Mark Jackson Quits YES Network ... to Replace Isiah Thomas?

In addition to calling nationally televised games alongside Mike Breen on ABC and ESPN, analyst Mark Jackson also works alongside Marv Albert covering the Nets for the YES Network.

At least, he used to work for YES: as those dedicated (and tortured) Nets fans who tuned into Wednesday's meaningless season finale heard first-hand, Jackson revealed that he wouldn't be returning next year. From Neil Best at Newsday (via Sports Media Watch):

During the telecast, Albert called Jackson's announcement, which he initially made in the third quarter, "startling." As the duo signed off, Jackson said, "Thank you, people, for letting me in your home."

Naturally, this fueled speculation that Jackson is headed to the Knicks. But he told YES executives after the game that he simply had tired of the time apart from his family, which is based in Los Angeles.

First of all, disregard his official explanation: yes, he may miss his family, but I have a hunch he won't have trouble convincing them to move out to the Big Apple if he gets his dream job. Jackson is from New York, born and raised in Brooklyn before playing college ball at St. John's and getting drafted by the Knicks. And oh yeah, he's pretty familiar with Donnie Walsh, too, playing five and a half years with the Pacers.

I'm not saying Walsh has already contacted Jackson for the deal, but it doesn't seem like much of a stretch to think that Jackson is making it very apparent that he's interested and available for the job. As a local guy who's maintained a media presence across the river in New Jersey, hiring Jackson wouldn't be a bad public relations move for a franchise struggling to connect with it's base, either.