NBA NEWS

Knicks owner Dolan already creating turmoil

The Sports Xchange

April 23, 2014 at 2:10 pm.

Mar 18, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan introduces New York Knicks new president of basketball operations Phil Jackson (not pictured) at a press conference at Madison Square Garden. William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports

New York Knicks owner James Dolan said last month he willingly and gratefully ceded control of the front office to bring in Phil Jackson as team president.

Apparently, that was so last month.

Dolan and Jackson are clashing over personnel decisions, the New York Daily News reports, with Dolan pushing to retain select personnel that Jackson has already decided not to keep. His first, and predictable, move as president was firing coach Mike Woodson.

Almost immediately after, reports out of New York surfaced that members of the front office were encouraging Jackson to keep assistant coach Herb Williams in some capacity.

Responding to a question about the Daily News report, Jackson said Wednesday that Dolan has “been very true to his word” thus far in his promise to give Jackson autonomy over basketball decisions.

“As far as Jim Dolan’s promise or his premise when I took this job that’s he’s going to leave basketball decisions up to me, really, he’s been loyal to that promise,” Jackson said at a press conference. “And going forward from last week through this week, just wanting to talk to Mike (Woodson) when we were through talking to him, the staff — it’s all our decision. He’s been very true to his word to this point.”

Jackson, who received a five-year, $60 million contract to run the team and come out of retirement from coaching as a first-time team executive, promised changes throughout the organization in announcing Woodson’s departure.

Dolan was considered mettlesome by past regimes and changed general managers prior to the start of the 2013-14 season.

Jackson also said Wednesday that he expects to speak with several coaches about the vacancy, including Steve Kerr, who many believed to be the favorite.