Lakers' next head coach could impact Phil Jackson, Knicks: Two of the NBA's highest profile coaching jobs are now available and somehow Phil Jackson, who says he doesn't want to coach again, finds himself in the middle of it all. "Phil is holding up two franchises: the Lakers and the Knicks," an NBA coach told me last week. "One is waiting for him to leave. And the other is waiting for him to leave." That sounds about right, although Lakers executive VP of basketball operations Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak aren't keeping the lights on at Staples Center for Jackson that's for sure. -- New York Daily News

The Tom Thibodeau fear that scared off Knicks and Lakers: Ex-Knicks assistant Tom Thibodeau and former Knicks general manager Scott Layden will be introduced at Tuesday’s press conference as the new power couple in Minnesota, making some Knicks fans envious of the Twin Cities. Soon there may be an announcement regarding the return of the Knicks new-old tag-team of Phil Jackson and Kurt Rambis, but that still won’t stop Knicks supporters from scratching their heads and wondering why the Zen Master didn’t chase Thibodeau. -- New York Post

Mike Conley’s Grizzlies demand may give hesitant Knicks a shot: Last week Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace guaranteed point guard Mike Conley would be re-signed. Not so fast, Conley said Monday. Conley, considered the best point guard available in free agency and a target of the Knicks and Nets, put pressure on Wallace to make the steps to get Memphis back into title contention. Conley made his remarks one day after the Grizzlies were knocked out in the first round by a San Antonio sweep. -- New York Post