Report: Phil Jackson significantly involved in Lakers’ coaching search

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss takes advice from Phil Jackson, one of the greatest coaches in NBA history.

She might as well get his input on the Lakers’ coaching search.

Adrian Wojnarowski on ESPN:

This is very much a committee in L.A. putting together this coaching search. 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.

The committee probably includes some combination of Buss, Jackson, general manager Rob Pelinka, Kurt Rambis, Linda Rambis and Magic Johnson.

Jackson has unique experience as a championship coach with the Bulls and Lakers. He could certainly contribute to the conversation with his expertise (or bloviate).

But given Jackson’s experience running the Knicks, his presence in the conversation isn’t exactly inspiring. The two head coaches he hired with New York – Derek Fisher and Jeff Hornacek – had major problems. And that was with ability to offer big salaries, widening the pool of candidates. The Lakers have been unwilling to pay top dollar for a premier coach.

Jackson also reportedly wanted the Knicks to hire Kurt Rambis, who won less than 20% of his games with the Timberwolves. That probably would’ve gone poorly, too.

Rambis is already in the Lakers’ organization, for what it’s worth.