I guess this could explain why they stink.
How can you actually expect Phil Jackson to give you sound wisdom if you won’t even pay the man?
During a wide ranging qestion and answer session with USA Today, former Lakers head coach Phil Jackson admitted that he still wants a front office opportunity and that he’s actually an unpaid adviser for the Detroit Pistons.
There are a few (opportunities), but I shouldn’t name them. It wouldn’t be right to talk about it, name anything. But yeah, there are some. There are winners and losers in the NBA, and a lot of people are trying to reclaim their position or change their culture or whatever. So yeah, there is. I’ve had conversations. Some of them are feelers. “Are you interested?” type of thing. I did go out to Detroit last year and sit with (Pistons President) Joe (Dumars). I guess we weren’t successful, but I really encouraged (Pistons owner) Tom Gores that the general manager has to be able to pick his coach so they can win it together. And Joe wanted Maurice, so it didn’t work out, unfortunately for Maurice. I developed a relationship with the owner, who lives in LA. We have conversations.
Q: So is that still an ongoing relationship?
A: I’m just like an adviser, an unpaid adviser. So far, my advice hasn’t been too great (laughs).
Jackson intimated that he was an adviser to the franchise when they hired Maurice Cheeks, but Jackson said Cheeks would not have been his choice.