Player-coach?
Derek Fisher was just ousted from the 2014 NBA Playoffs. As a player. That’s right, the 5-time NBA Champion was the #3 point guard on the Oklahoma City Thunder squad that almost pushed the Spurs to a Game 7 in the Western Conference Finals–thanks in large part to Fisher’s late game contributions in Game 6–this past season.
He will take over a messy Knicks squad for the upcoming 2014-2015 season as the first head coach of the Phil Jackson era.
There are still many questions to be answered, but this isn’t as surprising a move as it may appear from the outside looking. Phil Jackson is known for making the triangle offense a “thing” in the NBA. It’s under this offense that Kobe Bryant thrived for so many years, including his absurd 2005-2006 campaign, in which he averaged 35 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists a game. Kobe Bryant’s point guard each of those 5 championship seasons?
You guessed right, Derek Fisher.
Jackson will be bringing Fisher to the Knicks to presumably help continue the difficult-to-teach, even-more-difficult-to-defend triangle offense to the Knicks, hopefully, providing Carmelo Anthony a new system to flourish in.
