Perhaps there was language in the contract that will allow him to get out, but the article does say a multiyear deal..
Gross said he thought Jackson would be a better analyst this time around given the currency he has with players and coaches in the league, having game-planned for them the last three years. As far as returning to the NBA, Gross said Jackson has not spoken about future coaching jobs, but the network will not prevent him from taking one.
"If he wants to go back to coaching, we will let him go back to coaching," Gross said. "We are not going to hold him against something he really wants to do. If it is a coaching job he really wants, we will let him go back."
From Sports Illustrated.
The article talks also about how they were originally going to bring him back for just the the remaining playoffs but he wanted a multi-year deal. I think with the Kerr situation, they felt obligated to give him a bigger deal.
