Michael Jordan Connection in Lakers’ High Level Coaching Search Revealed Even as LeBron James Seems Absent

Michael Jordan has now an interesting connection to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers now have an off-season to deal with their coaching issues. So far, they have been unsuccessful.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka is the point man on the organization’s search, but there’s a committee in place to vet the candidates. Besides Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss, advisor Kurt Rambis and former Lakers coach Phil Jackson are also a significant part of the conversations, according to ESPN. Jackson also has an interesting Michael Jordan connection.

Phil Jackson and the Michael Jordan connection

Jackson has won 11 rings as a coach in the NBA. He has had 3 three peats throughout his career. One with Los Angeles Lakers and two with Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. The absence of LeBron James is noticeable but not surprising considering it’s Phil Jackson.

Jackson famously referred to LeBron James’ inner circle as his “posse,” a term with racial connotations. LeBron James said at the time that he had “nothing but respect for him as a coach” before the incident, but that respect was lost. “If he says it out to the media, I can only imagine what he says when the camera is not on him,” James added.

He has won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, which include the three-peat of 2000, 2001, and 2002. He, also, won six more championships with the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. His record for hiring coaches has been shocking, to say the least. He chose former Lakers point guard Derek Fisher to lead his Knicks when he was there.

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The New York Knicks never reached the playoffs during Jackson’s presidency. He infamously drafted Frank Ntilikina over Donovan Mitchell. His best draft pick, Kristaps Porzingis, grew so much with the team that he eventually got traded to the Dallas Mavericks.

According to Sam Amick, there are powerful people close to the Lakers who aren’t thrilled with the reality that Jackson’s voice is being taken into account when he has no formal position with the franchise. Buss has relied on this sort of informal counsel from people she trusts for years now. That was the case with Kobe Bryant before his passing. It had everything to do with the choice to hire his former agent, Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, in 2017.

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Is this decision for the best? Is Phil Jackson the right man for this job? Or is Lakers going back to their old ways? Discuss below.