It’s so close, Knicks fans can almost taste it. Both ESPN and SI published stories that the Bronx-bred Donnie Walsh has agreed to some sort of deal with the Knicks (ESPN had reported a five-year, $15-million deal), effectively ousting Isiah Thomas. While Walsh would take Zeke’s job in the front office, MSG president James Dolan would buy Thomas out of the remaining three years and $21 million left on his contract, according to the NY Post.
But the deal isn’t official yet. Walsh was still sitting in the Conseco Fieldhouse as of Tuesday morning, and Pacers spokesman David Benner told Newsday that Walsh “hasn’t agreed to anything with anybody.”
However, the Knicks have canceled this morning’s practice, further showing blatant disregard for the actual basketball that has to be played, in favor of dealing with the media crush.
Though the possibility still exists that Walsh would keep Thomas on, as he was the Pacers CEO who hired Thomas in Indiana, chances are slim. Walsh doesn’t have a reputation for making risky hires, but if he chooses to do so, it looks like ESPN/ABC color commentator Mark Jackson could be the one.
From Newsday…
A person with knowledge of Walsh’s thinking said former Bulls coach Scott Skiles would be high on the list of coaches he might consider. Mark Jackson is a consideration, but don’t be surprised if current Knicks assistant Herb Williams gets a long look. Williams and Walsh have remained close since their days with the Pacers. “Donnie certainly has got a lot of feelings for Herb,” the person said.
Some other possibilities include Rick Carlisle, John Calipari and Tom Thibodeau
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March 26th, 2008 at 8:06 am
word says:
thats a sick move, hopefully it happens. But, they should still practice right now though, tanking games on purpose is disrespect to fans that pay to see them.
March 26th, 2008 at 8:15 am
Brown says:
@ Word
I’m having an AI moment right now. We’re talking about practice. Just because the team chose not to hold a practice at a meaningless time in a wash of a season doesn’t mean they’re tanking games. Coaches give players days off all the time, usually when they’re looking at the bigger picture. If this story is true, which I’m sure everyone is confident it is, then why bother having a practice when the coach is going to be canned in the near future?
Walsh needs to get rid of Isiah, not because he’s not a good coach, but because he’s destroyed the team’s culture and piled issues upon issues in his years in NY. The franchise needs a clean break from the Thomas era in order to move forward. If he sticks around, the team’s fortunes won’t change, or won’t change quick enough to appease the fans. Everyone and their cousin knows the Knicks need a fresh start, and the only way to do that is without Isiah Thomas continuing to drag them down.
March 26th, 2008 at 8:59 am
word says:
lol @ AI moment, I see your point but people in NY have just about given up on that team they are so mad that Isaiah is still there.. why haven’t they fired him? If the bulls can do it on Christmas eve, surely knicks have had enough time to do it. I agree he does need to go.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:07 am
YOUNGFED says:
“HIRE ISIAH”….lol
March 26th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
djKianoosh says:
good. mark jackson is one of the most annoying announcers doing nba games these days.
March 26th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
hahns says:
i agree w/ djkanoosh. mark jackson has never met a run-on sentence he didnt like.
knicks should hire jim carey as coach (carlisle, the likeness is undeniable)
March 26th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
yallallreadyknow says:
hahah ny is a damn mess and i don’t mean just the knicks. the whole damn city is garbage. but for now, we’ll keep it about the knicks and isiah.
knicks need to sell the team to mark cuban. what the hell kind of difference is donnie walsh going to make with the knicks? he’s a bum of a gm.
isiah thomas is a puss. and did any of you see that ugly bitch that accused his ass of harassment? ‘ho fo shooo’. ugly ass bitch. yuck; ugh.
arent you supposed to get fired if you are found guilty of sexual harassment? haha. more ny folliness.
douches.