Expect some solid news by tonight about the future of Phil Jackson, as the estranged former Laker coach is set to give two interviews today — one to ABC at halftime of Game 1 of the Finals, the other to Joel Meyers of Fox, who's in line to become the Lakers' new TV voice.
Common sense says the Zen Master wouldn't be breaking his long silence unless he had something significant to say.

Just what that's going to be was the subject of numerous rumors yesterday — many of them conflicting, some of the confirmed.

Here's what's been circulating:

* A Laker source said Jackson is on the verge of returning to the team he led to three NBA titles before his ugly divorce from player/unofficial GM Kobe Bryant and owner Jerry Buss.

* But a source at SFX, the management agency that handles Bryant, among many other athletes, flatly shot down that story.

That source said Brian Shaw, current Laker assistant — and Kobe ally — is in line to become the new Laker coach.

The SFX source pointed out that Bryant and Buss are in Italy together, hatching plans to elevate Shaw to the top Laker spot.

Shaw is currently in Chicago for the pre-draft camp along with GM Mitch Kupchak.

Shaw's agent and lawyer, the L.A.-based Jerome Stanley, contacted Shaw yesterday and told The Post that Shaw knew nothing about the story. But Stanley also indicated Shaw's situation could change.

Arn Tellem, head of SFX, had not returned a call as of last night to talk about the story from the Kobe angle.

* Meanwhile, it's known the Kings and Blazers have approached Jackson — but that the Blazers have no shot.

* Two weeks ago, Todd Musbuger, Jackson's agent, said the Lakers and Knicks were the only teams still in the Jackson hunt — with a third option being that Jackson takes another year off.

* Finally, despite the fact that Larry Brown — with three years left on his Piston contarct — is almost certain to wind up a president of the Cavs, his name still keeps surfacing in regard to the Lakers and Knicks coaching jobs.

While the Knicks seem a longshot, you have to think they wouldn't have waited this long to name a coach unless they were still hoping to land Jackson or Brown — or (who knows?) maybe even Jackson Browne.
------------------------------------------------------------

Jeanie Buss, Jackson's longtime girlfriend and a Lakers executive vice president, said the ABC interview had been arranged over the past couple of weeks but that Jackson would not be revealing his future plans.

"If there was a decision," Buss said, "this is not how (the Lakers) would have announced it anyway."
------------------------------------------------------

http://www.nypost.com/sports/48008.htm
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,20...2911219,00.html

tHE Zen Master said that he would announce his decision sometime in the mid of June. Now we are entering the mid of June so he should make his announcement later on hopefully.

Update: Sources are now saying Kobe isn't the one blocking a Phil Jackson return.

Phil came on ABC and said that he would make a decision in one or two days. He is giving priority to the Lakers as they are the frontrunners. He also said coaching the Lakers would be a good experience. Why would he say this if he wasn't going to coach the Lakers?

The LA Times is reporting that the Lakers have offered Phil the job, and now it is on him to take it or reject it.

Only time will tell...

If he goes to the Lakers they will have a much much much better year next year. hopefully he will thake the Laker job from you know his home in L.A. His girlfriend and everything else.