Phil Bullish on Chicago, Not Team

Phil Jackson returns to Chicago today, to the banners he helped raise, to the franchise he helped develop.

What’s left there is entirely different, of course.

Asked if he takes any satisfaction in the demise of the Bulls, Jackson listed the things he took no pleasure in seeing. Don’t bother looking for General Manager Jerry Krause’s name here.

“Not to the fans,” Jackson said. “They deserve better. They’ve stood behind this team. They’ve kept coming out.

“Not for the coaching staff. Those guys work really hard.

“[Not for] the kids. They don’t know any better. None of those kids played [in the NBA], except [Charles] Oakley, when I was coaching there.

“The arrogance of the organization was such that they thought they could rebuild. They were actually looking forward to rebuilding without Michael [Jordan] and Scottie [Pippen]. This is a challenge they were embracing, and it was like the door couldn’t shut faster. But, the owner [Jerry Reinsdorf] approached me three times the year I sat out, asked me if I’d return. He was the one who kept asking me to come back.”

Instead, after two championships in two seasons, Jackson is working on a new legacy.

“It’s a great city,” Jackson said of Chicago. “Everywhere I go, there’s always somebody from Chicago that says, ‘Gee, we sure miss you in Chicago.’ So I never get it out of my brain, even though the Lakers, and Jeanie [Buss] in particular, [have] hopes my identification becomes the Lakers rather than the Bulls.”

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Stu Jackson, NBA vice president, is considering disciplinary measures against Laker guard Mitch Richmond, who directed a rude gesture at fans during Tuesday night’s game in Detroit.

Richmond was leaving the floor late in the Laker rout when television cameras recorded the gesture. TBS had left the game at that point, but the international feed continued.

“You know, I regretted that as soon as I did it,” Richmond said Friday. “I hope no one was offended. If so, I apologize.”

The NBA expects to make a decision by Monday.

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TONIGHT

at Chicago, 5:30 PST,

Channel 9

Site--United Center

Radio--KLAC (570)

Records--Lakers 26-7, Bulls 6-29.

Record vs. Bulls--(2000-01) 2-0.

Update--The Bulls start Ron Artest and Charles Oakley at the forwards, Brad Miller at center and Ron Mercer and Kevin Ollie at the guards. They won their first two games under Coach Bill Cartwright but have lost six in succession. Mercer is averaging 17 points and Artest is averaging 16.1. The rookies, Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry, haven’t done much, although neither is playing more than 13 minutes a game. Oakley has said he would like to play for the Lakers next season.

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Tim Brown