Phil Jackson and Lakers to consider fewer roads trips for the coach

June 23, 3:41 PMSports ExaminerPaula Duffy

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               Phil Jackson meets with media, June 19, 2009. AP Photo/Reed Saxon

Phil Jackson told radio listeners that he and the team have already toyed with the idea of reducing the number of road games he will attend during the regular season, if it helps him decide to return to coaching next season.

Jackson missed a late season one-game trip to Portland and another game during the pre-season. Both decisions were made for the same reason.

Jackson, now 63 has had both hips replaced which is the reason he uses that throne-like chair. But of more concern is periodic leg swelling and pain which is the specific reason he missed those games.

The condition gets worse when he flies and the condition flares up periodically. Jackson reiterated that the only issue for him to resolve prior to committing to return to the team is how his health will hold up over another long season.

In the games he missed, assistant coach Kurt Rambis ran the team. Rambis, who has served under Phil during his entire stay in Los Angeles is well versed in the triangle offense and a known commodity to the team.

But Jackson wondered aloud if he might lose some closeness with the players if he wasn't in the trenches, especially on long road trips. That remains to be seen of course but the issue of their execution on the floor came up and one of the hosts thought this team was mature enough to handle it.

Senior members like Kobe, Fisher and Gasol should have the discipline, high basketball IQ and experience to handle themselves and team members, particularly on the court, the host said. Kobe already calls plays in the flow of the game and Fisher is an acknowledged floor leader.

A caller offered the suggestion of Kobe being a player-coach in tandem with Rambis. And you know what? Bryant might like being a surrogate for Phil; it solidifies the leader role and feeds the ego.

I can just see the headlines now: "Kobe will take 40 shots a night without Phil around". Add this to the already difficult task for ownership this summer of trying to bring back the free-agents on the team and you've got a lot of talk radio stuff to chew on.

Colin Ward-Henninger is the Lakers Examiner, here            FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

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