EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - If Phil Jackson coaches the Los Angeles Lakers again, it won't be until after this season.

Jackson's agent told the Los Angeles Times for Saturday's edition that his client will continue his vacation through February and should not be looked upon to fill any coaching positions in the short term, be it with the Lakers, New York Knicks or other teams "on both sides of the Mississippi."

"Whoever wins the Phil derby shouldn't look for him to report for duty until the 2005-06 season," Todd Musburger told the paper. "He has other obligations that he has agreed to and Phil is so very careful about making sure that he follows through on things he's agreed to. I know he would not disrupt his schedule when he returns."

Jackson, vacationing off the coast of western Australia, had been out of cellphone range for two days before sailing back to shore Friday and boarding a plane bound for New Zealand, not Los Angeles.

Musberger also said that Jackson, 59, has lined up several speaking engagements in March and April, many of them motivational or charitable appearances.

"He didn't leave for this trip thinking he would come back for a coaching situation," Musburger told the Times. "When he returns, it's a mix of family, business, charity, all the things that a guy who's worked his tail off for so many years would like to do.

"March and April are months that are very filled with plans that have been made for him. The demand for Phil is higher than it has ever been."

The Lakers appear content to let assistant Frank Hamblen coach out the season.

"People need to just relax and take a deep breath," Laker spokesman John Black said. "We're not going to be doing anything any time soon. Both management and the team have confidence in Frank to lead us. If we do hire a coach to replace Frank, it's not going to happen any time in the near future."

On Thursday, Shaquille O’Neal said the prospect of Jackson and Kobe Bryant reuniting in Los Angeles wouldn’t be a surprise.

Rudy Tomjanovich stepped down as the Lakers’ coach Wednesday, citing stress and health reasons.

According to the Los Angeles Times and ESPN, Jackson might return to coach the team he led to three of his nine NBA titles. But TNT analyst and former Lakers star Magic Johnson said Thursday that Los Angeles won't hire anyone until the offseason.

Hamblen, however, lobbied again for Jackson before the Lakers' loss to San Antonio.

Hamblen, a 57-year-old career assistant, has five championship rings, all earned as an assistant under Jackson with the Lakers and Chicago Bulls.

“I just feel like I’m keeping the seat warm,” Hamblen said.|

When asked who for, he replied: “I have no idea.”

FREE VIDEO 'I took on too much' Feb. 2: Rudy Tomjanovich says he is heartbroken to be resigning as Lakers head coach. NBC Sports

Then, Hamblen said: “I’d love for Phil to come back any day, to be honest with you.”

In the meantime, according to the Times, Hamblen has quietly begun making changes, instituting fines for things such as being late, taking shots after the whistle blows and going onto the practice floor wearing jewelry. Those were the rules under Jackson, before Tomjanovich came in with a more relaxed regime.

"They aren't big fines, but let's tighten things up a little bit," Hamblen told the Times.

"I'm just feeling my way through this right now, trying to establish a rotation where everybody knows about when they'll come into the game, so they'll be ready and hopefully we can build some trust and respect with our bench."

Before his Miami Heat played the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night, O’Neal said he’ll wish Jackson well if his old coach returns to his old job.

“I’m not surprised, because he’s like the only one that’s left,” O’Neal said. “He knows the system. He has a relationship with the system. He’ll probably get a great deal, great money and I wish him well.”

Tomjanovich's tenure as coach of the Lakers lasted barely half a season.

“I think this is the best decision for me and the Lakers,” a subdued Tomjanovich said at a news conference. “A month ago, I became conscious of not feeling good. As the time went by, I started to feel my resistance going down. I went from this energetic, pumped-up guy to all of a sudden being sapped of a lot of energy.

“I hadn’t been on antibiotics for a couple of years, or at least a year, and already here, because of my resistance being low, I was on it consistently, you know, with infections. And it just seemed like I just got deeper and deeper into not feeling good.”

Tomjanovich, 56, said he’ll never coach again.

“That’s clear in my mind — absolutely not,” he said.

He said he felt disappointed, but not ashamed.

“I couldn’t shut it off when I was away from the arena,” Tomjanovich said. “Why this happened now and why my body couldn’t take it now, I do not have the answer. I’ve been through a heck of a lot more.”

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Like the life-threatening punch he took from Kermit Washington as a player in 1977; his battle with alcoholism, and dealing with bladder cancer less than two years ago.

Tomjanovich survived all that, but decided coaching at this time was too much for him.

“I know I did become consumed and maybe — I can’t remember exactly how I was before — but I’d go for a walk and think that was an outlet,” he said. “But all I thought about was basketball while I was walking.”

Proudly, he said his sobriety hasn’t been threatened by what he’s been going through.

“There are no outside influences, be it pressure from above, anything to do with my players or being here in Los Angeles,” Tomjanovich said. “This is all about me and how I’m wired. Nobody put pressure on me but me.

“Maybe I’m an old general that needs to get his butt off the front line and do something else.”

Tomjanovich went 24-19 in his first season as Phil Jackson’s successor and with a revamped lineup built around Kobe Bryant, who has missed the last nine games because of a sprained ankle.

FREE VIDEO 'All self-imposed' Feb. 2: Rudy Tomjanovich says he let the coaching job consume him, and G.M. Mitch Kupchak discusses the possibility of Phil Jackson returning. NBC Sports

Included are the two wins the Lakers earned under Hamblen in games Tomjanovich missed this week because of a stomach virus.

Tomjanovich will remain with the Lakers as a consultant, mainly working as a scout.

“We respect Rudy’s concerns for his health, which is of course the paramount issue,” team owner Dr. Jerry Buss said in a statement.

Tomjanovich was a member of the Houston Rockets’ organization for 34 years as a player, coach and consultant. He coached the team for 12 years before stepping down following the 2002-03 season after learning he had bladder cancer.

He coached the Rockets to NBA championships in 1994 and 1995.

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