The Brooklyn Nets' next head coach will not be Phil Jackson.
Jackson informed the team that he is not interested in their head-coaching vacancy, a source confirmed to ESPNNewYork.com.
The Nets had made the 11-time NBA coaching champion their No. 1 target to replace P.J. Carlesimo, who was dismissed after serving as interim coach for most of last season.
Although Jackson passed on the Nets' job, a source with knowledge of the Hall of Fame coach's thinking told ESPN.com that he remains open to the possibility of coaching again if he had "influence" over personnel, similar to the arrangement Miami gave to Pat Riley.
The Nets' opening, while intriguing, wouldn't have allowed Jackson to have the kind of say over the overall direction of the franchise that he's seeking, the source said.
Another source with knowledge of the situation said "the situation would have to be perfect" for Jackson to return to the sideline and described Jackson's conversations with the Nets as "very limited." The source also said Jackson still has "lots of options" under consideration.
If Jackson does not come across a situation that fits what he's interested in, he might stay retired for now, according to sources.
Carlesimo and the Nets parted ways on Sunday, a day after the team was eliminated at home by the Chicago Bulls in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series.
He went 35-19 during the regular season after replacing Avery Johnson on an interim basis.
Mike Mazzeo is a regular contributor to ESPNNewYork.com. Information from ESPNLosAngeles.com's Ramona Shelburne contributed to this report.