It had been a while before the Los Angeles Lakers rose back to prominence. Unfortunately, Kobe Bryant's final years weren't exactly successful, and the 2010 NBA championship was nothing but a distant memory.
Then, LeBron James took his talents to Hollywood, and hope arose again. Injuries derailed his first year but he led them to the NBA Finals and their 17th championship in just his second season.
James' presence helped them get Anthony Davis and turned them into a contender right away. Nonetheless, Phil Jackson would still rather keep Russell Westbrook and trade LeBron instead.
Lakers Rumors: Phil Jackson Would Rather Trade LeBron James And Keep Russell Westbrook
"I've heard that Phil would like LeBron traded," Lakers insider Bill Plasche said. "I've hust heard that. But I've got no on the record stuff to back that up. I do know that Phil would like them to keep Westbrook and try to make things work with him."
Westbrook had arguably the worst season of his career, and fans in L.A. didn't seem to care for him. Even so, The Zen Master is still sold on him and believes he can find success in Southern California.
Phil Jackson Continues To Have A Lot Of Power In The Lakers
Jackson is still quite close to Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and has a big influence on the team's decision-making. Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, he's been a bit of an outside consultant for them:
“This is very much a committee in L.A. putting together this coaching search," Woj revealed. "And one person who is certainly significantly involved in this process is Phil Jackson. He’s got a voice in this."
"He did last time when they hired Frank Vogel. He and Kurt Rambis. He had been somebody they had considered with the Knicks before hiring Derek Fisher in New York... They’re moving deliberately," Woj added. "They’re not doing seven or eight or nine candidates all at once. They’re kind of going down a list and taking their time with it. I think that process is going to take a bit.”
Jackson is one of the greatest coaches in NBA history and deserves plenty of respect as such. But after the mess he made in New York, maybe Jeanie Buss should know better than to let him have such extensive input in these kinds of things.
