MIAMI – Phil Jackson had lunch with his girlfriend, Lakers VP Jeanie Buss, Monday afternoon at the Laker offices. Then the Zen Master took off, not telling Buss where he was going, and was out of pocket for more than six hours.
That’s how secretive was Monday’s pow-wow between Jackson, Knicks president Isiah Thomas and Jackson’s agents Todd and Brian Musburger, reported in the late editions of yesterday’s Post. The meeting didn’t break up until after 11:30 p.m. (EDT) and appears Thomas did enough of a sales job to keep the Knicks on Jackson’s short list.
Asked if the Knicks are still in the ballgame, a source familiar with the talks said, “Absolutely, yes.” The source said the Knicks, Lakers and Cavaliers are the top three candidates.
Meanwhile, the Lakers feel an ESPN report that Jackson and Kobe Bryant could meet this week was a good sign that Bryant is into having the Zen Master back as coach. The Lakers feel that report was floated by Bryant’s camp as an olive branch. Jackson and Bryant had a testy relationship the final couple of seasons of Jackson’s term and the nine-time champion coach ripped Bryant in his recent book.
Bryant appears to be on a publicity campaign to clean up his image, as last week he renewed vows with his wife and he may join TNT on playoff broadcasts shortly. If Jackson and Bryant can come together, the Knicks’ chances are doomed.
The Cavaliers are still on Jackson’s list, though he would no want to do both GM and coaching jobs. The Knicks believe they will meet again with Jackson, who has made it known to the team he would want a say in personnel decisions.
Meanwhile, Jeanie Buss, leading the drive to bring Jackson back as the Lakers’ coach, said the events of the past few days have strained their relationship. Jackson has left Buss in the dark, feeling it’s a conflict of interest to give her information that could back to her father, Lakers owner Jerry Buss.
“It’s a little strange between us,” Jeanie Buss told The Post yesterday. “I’m a little bit rattled by it all. Decisions will have to be made. This can’t go on forever.”
Meanwhile, the Musburgers seem to be pushing the Knicks hard, perhaps upset at the Lakers’ treatment of Jackson after last season’s Finals run. Or perhaps the agents want the Knicks in the mix to drive up his price.
Garden spokesman Barry Watkins confirmed Monday’s meeting, adding, “Isiah did what he said he’d do. He said [Thursday] he’d talk to Phil and he did.”
Meanwhile, if the Lakers or Cavs grab Jackson, the Knicks would be stuck, as Nate McMillan appears headed back to Seattle, Larry Brown could be coaching into mid-June and Flip Saunders’ resume doesn’t scream: “Hire me.”
Thomas called interim coach Herb Williams “the frontrunner” last Thursday and Williams will become a prohibitive favorite if Jackson and Bryant make up.
“Kobe is not the reason Phil is not the Laker coach,” Jeanie Buss told The Post in an interview in March. “The reason he’s not the Laker coach is he had the opportunity to sign the extension and he waited. My father was coming to the conclusion he was going to trade Shaq. Kobe was a free agent and [my father] had a coach who was noncommittal. He had to make a decision. Phil has always said Kobe is one of the best players and any team with him can compete for a championship. I don’t see it being a problem.”