Isiah Thomas went to FIU to rehab his image to try to get back into the NBA, preferably with the Knicks. But his 26-65 record, marginal increase in home attendance (1,100 per game)) and subsequent firing yesterday by FIU hasn’t yet done the trick.
And his relationship with Knicks owner James Dolan has leveled off since August 201 when Dolan offered Thomas a consulting position. Thomas accepted, then was forced to decline when NBA commissioner David Stern thought it was a conflict of interest with his FIU job.
Too bad. Thomas should’ve quit FIU on the spot and rejoined the Knicks then. That August, Dolan released a glowing statement after Thomas backed out, saying he will “always have strong ties to me and the team. ‘’
That was then. This is now.
According to sources, Dolan isn’t ready to name Thomas to a formal Knicks’ position – even with Donnie Walsh’s quasi-consulting position soon coming to an end.
The Post reported last summer the Knicks owner still maintains a friendship with Thomas but was disappointed his compadre publicly spoke about wanting Donnie Walsh’s position and believed he was secretly lobbying with select media members .
That’s not Dolan’s style. Dolan’s lieutenants, including Garden head honcho Hank Ratner and Garden prez Scott O’Neill, have convinced Dolan hiring Thomas in an official capacity isn’t good business. Dolan still talks to Isiah, as Thomas is always looking to help where needed. But that’s where it likely will end for now.
Thomas would be better off with the Pistons, where the fan base loves him and owner Bill Davidson, with whom he feuded after retirement, has passed on.
“I’d be shocked if anything happened officially,’’ one person familiar with the Knicks thinking said. “James still takes Isiah’s calls but that’s as far as the friendship goes. I’m sure Isiah will mount a public relations campaign to make it seem the Knicks may want him.’’
For his part, Thomas was purportedly “surprised” by yesterday’s events.
“This the most surprising thing that has happened to me in basketball,” Thomas told ESPN.com. “I never been fired before for basketball reasons. This is the first time. When I was in Toronto, I was trying to buy a team and I left. When I was in Indiana, Larry Bird told me that he liked what I was doing but he was closer to Rick Carlisle. The whole thing in New York was crazy. This is the first time someone told me that I was being fired for basketball reasons.”
During the press conference following the acquisition of Carmelo Anthony, Dolan went out of his way to say Thomas wasn’t involved in trade negotiations. Dolan was irritated Thomas gave an impression he had influence on the deal during a Miami radio interview with Sid Rosenberg. Dolan had never been afraid to toot Thomas’ horn publicly, so it was clear something was up between them.
Thomas has allies in the organization in interim GM Glen Grunwald and Mike Woodson for sure. In fact, Grunwald’s future still hasn’t been addressed, though his additions of Tyson Chandler, Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak have been gold. But this is Dolan’s call.
The perception Thomas told Dolan to hire Woodson as defensive assistant is overstated. Lawrence Frank was the Knicks’ first choice but he chose the head job at Detroit. Grunwald was also Woodson’s Indiana teammate and in a recent interview, Woodson said that helped seal the deal.
“You want to work with people you know,’’ Woodson said.
Walsh’s agent, Steve Kauffman, told The Post this week Walsh is interested in joining an NBA team in a bigger capacity. A report said the Knicks will give him permission to talk to teams. Walsh’s contract expires June 30th.
The Knicks will have a consulting position open. Thomas needs a job. Does his buddy Dolan give him one? Doubt it.