New York Knicks News Mix, 10/17/17: Shaq Blames Players (Again) For Phil's Failures 2
MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 22: Shaquille O'Neal has his number retired during a game between the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Arena on December 22, 2016 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Shaq maintains that his former coach, Phil Jackson, could’ve been successful with the New York Knicks. It’s all the player’s fault.

It’s been months since Phil Jackson’s been an employee of the New York Knicks but talk of his triangle offense won’t go away. This time it’s coming from former Jackson player Shaquille O’Neal.

Back in March, Shaq defended the triangle that helped him and Kobe Bryant win three championships with the Lakers. He said the system “works” and the Knicks needed to give up their old habits for it to work. Many people assumed that he was alluding to Carmelo Anthony.

Seven months later, with Jackson now unemployed, Shaq has grown harsher. According to Ian Begley of ESPN, O’Neal blamed the players for not buying into Jackson’s system.

Shaq claimed that if the team had bought into the system, things would’ve been much different. The Hall of Famer even praised Jackson’s acquisitions of Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose. You won’t find many people still doing that.

It’s easy for Shaq to praise an offense that was dominant when it featured four Hall of Famers. The bottom line is that it wasn’t right for the modern game and Jackson didn’t care.

 
I'm ESNY's Executive Editor for EliteSportsNY.com. I cover the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets. Email: chip.murphy@elitesportsny.com Chip Murphy covers the NBA for Elite Sports NY. You can find him on Twitter @ChipperMurphy.