Mitch Kupchak on Phil Jackson’s Future

The executives in L.A. are steeling themselves for a possible Phil departure: “Kupchak readily acknowledged the speculation about his coach. Jackson, who turns 64 in September, has been through hip surgeries, an angioplasty, gout and various other maladies since he started expanding his ring collection in Los Angeles. People around the team have reasonably wondered whether Jackson, with his 10th ring secured, might leave the stress behind and walk off into the proverbial sunset. ‘It seems to make sense, doesn’t it?’ Kupchak said. ‘I don’t think he’ll do it, but it seems to make sense.’ Jackson has one year and $12 million left on his contract. He intends to honor it, according to his longtime agent and friend, Todd Musburger.”