New York Knicks president Phil Jackson told media that he believes owner James Dolan was "forced to meddle" in basketball operations in the past. But Jackson said he received guarantees that Dolan will keep his distance while he's running the team.
Jackson revealed that he discussed having full autonomy when it came to basketball decisions before accepting the job as Knicks president.
"I was point blank and honest with him and said, 'If I walk into your office or call you up on the telephone and tell you that I want to trade X player who's an All-Star or Y player who's the fans' favorite, if I think it's the right move, I want you to feel confident that I can do this, will you give me the liberty to do this?' And he said yes, and that's really the key," Jackson said while speaking at The New Yorker Festival in Manhattan.
Dolan reportedly empowered Jackson to do what he thought was best when it came to re-signing Carmelo Anthony this summer. Dolan told Jackson that if he felt re-signing Anthony wasn't the "right direction to go, then you don't have to sign him."
"I had that liberty to make that choice and needed to have that to come and do the job the right way," said Jackson, who agreed to a five-year, $60 million deal to run the Knicks.
Jackson did end up re-signing Anthony on a five-year, $124 million deal.
"He has just touched the surface of his greatness, and I think we have a guy that has a lot more to offer," Jackson said of Anthony.
Dolan has a history of interfering in basketball decision, often orchestrating deals despite the wishes of executives. The most famous example of this was the team's 2011 trade acquisition of Anthony. Dolan agreed to the deal despite objections from then-general manager Donnie Walsh.
Jackson commented on Dolan's history with basketball decisions.
"He has this tremendous competitive drive and wants to really do well," Jackson said. "In the process, he's gotten involved in basketball simply because things have happened in this organization that have irritated him.
"Some of the ways that the teams have been handled, some of the decisions that have been made on players that were brought in and were costly to the organization, hampered and handcuffed them to making changes. So he felt obliged and obligated to get involved in it so he could correct the inadequacies or errant direction in which the organization was going. ... So he's been involved in it on some level, and as a result there are some things that have happened where he's looked like he's meddled. And I think he had to meddle at some point. He was almost forced to meddle in some situations. That word meddle might be a little bit harsh to even use."
The Knicks are coming off a disastrous 37-45 season just one year after finishing 54-28.
