Pippen may assist Jackson

[Stone Cold is Bout It, Bout It]

Jackson tries to enlist Pippen
The ex-Bulls star is being recruited to help shore up the defense, specifically as Odom's mentor.

By KEVIN DING
The Orange County Register


LOS ANGELES – This Phil Jackson era for the Lakers will be more about dirty defense than pretty offense, so it's logical that one of the new faces coming might be one of the greatest defenders in NBA history, Scottie Pippen.

Pippen has already been contacted by Jackson about joining the Lakers as an assistant coach, although Pippen is so far unsure if he wants to give up his retirement lifestyle. He ended his playing career before last season.

When Jackson was hired by the Lakers in 1999, he thought the best way to win immediately was to acquire Pippen. This time, Pippen could provide a different impact as Lamar Odom's mentor. Jackson said Tuesday he envisioned Odom playing as a point forward in the triangle offense "a la Scottie Pippen," distributing the ball. When Jackson coached the Chicago Bulls, Pippen was a forward and Michael Jordan was a guard - but Pippen was the ball-handler and allowed Jordan to work as the wing scorer, a role that Kobe Bryant has long coveted.

The Pippen coaching scenario is uncertain, but Jackson likely will put together a staff that includes former Lakers assistants Frank Hamblen, the recent interim head coach, and Kurt Rambis. Brian Shaw, who was an assistant for Hamblen late last season and a friend of Bryant's, is another strong candidate, and Jackson has asked triangle-offense guru Tex Winter to return as a consultant.

In any case, Odom figures to operate more on the perimeter than in the post for Jackson, assuming Odom can adjust to Jackson's demands.

"He was probably the best player on the floor delivering the ball and running plays," Jackson said of Odom's first season as a Laker.

Jackson certainly will ask Odom, who was Larry Brown's defensive stopper on the 2004 Olympic team, to be a more dynamic defender. Jackson intends to institute an array of defensive schemes to take advantage of the Lakers' athleticism and make up for Shaquille O'Neal's absence.

"Without that big center to block shots and clog the middle, this team didn't have a defensive image of how to protect the basket (last season)," Jackson said. "And as a result, they gave up too many easy scores, and you just can't do that. You've got to make people shoot, and you've got to be able to rebound."

Jackson singled out Brian Grant as a player that will need to make much more contributions on defense.

On offense, the triangle offense that Hamblen reintroduced will obviously stay. But Jackson didn't think the Lakers learned it well, mentioning Winter told Jackson at one point last season: "I hope they stop running that triangle; they're ruining its reputation."

"They just didn't have the discipline," Jackson said. "I'll be fighting with them ... about staying inside the offense and playing the right way, because they certainly didn't in April and March."

Chucky Atkins, the incumbent point guard, figures to be moved. And although the Lakers are seeking a ball-handling guard with good size in the draft or through offseason moves, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak mentioned the possibility of moving Caron Butler, Devean George or Luke Walton to guard from small forward to help balance the roster.
 

[acbaylove]

[Just Another Sunny day in California]

There's no doubt that Pippen was a great defensive player.

[PLANT]

Thats cool....Scottie would be a good coach IMO and be well respected by the players

[King Of L.A.]

tex winter are the lakers main concern. pip will be brought in to teach defense.

[smoke1ne]

tex winter are the lakers main concern. pip will be brought in to teach defense.

N TO MENTOR ODOM

[WestCoasta]

I'll see you at 10:00 with a haircut like Scottie Pippen

[7even]

So if they keep Odom, who do they trade for Garnett? Butler and Grant? lol.

[Bch]

nah thats wak
they need pippen on tha floor

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

This could turn out good...

[Don Jacob]

Didn't Kobe and Pippen have beef back when he was with portland? i don't know if this'll work too well with kobe and pippen , but if it does Odom will learn alot. 


We have the best player in the league in kobe and we have the best coach that ever was, all we need now though is a big man and some better points

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Didn't Kobe and Pippen have beef back when he was with portland? i don't know if this'll work too well with kobe and pippen , but if it does Odom will learn alot. 


We have the best player in the league in kobe and we have the best coach that ever was, all we need now though is a big man and some better points

It wasn't REAL beef...Shit, everyone had beef...Malone and Shaq had beef, Mourning and Shaq had beef...This isn't a kids game though.