If this happens, the value of our picks will skyrocket: http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nba/news/story?id=5369726 Walsh: I'd consider Isiah for GM A reunion between Isiah Thomas and the New York Knicks is possible, according to Donnie Walsh. Walsh, the Knicks' president, said Thomas will be on his list of candidates if he is given the go-ahead to hire a general manager. "With other people, yes, Isiah would be under consideration from me," Walsh said in a telephone interview Saturday. "But that's a situation the owner would have to be involved in." Walsh said he hasn't hired a general manager for financial reasons. If Knicks owner James Dolan allows it, he said he will eventually do so. Walsh, 69, also said reports of his imminent retirement are "totally off-base" and that he has no plans to step down. There is little question that Dolan would be willing to consider rehiring Thomas, who served as the club's president and eventually head coach for 4½ years. The two have maintained a close relationship since Thomas was fired by the Knicks in April 2008. Thomas, now the head coach at Florida International University, even assisted the Knicks in their pursuit of free agents in this historic NBA summer. Thomas played a huge role in the Knicks' courtship of Amare Stoudemire, Joe Johnson and LeBron James. After the Knicks signed Stoudemire on Thursday, Walsh thanked Thomas publicly for his help during free agency. "Isiah helped us a lot in getting Amare," Walsh said Saturday. "And he tried to help us get Joe Johnson and LeBron. He knew some of the people that were connected with some of the players, and he has a good reputation with the players and with the people that represent them. He was great." One member of the organization said Thomas deserves the lion's share of the credit for bringing Stoudemire to New York. "Nothing was going our way," the person said. "We were afraid we were going to get shut out. We didn't have a person who could relate to these young guys and we were panicking. Isiah stepped in and did that for us." While Stoudemire was the only big-name player the club signed, a person close to Johnson said Thomas' work on New York's behalf had the Atlanta Hawks All-Star seriously considering joining the Knicks. Before Thomas began recruiting Johnson a few days before free agency began on July 1, the Knicks "weren't even on our radar," according to the person close to Johnson. But the Knicks ended up being the first team to meet with Johnson after the Hawks. After both clubs offered Johnson maximum-salary contracts at their first meeting, Johnson was thinking of joining the Knicks. "It was 50-50 between New York and Atlanta at that point," the person close to Johnson said. "Joe was going to have to leave that $30 million on the table to go to New York, but he was still considering it. If Isiah had been in pocket with the Knicks, meaning if he had still been working for their organization, there's a strong possibility that Joe would have ended up there." While Thomas has a poor reputation in New York because of the team's struggles -- as well as his primary role in an embarrassing sexual harassment case -- during his tenure with the Knicks, the Hall of Famer is widely respected by players and those in their inner circles throughout the league. Over the past two weeks, he used his stature to promote the Knicks. Though Johnson had a good relationship with Mike D'Antoni, he wasn't even going to give the Knicks a meeting before Thomas began speaking about the organization, according to the person close to Johnson. "Isiah spoke very positively about New York," the source said. "He was just telling us how loyal the Knicks were, how good of an organization it was and how the owner was a good guy. For him to say that about an organization that had fired him really put the Knicks in a positive light in Joe's mind." Realizing the pull Thomas has with players, Dolan sent him to Cleveland to meet with James on Wednesday in a last-ditch effort to recruit the superstar. Thomas never got an audience with James, but he met with one of the members of his inner circle. Walsh, who hired Thomas to coach his Indiana Pacers in 2000, said Thomas' tarnished image in New York is a bit unfair. The Knicks were already a disaster when Thomas took over in December 2003, having gone two straight seasons without making the playoffs. While Thomas saddled the club with several big contracts, there's no question he upgraded the team's talent, acquiring All-Stars Stephon Marbury and Zach Randolph in their primes. He also hired two legendary coaches in Lenny Wilkens and Larry Brown, and his strong work in the draft is undeniable. Thomas selected Trevor Ariza in the second round in 2004, got Channing Frye, David Lee and Nate Robinson in 2005, and Wilson Chandler in 2007. He also urged the Knicks to draft Brandon Jennings in 2009. Upon replacing Thomas in 2008, Walsh was stunned by the level of dislike for him in New York. "When I got here, he was getting killed beyond anything I'd ever seen before," Walsh said. "I've never seen anything like that." With Thomas being such a lightning rod in New York, it may be difficult for the Knicks to bring him back. But at the very least, his work on behalf of the organization this summer could go a long way in restoring his image.
UPDATE: The Knicks are done in free agency. They want to maintain cap flexibility to get Melo next year. Also, they're trying to package Wilson Chandler with Curry to land someone better(good luck with that...) As long as the Knicks have their Carmelo dream, they're not going to make moves that drastically improve their roster for the upcoming season. This is because any move for a top player likely involves getting dead salary back, which the Knicks don't want to have. If they're going to make their splash, it will be next offseason. I'm still going with my original prediction of #8-15 range for the Knicks. This is assuming Amare stays relatively healthy.
I'd say 35 wins sounds about right for this team. The tricky thing is, I think teams like Philly, NJ, Washington, and Sacramento have all improved more than the Knicks have. Whether that's enough to get them above 35 wins is questionable.
8? I reckon thats wayyy too high. Next year the Bobcats and the Cavs and the Raptors won't be anywhere near the playoffs. The Knicks I could actually see getting a 6th or 7th seed in the East. Look how bad their team was this season and Utah only got the 9th pick in the draft. Next year they are soooo much more improved based on talent pool alone. Not to mention another year under D'Antoni and the drastric improvements expected from young players like Gallinari and Douglas and maybe even some production from ****** Eddy Curry......even he will bring game when its contract year
The Cavs are still a fringe playoff team without LeBron. They might compete for the eighth seed in the East.
The funny thing about this pick swap is that the Rockets could conceivably finish 10 games better than the Knicks next year yet still have the HIGHER pick! If the Rockets go 49-33 and barely miss the playoffs, they could likely pick #14. Meanwhile, the Knicks could go 39-43 and still somehow make the playoffs in the East as the 7 or 8 seed, thereby picking at #15 or #16. So, there's more at work here than just team record. It'll be an interesting year watching the Eastern Conference standings.
Another year under D'Antoni means the same or higher draft pick actually. It would really suck if they got somebody that could teach defense.
The Bobcats were 41-28 after trading for Stephen Jackson. They're better than that Knicks team. Also, don't count out the Cavs. They still have quality players in Jamison, Mo Williams and Varajeo. Plus, they could easily trade for Al Jefferson with the trade exception they just got for Lebron. The Raptors? Well, you've got me there. But they weren't playoff material even WITH Bosh. I think RIGHT NOW there are seven teams clearly better than the Knicks in the East (Miami, Boston, Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago, Milwaukee and Charlotte). Of course, everything is fluid and subject to change. But I just don't see the current (as of July 11) Knicks team being able to be any better than a fringe playoff team.
I also see the Cavs making the 7th or 8th seed. Byron Scott is miles ahead of Mike Brown. Raptors are going nowhere. Ed Davis and Joey Dorsey won't make up for the loss of Bosh. They were a borderline playoff team before. They will be the worst team in the league. Bad coaching. Bad GM. No defense.
Does Perry Jones' playing style remind yall of Durant or Odom or Darius Miles or michael beasley or some beast unseen?
I just can't understand how anybody could possibly feel like the Knicks have improved. Even if Amar'e stays healthy for all 82 games (and I sincerely doubt he will), WHO IS GOING TO PLAY DEFENSE? This is a D'Antoni coached team and they haven't a single defensive minded player. Their team leader is going to be Amar'e. Yeah. That's who Anthony Randolph is going to have to look to as an example in getting his head on straight and showing up every game. I think 30 wins is optimistic. Also, I don't know why people are writing off the Cavs so easily. They'll get that trade exception. They may acquire somebody like Al Jefferson. And they have a solid roster that knows how to win. I know they lost Lebron, but you can't convince me that Lebron alone will make them go from 62 wins to less than 40. Especially if they add a star player somehow with that TE.
I really doubt the west will be that competitive this year. Mainly because the contenders in the west are relying on some old legs. I think at least two teams will have major injury issues and drop to .500 or so the way the Rockets did last season. I'm pretty sure with that unless Yao plays less than half a season, the Rockets will make the playoffs. The key is more about east, and whether the Knicks can make the playoffs there. As jmwilliamson pointed out, they still suck on defense because coach pringles find it a hassle. And the guy has never done jack squat without the best pure point guard of this generation. Raymond Felton is not going to be nearly as effective as Nash in running the team.
as of right now my guess is #4 pick. its still early but if they are done in FA that is what im going with. im being hopeful but i see a lot of losses for these guys :grin:
