'Theory' around NBA: Lakers have plan if Jackson leaves Knicks after 2016-17

If the NBA rumor mill is any indication, Phil Jackson could be a very busy man over the next couple years.

After a report from ESPN's Ramona Shelburne on Monday suggested Jackson - the New York Knicks' president of basketball operations - could offer to coach the team's home games next season (while leaving the road games to current interim coach Kurt Rambis), a report from Bleacher Report's Howard Beck on Tuesday indicated that some believe Jackson may not even be with the Knicks past next season.

According to Beck, there's a "theory floating around" the league that the Los Angeles Lakers are putting together a sort of contingency plan, in preparation for the possibility that Jackson triggers his opt-out clause - which he can use to terminate his five-year deal with the Knicks following the 2016-17 season - and returns to the Lakers in a front-office role.

This theoretical contingency would see Los Angeles keep head coach Byron Scott aboard for one more season. Scott has one more guaranteed year on his contract after this one, followed by a team option in 2017-18, so in this scenario, Jackson would be able to pick his own coach for his first season as a Lakers executive.

Fueling the speculation is the fact that Jim Buss, the Lakers' current lead basketball-ops executive, has promised to resign his post if the team isn't a championship contender by 2017-18 - which, the way things are going, looks like an ironclad guarantee.

Meanwhile, Jim's sister Jeanie - who runs the franchise's business operations, holds the title of team president, is the Lakers' representative on the NBA Board of Governors, and happens to be engaged to Jackson - has herself promised changes if things don't improve (and, one presumes, if her brother doesn't stay true to his word).

The 70-year-old coached the Lakers for 11 seasons between 1999 and 2011, leading them to seven finals and five championships.