Derek Fisher: Phil Jackson Under-Appreciated in LA

D-Fish sticks up for his coach, who’s mulling retirement, and who according to the veteran (and free agent) guard, may not be getting the kind of love he deserves from his own front office. From ESPN: “It’s sad to me,’ he said, ‘when you think about what he’s accomplished in his career, that he still always has to deal with these type of scenarios where there’s a question of whether or not he’s the best person for the job, or he’s not really coaching because of the players that he’s had. He’s just a remarkable human being in terms of his approach to managing and coaching the team. I think not even just the Lakers, but the NBA as a whole, would lose a big part of what this game has been about the last 20 years if he’s not back. If he’s not back, it changes the whole landscape.’ Fisher said he and Jackson did not discuss the issues that will influence Jackson’s decision, but said he could empathize with rumors that Jackson might be asked to take a pay cut if he returns. ‘As much as it is about his quality of life and how he’s feeling, his energy levels,’ Fisher said, ‘I think his decision could be easier if he wasn’t maybe feeling as though he’s not being fully appreciated, which is how it ultimately makes you feel.”‘