Phil Jackson: I'll never coach again

Published Jan. 9, 2013 8:11 a.m. ET

foxsports

According to Chris Sheridan, Phil Jackson will not return as coach this season.

"I have no intention of ever coaching again," said Jackson told SheridanHoops.com.

Jackson and the Lakers briefly discussed a third partnership before the team turned instead to hire Mike D'Antoni. While Jackson never explicitly stated he would re-join the Lakers if offered the position, people close to Jackson at the time believed he would.

More recently, Jackson gave Lakers executive Jeanie Buss an engagement ring. Buss sent out a picture of the ring on Twitter, although a wedding date has not been announced.

The Brooklyn Nets recently fired Avery Johnson, promoting P.J. Carlesimo in the interim. Jackson is believed to be the Nets top choice but Carlesimo is likely to finish out the season. The Nets have won six of seven games since Carlesimo took over.

Jackson's words are inherently vague in that intentions are not always permanently fixed.

-Eric Pincus