{"id":7997,"date":"2017-06-28T11:57:39","date_gmt":"2017-06-28T15:57:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=7997"},"modified":"2017-06-30T21:09:37","modified_gmt":"2017-07-01T01:09:37","slug":"masai-ujiri-replaces-phil-jackson-new-york","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2017\/06\/28\/masai-ujiri-replaces-phil-jackson-new-york\/","title":{"rendered":"Masai Ujiri May Replace Phil Jackson in New York"},"content":{"rendered":"

After three tumultuous\u00a0years at the helm of the New York Knicks, Phil Jackson<\/a><\/strong> was removed. Speculation is rife with respect to his replacement. A name brought up is Masai Ujiri<\/strong>, general manager of the Toronto Raptors. This article examines whether or not Masai Ujiri replaces Phil Jackson<\/a><\/strong> in New York.<\/p>\n

A Brief Look at the Jackson Knicks era<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Phil Jackson arrived in New York City with much fanfare as he was seen as the ideal candidate to lead the hapless and sometimes hopeless Knicks to prominence. He signed a five-year\u00a0contract worth $60 million in March 2014. Less than a month later, he fired the incumbent head coach Mike Woodson<\/a><\/strong> and replaced him with Derek Fisher<\/a><\/strong>. Fisher was not Jackson’s first choice, as Steve Kerr<\/a><\/strong> was. Kerr consequently accepted an offer from the Golden State Warriors. Fisher was fired less than two years into his tenure, replaced by Jeff Hornacek<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

After a series of questionable transactions, including signing Lamar Odom<\/a><\/strong>, Jackson signed franchise player Carmelo Anthony<\/a><\/strong> to a five-year\u00a0contract. The Anthony contract ultimately proved the undoing of Jackson as in it included a no-trade clause. Jackson also went on a campaign to alienate and question his team.<\/p>\n

Here’s an example on Jackson’s Twitter account;<\/p>\n

\n

Each NBA game is an opportunity for players to show their "best" nature and please the basketball gods…and those who know what
"It"takes.<\/p>\n

— Phil Jackson (@PhilJackson11) February 23, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n