Phil Jackson: ‘I’m Leaning Towards Retiring’

Citing health, Phil told the media yesterday pretty much the same thing he’s been saying all year long, that he’s seriously considering retirement. The final decision will be made by the end of next week. Lakers.com captured the quotes: “Nearly a week after Phil Jackson won his record 11th NBA coaching championship, he revealed that Game 7 against Boston may have been his last as coach of the Lakers. ‘I’m leaning towards retiring but I haven’t made up my mind yet,’ he said. (On reasons to retire): ‘Some of it is about health. That’s just the way I’m feeling right now. It’s just something I’m going to sit with.’ (On the team being set up to win again): ‘This team is in a good place to (win again). If I’m not here, someone else is going to come in and do the job.’ Jackson said part of the decision is about what he wants to do and how he wants to live the remaining years of his life, and some of that has to do with the physical toll an NBA season takes on his body. (On if he’d coach anywhere else): ‘I’m not going to rule that out … I can’t say I’d never coach again.’ (On what he’d do if not coaching): ‘I don’t know. Write a book, go on a grand lecture tour, those are things people tell me I should think about doing. Of course it’s something I’d consider. But I think I have some things to lend to this game without doing the extensive travel and things I have to do to coach … I’ll wait and see what those opportunities would be.’ (On if it’s harder to leave a team in place to win again): ‘I think it’s actually easier to leave (a team that’s in tact). I’d be happy if they could go on and win without me. I think they have enough leadership on the floor and in the coaching staff.”’