New York Knicks president Phil Jackson took a less-than-subtle jab at his soon-to-be brother in law and director of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers Jim Buss.
Speaking at the New Yorker festival in Manhattan on Sunday, Jackson, who is engaged to Jim Buss' sister and Lakers' president Jeanie Buss, spoke candidly about Jim Buss and how he came to power in the Lakers organization.
"Jimmy Buss is a person that's vaulted into position through his inheritance, his father's position," Jackson told ESPN Los Angeles. "I think he's coming to terms with one of the realities of this job. That's all I can offer."
Jackson and Jim Buss have had a strained relationship over the years and the two were not on the best of terms during Jackson's final season coaching the Los Angeles franchise in 2010-11. The bad blood seems to still resonate between the two to this day.
Jackson was upset over the way that Jim Buss hired Mike D'Antoni to be the team's next coach two seasons ago as he was under the impression that he was going to have the chance to turn down the job if he didn't want to continue to lead the Lakers.
Jackson is now the Knicks president, but it seems as though he still feels bitter toward Jim Buss.
Both men are looking to turn their respective teams around in 2014-15.
Jackson, an 11-time NBA champion as a coach, will look to help turn the Knicks around after they finished 37-45 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. This will be Jackson's first full season with the Knicks since coming over last March to be the team's president.
The Lakers finished a franchise-worst 27-55 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2004-05 campaign.
Both teams enter the new season with new coaches as Derek Fisher will lead New York and Los Angeles turns to Byron Scott in the wake of D'Antoni's resignation.
The Lakers and Knicks clash for the first time in the regular season on Feb. 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
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