Phil's future up in air

If the Boston Celtics make it three wins in a row over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals at the Staples Center this morning (Manila time), coach Phil Jackson may not be back on the purple-and-gold bench next season.

Jackson, 64, is in the final year of his contract, which stipulates a fat $12 million annual salary. A rumor has floated that Lakers owner Jerry Buss will ask Jackson to take a pay cut if he signs a renewal but that couldn’t be confirmed – not even by the man who holds the NBA record for most championships with 10.

Jackson’s significant other, Buss’ daughter Jeanie, was quoted as saying he may not be back with the Lakers but will continue coaching another NBA team. Jeanie is the Lakers’ executive vice president in-charge of business operations. She lives with Jackson, they drive to work together and they’ve been an item for about 10 years. Is she baiting her father to renew Jackson on Jackson’s terms?

Only two coaching vacancies remain since the end of the regular season. Cleveland and the Los Angeles Clippers are still headless, fueling speculation that owners of both franchises are awaiting the outcome of the Finals to see whether or not Jackson will be available for hire.

Jackson has worked wonders with teams anchored on a superstar. Michael Jordan was his marquee player on six Chicago Bulls title squads. Shaquille O’Neal was his anchor on three Lakers championship teams and Kobe Bryant, his main man on a fourth with L. A. Taking over a hungry Cleveland team with LeBron James would be a challenge for Jackson and it could pay more than a Lakers renewal.

There’s also the Clippers vacancy. But the problem is the Clippers aren’t as enticing as the Cavs even if the move will not require a change of address for Jackson. The Clippers began last season with Mike Dunleavy at the helm and ended with Kim Hughes calling the shots on an interim basis. Now, Hughes is gone just like Mike Brown who wore out his welcome at Cleveland.

Five coaching jobs have been filled, limiting Jackson’s options. Larry Drew took over from Mike Woodson at Atlanta, Doug Collins from Eddie Jordan at Philadelphia, Tom Thibodeau from Vinny del Negro at Chicago, Avery Johnson from Kiki Vandeweghe and Lawrence Frank at New Jersey and Monty Williams from Jeff Bower and Byron Scott at New Orleans.

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If the Lakers extend the series to a Game 7 on Friday morning (Manila time) and clinch, Jackson will no doubt return on the L. A. bench to go for a grand slam. He’s got a habit of winning three titles in a row. If Jackson fashions a back-to-back, he’ll definitely shoot for a hat-trick next season.

So much more is hanging in the balance with the title up for grabs. Boston’s Ray Allen, for instance, is rumored to be considering a transfer to Miami. If James decides to stay in Cleveland, Toronto free agent Chris Bosh will probably move to Miami and join Dwyane Wade. That is, if Wade himself remains with the Heat – which is more than probable. With Bosh and Wade in Miami, Allen may just leave Boston where he’s gotten some flak for disappearing as a three-point bomber since his explosion in Game 2.

Allen is 0-of-16 from beyond the three-point arc in Games 3, 4 and 5 after knocking down 8-of-11 triples in Game 2. Allen scored only two points in Game 3 but delivered 12 in Games 4 and 5, adjusting his distance to compensate for atrocious marksmanship from long range. He’s also been Kobe Bryant’s primary defender so that job has obviously sapped some of his energy for the offensive end.

If Allen regains his three-point touch in Game 6, it might just be what the Celtics need to dispose of the Lakers once and for all. And if Allen plays a big role in leading Boston to an 18th championship, he may be back in green next season.

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Celtics guard Rajon Rondo is the man who could light the fuse for Boston to explode in Game 6. Bryant matches up with Rondo defensively but that hasn’t bothered the firebrand who played two years for the University of Kentucky. In Game 2, he compiled a triple double with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. During the regular season, Rondo averaged 13.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 9.8 assists and 36.6 minutes in 81 games. In the playoffs, he’s averaging 16.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 9.4 assists and 40.8 minutes (the most on the team).

If Rondo continues to provide the spark for the Celtics in the backcourt and Boston clinches, he might just be a candidate for Finals MVP. How he performs and how the Celtics end up will impact on his marketability as a rising star.

“Rondo, 24, is the breakout star of the postseason as well as the de facto MVP of the Celtics, a No. 4 seed aiming to become the NBA’s biggest underdog champion since the sixth-seeded Houston Rockets won it all in 1995,” wrote Ian Thomsen in Sports Illustrated. “Rondo has shown improvement in each of his four NBA seasons (this year, he made his first All-Star team and broke Bob Cousy’s 50-year-old franchise record with 9.8 assists per game) but his postseason ascent ... has been far steeper. The Celtics haven’t had such a flamboyant point guard since 1963 when Cousy said farewell.”

Rondo is confidence personified. “If I truly felt someone was that much better than me, I would give credit,” he said, quoted by Thomsen. “Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, the young guys, Deron Williams – they’re very good. But for what I do, I think I’m the best. I don’t think I’d be this successful so far if I didn’t have that confidence. I don’t think I’d be able to do what I’ve done leading this team because it’s not easy playing with these high-caliber guys.”

All eyes will be on Jackson, Allen and Rondo in Game 6 this morning. Their future depends on the outcome.

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