Phil Jackson was approached by New York Knicks management about a possible job offer that would give him the responsibilities as the next Head Coach of the Knicks.

Recent reports have been modified updating that report stating that the Knicks have offered Jackson a front office position as team president of basketball operations. I thought that was current GM Steve Mills job to lose? What about Assistant GM Allan Houston? But this is how Jim Dolan, President and CEO, Cablevision Systems and Chairman, Madison Square Garden company orchestrates his business. The business that we are most concerned with is the New York Knicks.

As of today March 3, 2014, the New York Knicks are well on their way to a disappointing and deflating representation of an NBA regular season, positioned 10th in the Eastern Conference standings, a 25-40 overall record currently enjoying a 4-game winning streak. A new episode of Marvel Agents of Shield premiered tonight on ABC-TV. If you were unaware, it's a pretty good show.

Let's get this Knicks stuff out of the way, because that's how hard it is to watch this team. That's how hard it is to fully invest your spirit into the Orange and Blue. Maybe the addition of Phil Jackson in a management arrangement could ease the pain and give us a substantial amount of faith even though it might not translate to wins on the court immediately. Maybe down the road we will see the fingerprints of what 11-world championships won as a coach and two championships won as a player could transition into as a talent evaluator and trader.

Maybe down the road we could see an entire franchise image make-over rivaling the San Antonio Spurs organization, minus the dynasty (it's too early) due to the insertion of one man. Maybe he could be exactly what we need. All of these predictions and future dreams could be a reality if Jackson indeed joins the Knicks organization and is given the space and opportunity to operate, only if Dolan keeps his hands to himself. Only if Dolan owns the team and does not get involved in basketball related ideas influencing management transactions and in that case he has done enough.

Donnie Walsh, remember him? Presently a consultant for the Indiana Pacers was the former President of Basketball Operations for the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks. He only drafted a Hall-of-Famer in Reggie Miller in 1987 and aided the construction of a team in the 2013-2014 Pacers who are the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. As of today, the Pacers are 47-17, the best record in the NBA. What Walsh did for the Knicks made him our messiah, as long as he was employed by the Knicks. In 2008, Walsh cleared $27 million off the Knicks payroll in trading players with large contacts for cheaper and durable pieces. He cleared cap space for the Knicks to have a chance at signing a max player among the summer free agent class of 2010, in which Lebron James, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, Amar'e Stoudemire and Joe Johnson, were all available. He signed Stoudemire to a five-year $100-million dollar deal. The Knicks were back.

They were having a great season until some bumps in the road steered the Knicks off-track momentarily which prompted Dolan to don his basketball hat and command the pursuit of then Denver Nuggets star F Carmelo Anthony. Walsh obeyed his wishes sacrificing the punch of the team while mortgaging the future. Due to health, pride, and superior basketball knowledge Walsh resigned June 3, 2011.

As Walsh left, a man within the organization became his successor in Glen Grunwald, the former Vice President of the Denver Nuggets and Toronto Raptors. He only orchestrated a trade to acquire Vince Carter and drafted Tracy McGrady, giving the Raptors three consecutive playoff berths from 2000-02, which included a trip to the conference semi-finals. In 2012, Grunwald was promoted to general manager and executive vice president of basketball operations for the Knicks. He only gave us one of the best seasons to date. In the 2012-13 NBA season, Grunwald manufactured a Knicks team with veterans and role players built around the center-piece in Anthony to achieve a 54-28 regular season, which clinched their first Atlantic Division crown since the 1994 season and a trip to the second round of the 2013 playoffs.

Like Walsh, Grunwald was let go also following his success. This is all while Dolan has maintained his basketball hat. These moves illustrate that Dolan doesn't allow room to grow or develop, but space to do nothing as your General Manager job will be in Jeopardy if he doesn't approve. Now the Knicks General Manager responsibilities belong to a bright gentleman who has never operated Basketball Operations in his life, Steve Mills. The basketball hat is still on. This is the beautiful mind of Dolan at work. Those are his actions.

What does the potential arrival of Jackson mean?

Does it mean that Dolan will actually let the basketball people handle basketball related activities or, is it only a matter of time before he interferes and aides another exit of a great basketball mind.

The mere idea of pursuing Jackson while Mills, the man occupying the current GM position, which hasn't lasted an entire NBA season, says it all.

Dolan can't wait.

You would think he will leave his hands to himself because it is Jackson, the "Zen Master," a man inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach, but we don't know. I have faith in a coach who has won 11 world championships to have an idea in choosing the kind of players he suspects has the characteristics and skills that results in wins on the basketball court. Does Dolan believe so, or is this just to save face and throw someone else to the wolves of the general public and the media capital of the world.

It's interesting isn't it?