Phil Jackson is a coaching legend. His 11 championship rings are the most by a coach in NBA history, earning him a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame. As an executive, though? Not so much. Looking back at his every move as New York Knicks president, it’s almost as if he was trying to get fired, and it’s a wonder the organization picked up the option on the final two years of his contract two months ago.

[Follow Ball Don’t Lie on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tumblr]

Jamming the triangle offense down the throat of a league that’s flourishing in the pace-and-space era and shopping 21-year-old franchise cornerstone Kristaps Porzingis two years after selecting him No. 4 overall, because “we have to do what’s good for our club” in “the future,” are fireable offenses on their own, but we’re here to judge Jackson on the merits of the moves he actually made since assuming the decision-making duties for the Knicks in March 2014. And they are not good. Here are the six worst:

1. Giving Carmelo Anthony a no-trade clause.

Jackson’s third major order of business (oh, we’ll get to the first two) was Anthony’s free agency in 2014. A 29-year-old seven-time All-Star by that point, ‘Melo was essentially guaranteed of getting a max contract on the open market, so Jackson had little choice but to re-sign the franchise player.

What he could have done, though, is refuse to offer Anthony a no-trade clause. That decision has defined Jackson’s tenure as president, since he has spent the past year trashing ‘Melo for holding the ball too much, lacking the will to win and just outright being better off somewhere else.

Informing the league that you want someone off your team as soon as possible is not the best way to set the market for potential trades, but you know what else hinders that process: Having to seek Anthony’s approval in any deal, especially when he seems perfectly happy staying in New York.

2. Hiring Derek Fisher.

Jackson’s first serious order of business in New York, outside of signing ex-Los Angeles Lakers Shannon Brown and Lamar Odom to 10-day contracts at the end of the 2013-14 season, was to replace Mike Woodson on the bench with Fisher, who had played his final game all of 10 days earlier.

Fisher finished 40-96 in 136 games as Knicks head coach. His biggest accomplishments in New York included 1) getting into a fight in Los Angeles with then-Memphis Grizzlies swingman Matt Barnes over his former Lakers teammate’s ex-wife during training camp and 2) giving us the #DerekFisherFace:





Jackson solved that issue by appointing Kurt Rambis as Fisher’s replacement. The same Rambis who posted a .279 winning percentage in two previous stops as a head coach. He improved upon that record with a 9-19 finish to the 2015-16 season. Jackson then hired Jeff Hornacek, who enjoyed success running an exciting uptempo offense with the Phoenix Suns, and of course the Zen Master ex-coach turned executive saddled his new coach with running the triangle and players who might fit into it.

3. Trading for Derrick Rose.

Rose was five years removed from his MVP campaign, experienced reoccurring knee injuries every year in between, and was slated to make $21 million in 2016-17. Oh, and he was in the midst of a civil rape lawsuit. So, naturally Jackson traded for him, forming what Rose dubbed a “super-team” in New York.

The Knicks finished 31-51, including one loss for which Rose just decided not to show up for work. The 28-year-old Rose underwent season-ending arthroscopic knee surgery in early April.

In the process, Jackson traded Robin Lopez, one of New York’s few recent value signings (even at $54 million). While Porzingis refused to show up for his exit interview and Jackson sung Rose’s praises while bashing Anthony, Lopez put together a brief but monster playoff run with the Chicago Bulls.

View photos Kurt Rambis and Jose Calderon were briefly in control of the Knicks’ offense. (AP) More