HoopsHype.com Rumors

Chad Ford: Phil Jackson was asking for the moon -- huge salary, ownership stake, personnel control, etc and Jim Buss didn't want to cede control of the franchise. But perhaps equally important, Phil was seen as a short term solution and the Lakers want to think long-term as well. As for D'Antoni? He's a great coach, gets along well with the players on the roster and is a better long-term fit. Phil would've been awesome and maybe even given the Lakers a better shot to win the next year or two. But long-term? I think D'Antoni was the right choice. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jim Buss 

Of course, Bryant said Tuesday that he didn’t know Jackson was interested in the job. “I told them (General Manager Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss) Mike D’Antoni was my first choice,” Bryant said after Tuesday’s shoot-around. “I didn’t know Phil was going to be an option. They said it is and I want to know how you feel about it. That was it. “They knew my two guys that I liked. If one didn’t work out with Phil, they knew they had my approval with the other one.” Orange County Register

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jim Buss 

On Sunday, a person familiar with the situation, speaking anonymously because the deal wasn't complete, said the Lakers were 95% certain Jackson was their choice. By game time, the certainty had dropped to 70%, and the rest quickly disappeared in the next few hours. Jackson laughed at media reports that said he had wanted to skip road games and demanded to have final say in personnel decisions. "There's nothing about that," he said. "Jimmy [Buss] and I had an agreement when I came back for the second tenure that there would be complete transparency in personnel decisions. I did bring up there were a couple things that went by me that time and I would be part and parcel of such a thing this time." Jackson said Kupchak told him during the late Sunday phone call that the Lakers thought D'Antoni was the best coach for the team. Kupchak, Jim Buss and Jerry Buss were not available for interviews. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jerry Buss, Jim Buss 

The Lakers woke up Jackson with a phone call near midnight Sunday to tell him that Mike D'Antoni would be their coach. "I wish it would have been a little bit cleaner," Jackson said in a Monday night telephone interview with The Times. "It would have been much more circumspect and respectful of everybody that's involved. It seemed slimy to be awoken with this kind of news. It's just weird." The Lakers explained their decision this way: "After speaking with several excellent and well-respected coaching candidates, Dr. Buss, Jim and I all agreed that Mike was the right person at this time to lead the Lakers forward," Kupchak said in a statement Monday, referring to Jim Buss and also team owner Jerry Buss. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jerry Buss, Jim Buss 

"Saturday morning, [Lakers executive] Jim Buss called to ask if he could come and visit. I didn't solicit or ask for the opportunity but I welcomed both him and [team executive] Mitch Kupchak into my home to discuss the possibility of my return to the Lakers as head coach," Jackson said. "We talked for over an hour and a half. No contractual terms were discussed and we concluded with a handshake and an understanding that I would have until Monday [today] to come back to them with my decision. I did convey to them that I did have the confidence that I could do the job. I was awakened at midnight Sunday by a phone call from Mitch Kupchak. He told me that the Lakers had signed Mike D'Antoni to a three-year agreement and that they felt he was the best coach for the team. The decision is of course theirs to make. I am gratified by the groundswell of support from the Laker fans who encouraged my return and it is the principal reason why I considered the possibility." Yahoo! Sports

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jim Buss 

Phil Jackson got that fantastically awkward midnight wake-up call from Mitch Kupchak – and got the news that the job Jackson absolutely thought was his to lose had already been won by Mike D'Antoni. So stunned and groggy was Jackson that he didn't even really ask why. He did manage to straighten up enough to land a typical Jackson straight jab when Kupchak said Jerry Buss, Jim Buss and he all believed D'Antoni was the best coach for the Lakers now. "I don't," Jackson said. "But OK." Orange County Register

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jim Buss 

Jackson was intrigued. He heard what Kobe Bryant said about him Friday night when asked about Jackson coaching again – heartfelt, downright loving words – and Jackson was truly touched. He had been watching Bryant's team closely enough that he could tell you in great detail why the spacing in Mike Brown's offense was crap, how Dwight Howard was being posted up with a teammate far too nearby and enabling the double team to come ridiculously easily. Orange County Register

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jim Buss 

There was some talk about Jackson's disdain for travel, yes, but nothing concrete. They went through the roster together, but Jackson didn't demand personnel power over Kupchak's head. There was no equity stake in the franchise. Jim Buss brought up the Lakers' diminished spending power these days in light of the new collective bargaining agreement and revenue sharing, and Jackson actually hinted that he'd take less money this time by saying broadly: "This is not gonna be about money." Orange County Register

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jim Buss 

Musburger said that while he respected the Lakers right to hire whomever they wanted as coach, he was disappointed in the way the entire situation unfolded. "Phil is someone who brought nothing but trophies to their bookcase and value to the franchise," Musburger said. "He deserved to be dealt with honestly. "He didn't deserve the job, that's their decision. They can hire whoever they wish. But don't say to someone you've got until Monday and then roust him from slumber at midnight to say, 'By the way we hired somebody else.' That's just not fair dealing and Phil deserved fair dealing. He's a good faith person and he was dealt with poorly. It is indicative of the shabby way that organization is being run." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jim Buss 

Team officials said the decision had to do with a belief that D'Antoni's up-tempo offense was a better fit for this group than Jackson's triangle, but his representatives and longtime friend and assistant Kurt Rambis strongly denied speculation that Jackson had asked for too much in negotiations and eventually led to his own undoing. USA Today

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Kurt Rambis, Jim Buss 

ESPN NBA analyst Kurt Rambis, a former Lakers player and assistant coach who worked on Jackson-led staffs from 2001-2004 and 2005-2009 and remains close friends with Jackson, said Jackson told him there had never been any discussions of salary or restrictions on a potential return and that he and the Lakers had agreed to wait until Monday to negotiate. "It's a process with Phil," Rambis said Monday. "He goes through an entire mental process of envisioning the season and how to get the team to the NBA Finals. It's about winning for him, not just whether he wants to coach." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Kurt Rambis, Jim Buss 

"If you're talking about having success and having this team and someone who knows how to guide a team to an NBA title, Phil is that guy," he said. "There's no second, third, fourth or fifth choice at this point in time. He's that guy. I don't know if Jim Buss knows one system from another in terms of how it fits with players, or what works best for players, or what's the difference between them. I don't know if he really understands that, so a lot of times decisions are made on gut feelings and with outside sources that have an influence on it." USA Today

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Kurt Rambis, Jim Buss 

Jackson wanted to humiliate Lakers vice president Jim Buss far more than he wanted to coach the team. He wanted significant allowances on travel, coaching duties and an ability to veto player personnel moves that didn't fit his vision. With an unprecedented 11 coaching championships, Jackson had every right to make unprecedented demands. He doesn't have the right to be surprised when the Lakers rejected them and hired a pliable, cheaper coach in Mike D'Antoni. "Phil wanted Jim Buss to walk away with his tail between his legs," one source with knowledge of the discussions told Yahoo! Sports. "He thought he had time to still negotiate with them, and see how much they would give him." Yahoo! Sports

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jim Buss 

"Phil's assistants convinced him that they had his back on the concerns [Jackson] had about his load as head coach, and he was ready to get a deal done on Monday," a source with knowledge of the talks said. "But this was about Jim Buss giving him a royal you-know-what in the end." Yahoo! Sports

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jim Buss 

He doesn't have the right to be surprised when the Lakers rejected them and hired a pliable, cheaper coach in Mike D'Antoni. "Phil wanted Jim Buss to walk away with his tail between his legs," one source with knowledge of the discussions told Yahoo! Sports. "He thought he had time to still negotiate with them, and see how much they would give him." Yahoo! Sports

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jim Buss 

Jackson heard those chants in the Staples Center and never believed the Lakers had the guts to call his bluff before circling back to him on Monday. "Phil's assistants convinced him that they had his back on the concerns [Jackson] had about his load as head coach, and he was ready to get a deal done on Monday," a source with knowledge of the talks said. "But this was about Jim Buss giving him a royal you-know-what in the end." Yahoo! Sports

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jim Buss 

Sam Amico: That said, everyone in NBA I've spoken with now fully expects Phil to take another job next year. He's available if you can meet his demands Twitter @SamAmicoFSO

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jim Buss 

The Lakers said they plan to hold a press conference most likely on Tuesday or Wednesday. In a statement released by the team, Lakers spokesperson John Black said team owner Jerry Buss, executive vice president Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak were "unanimous that D'Antoni was the best coach for the team at this time." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jerry Buss, Jim Buss 

The desire of Lakers fans and players to have Jackson return has been matched by management's hope to have him back on the sidelines. There's been speculation since Jackson's departure in 2011 of a rift between Buss and the coach. That is not a deterrent in present discussions, according to a person familiar with them. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jim Buss 

The Lakers concluded preliminary talks Saturday with former coach Phil Jackson, a feeling-out process that would continue, The Times has learned. Team Vice President Jim Buss and Jackson met Saturday morning to explore the prospects of Jackson returning to the team. The Lakers are unwavering that there’s still a 95% certainty he will be their next coach. It's known that Jackson has already contacted assistant coaches who have worked with him previously about joining the Lakers' staff. It doesn't appear to be a problem for Lakers management. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jim Buss