Could the Zen Master be moving north of the border?
According to a report by ESPN, former Bulls and Lakers head coach Phil Jackson is being targeted by the Toronto Raptors, who want to bring the 11-time NBA champion on board as team president. Former AEG chief Tim Lieweke, who now runs the Raptors, a major player in building Staples Center, is still close to Jackson from their time in L.A.
The ongoing Sacramento-Seattle debate plays into a potential move by Jackson. It was said that Seattle was a leading contender to land Jackson, should the city acquire the franchise from the California capital. Leading Seattle investor Chris Hansen was reported to have “hit it off” with Jackson.
However, now that it appears the Kings are staying put, the Raptors are believed to be the frontrunner to have Jackson in their front office. There remains some skepticism around basketball that Jackson would be willing to relocate to Canada.
In an interview last week with the San Francisco Chronicle, Jackson indicated that a number of teams had contacted him about various jobs. He also said none of those discussions had been about returning to the bench as a head coach.
