THE only good news for the New York Knicks is when LeBron James next becomes a free agent in the summer of 2020, team president Phil Jackson’s contract will have expired.
The legendary coach has burned another bridge as his inept presidency took another turn with James responding negatively to the Zen Master’s use of the term “posse’’ when describing James’ handlers in an interview with ESPN.
James, who signed a three-year extension last summer, claims he has lost respect for Jackson.
“I had nothing but respect for him as a coach,’’ James said Tuesday after practice, according to a report.
“Had respect?’’ he was asked.
”Yeah,’’ James responded.
Until now? “Yeah.’’
“To use that label, and if you go and read the definition of what the word ‘posse’ is, it’s not what I’ve built over my career,” James told reporters in Cleveland. “It’s not what I stand for. It’s not what my family stands for. And I believe the only reason he used that word is because it’s young African-Americans trying to make a difference.”
James and his associates deemed the word choice racially charged. “It just sucks that now at this point, having one of the biggest businesses you can have on and off the floor and having a certified agent in Rich Paul and Maverick Carter, that’s done so many great business things, the title for African-Americans is the word ‘posse,’” James said.
“For me, we see the success we have. There’s always someone to let us know we still have far to go. … I don’t think Phil Jackson would still use that term if he was doing business with someone else, working in anyone in sports that owned the team that surrounded himself with people that wasn’t African-American, he didn’t agree with, I don’t think he’d call them a posse.”
Carter, James’ childhood friend and longtime manager, issued a tweet Monday night taking Jackson to task. Jackson also talked about James needing “special treatment,’’ referring to an incident during James’ Heat days when they visited Ohio. Jackson said James and “his posse’’ demanded to stay overnight in Cleveland instead of leaving with the rest of the team on a plane after the game.
It’s unclear if Jackson will apologise publicly. He has not spoken to the media covering the team since September 22.
Knicks star Carmelo Anthony sided with buddy James over his team’s president.
Anthony said he is not surprised at James’ beef with Phil Jackson in calling his handlers “a posse,’’ adding he would be offended, too, if his entourage got tagged by Jackson with that word.
Anthony also said he can’t “understand” why Jackson is even talking about James — with the Knicks’ next battle against the Cavaliers not until Dec. 7. Anthony, a close friend of the Cleveland superstar, also believes James is true to his word that he no longer respects the Zen Master.
“I wouldn’t never want to hear that word about me and — I don’t want to say my crew — but people I consider family and people I came up with, been through thick and thin with,’’ Anthony said after Tuesday’s practice. “I would want [them] to be called a tightly knit group or family. That’s what I consider those close people.
“Anybody would understand that,’’ Anthony, who has a no-trade clause, said on why “posse’’ is offensive. “I don’t think you have to be a rocket scientist or educated person to know what that means to us.”
The “posse’’ reference — a word that James took issue with because of its racial connotations — appeared in a Jackson anecdote in an ESPN interview published Monday. Years ago, James and his handlers wanted to stay overnight in Cleveland after a Heat road game, though the club was flying back to Miami. Jackson said it shows James needs “special treatment.’’ On several occasions, Anthony posited Jackson shouldn’t be commenting on James’ business regardless.
“I don’t even know how that conversation even came up,’’ Anthony said. “I don’t know the conversation or even why Phil was talking about LeBron in the first place. I don’t think we play them anytime soon. It’s a whole month away. I just don’t understand Phil talking about LeBron right now. In November. I don’t understand that.”
In fairness, Anthony also sensed Jackson didn’t realise “posse’’ could have racial undertones and thinks he regrets it. He said he has no plans to talk with Jackson. James’ agent is Rich Paul and his manager Maverick Carter. Anthony and his manager, Bay Frazier, are friends with Carter.
“There’s different words, different people use in different ways,’’ Anthony said. “To some people the word ‘posse’ might not mean anything. To other people, it could be a derogatory statement. It all depends why you’re mentioning it and [who you are] talking about. In this sense, he was talking about five, four black men in this situation.
“Do I think he meant it in any kind of way? I really don’t know. I don’t think he did. I would hope he didn’t. Sometimes Phil just says things, the first thing that comes to mind. He’s probably in his office now regretting it. When it comes to, Phil, you never know what’s going to be said.”
Anthony knows James well enough; for him to speak out, this incident got to him.
“From LeBron’s standpoint, he feels a certain kind of way that he didn’t agree with something that somebody said he respected, had a high level of respect for,” Anthony said. “I know him personally, very well. For him to say whatever he said, lost respect for someone or not, he really means that. I know him. I don’t think he’d just say something to be saying that. Whatever was said, I’m pretty sure hit home and he responded.”
