Dave McMenamin's post on LA Lakers | Latest updates on Sulia

Phil Jackson broke his silence over what happened with the Lakers' coaching job and it's a doozy ...

"Saturday morning, Jim Buss, called to ask if he could come and visit," Jackson said in a prepared statement released on Monday evening. "I did not solicit or ask for the opportunity, but I welcomed both he and Mitch Kupchak into my home to discuss the possibility of my return to the Lakers as the head coach. We talked for over an hour and a half. No contractual terms were discussed and we concluded with a hand shake and an understanding that I would have until Monday (today) to come back to them with my decision. "I did convey to them that I did have the confidence that I could do the job. I was awakened at midnight on Sunday by a phone call from Mitch Kupchak. He told me that the Lakers had signed Mike D’Antoni to a 3-year agreement and that they felt he was the best coach for the team. "The decision is of course theirs to make. "I am gratified by the groundswell of support from the Laker Fans who endorsed my return and it is the principal reason why I considered the possibility." My take: The fact that there was an agreement in place to meet with Jackson on Monday and then the Lakers went ahead and signed D'Antoni in a flurry Sunday night just does not sit well. That's bad business.