6:41 AM PT -- It's official ... but Knicks owner Jimmy Dolan isn't calling it a "firing" -- he's saying both sides have "mutually agreed to part company."
Yeah, right.
"After careful thought and consideration, we mutually agreed that the Knicks will be going in a different direction," Dolan said in a statement.
"Phil Jackson is one of the most celebrated and successful individuals in the history of the NBA. His legacy in the game of basketball is unmatched. We wish him the best and thank him for his service to the Knicks as both a player and an executive.