Will Phil Jackson Coach Carmelo Next Year?

On Sunday, coach Phil Jackson made it clear he had every intention of retiring following the Lakers' devastating playoff defeat to the Dallas Mavericks.

"In all my hopes and aspirations," he said, "this is the final game that I'll coach."

Of course, Jackson has cried wolf before, so it should come as no surprise that he's considering taking over the New York Knicks in 2012.

So says a source for the NY Post, anyway. "If the right situation presented itself, he would have to consider it," the source told the paper on Tuesday, adding that the 65-year-old is, at the very least, done with the Lakers.

With the addition of Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to the Knicks lineup and Jackson's history of handling, er, coaching superstar athletes, one has to wonder if coaching the Knicks could be just the situation Jackson is looking for.

Unfortunately, a return to the Knicks, with whom Jackson won two NBA championships as a forward, will have to wait a bit. Sources say Knicks president Donnie Walsh is committed to keeping coach Mike D'Antoni on board through next season.

Sound off: Should Jackson head back to Madison Square Garden and try to win a championship with Carmelo? Or should he just retire already?

[NY Post]