If Donnie Walsh joins Knicks he could decide to keep Isiah Thomas
By MITCH LAWRENCE
There's a chance Donnie Walsh (l.), who hired Isiah Thomas to coach
Pacers, may let Thomas continue to helm the Knicks despite Thomas'
pathetic record at the Garden.
Already entrenched as a joke franchise that can't get out of its own
way, on or off the basketball court, the Knicks risk even further
humiliation if Donnie Walsh keeps Isiah Thomas on board as coach when
he takes over as team president.
As his potential new team canceled practice Tuesday, Walsh was in
Indiana carrying out his duties as Pacers CEO and again refused
comment on taking the Knicks job. Meanwhile, an NBA source and two
Pacers officials confirmed Tuesdaythat Walsh had a handshake agreement
with the Knicks on a three-year, $15 million contract to come home and
rebuild the Knicks.
The Knicks didn't comment for a second straight day on Walsh, but the
possibility that Thomas could remain as coach, and the fact that
nothing has been said about his future by Garden chairman James Dolan,
has already started to taint the new administration.
"The Knicks have to change the public perception that they don't know
what they're doing," said an Eastern Conference executive. "It doesn't
make sense to make a good hire in Donnie Walsh and then keep Isiah on.
It cancels it out, in a lot of ways. It really negates it. The NBA
can't like it. It just doesn't look good."
Nor does it make any sense, given Thomas' deplorable record as the
team's top executive and, for the last two years, its head coach.
Counting tonight's game against Miami at the Garden, the Knicks would
have to win four of their last 12 games to avoid becoming the first
team in franchise history to lose 60 games.
With the Knicks starting an eight-day, five-game road trip Thursday,
there is a feeling that club will try to make an announcement
regarding Walsh either today or tomorrow. At that time, Thomas' status
would have to be addressed.
In hiring Walsh, 67, Dolan never called Jerry West or Jerry Colangelo,
two executives with better resumes who were open to discussing the
Knicks' job had they been approached. Walsh has raised some eyebrows
by apparently accepting for a post while the Knicks are still being
run by Thomas.
"I can't believe that Donnie wants to do it this way," said a Walsh
confidant. "He does things according to protocol and this is far from
that."
It's also difficult to believe that Walsh would risk alienating
success-starved New York fans right off the bat by retaining Thomas.
One of Walsh's closest associates dismissed the theory that Thomas,
who was given his first head coaching job by Walsh with the Pacers,
will continue coaching the Knicks beyond this season. It has been
speculated that Thomas would survive, which could make it seem as if
Walsh is taking an order from Dolan.
"Donnie Walsh is not going to be somebody's lackey," Walsh's friend
said. "I can see Donnie coming in and saying that he's going to
evaluate the situation for the final few weeks of the season and then
make a coaching change. But here's the thing: They owe Isiah about $20
million. If they fire Isiah, Donnie will want to know if he can still
sign players and cut players or if the $20 million they'd have to pay
Isiah would prevent him from doing that. Dolan and Isiah created this
financial quagmire. And now it's up to Donnie to figure it out."
Walsh will need some help to get the Knicks turned around, and is
expected to hire a new general manger. Denver's Mark Warkentien is
widely regarded as his No.1 choice, but is under contract with the
Nuggets. Former Sixers GM Billy King is also held in high esteem by
Walsh.
If, as expected, Walsh removes Thomas from the bench, ex-Knick and
current TV analyst Mark Jackson would be one of the top candidates to
replace him. Walsh is also a big fan of former Bulls coach Scott
Skiles, while Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau, a former Knicks
assistant under Jeff Van Gundy and Don Chaney, would also be under
consideration.
Walsh is also expected to revamp the front office with his own
basketball people, including former Bucks coach Brian Winters, current
Pacers scout Jimmy Powell and Spurs assistant coach George Felton. All
three, like Walsh, are native New Yorkers.
Garden president Steve Mills, who has drawn fire for recommending
Thomas to Dolan in 2003, apparently will retain his position. Walsh
wants nothing to do with the business/marketing end of the team, which
he was responsible for in Indiana for most of his 22-year tenure. In
New York, he intends to devote all of his energies to rebuilding a
dysfunctional team that hasn't been a contender for nearly a decade.
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