Michael Jordan: Phil can do it
— -- Michael Jordan believes his former coach Phil Jackson can succeed in the front office with the New York Knicks.
Despite Jackson having never been an executive before, Jordan says his old Chicago Bulls coach's methods and strengths can work even from a front-office position.
"Phil can do some good things with them because he's gifted," Jordan told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith on Monday. "Phil is fantastic at managing egos and personalities, getting everyone on the same page and maxing out whatever potential is there for what should be the common and ultimate goal.
"Just because he's never been an executive before doesn't mean he can't do that. He's wanted to do it for a while now, and I know he can do it ... so long as he has the necessary pieces in place."
The Knicks will hold a news conference Tuesday to announce the hiring of Jackson, who will handle basketball decisions.
Jordan, the chairman of the Charlotte Bobcats, said Jackson will learn the landscape of the NBA as an executive quickly. And Jordan, who won six championships with Jackson, is glad to help his old coach short of doing him any favors in a trade with the Bobcats.
"Phil is great," Jordan said. "He's very smart. He'll figure out pretty quickly what needs to get done, and he'll have plenty of guys in the league willing to help him, myself included.
"The only problem is none of us will be willing to give up great players or draft picks to do that. That's the part of the job all of us have found pretty difficult, me included. But I wish him luck. I believe in him, and I'm confident anything he does will work eventually."
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