NBA

Stern praises former Knicks president Walsh

DALLAS — Whatever the reason for Donnie Walsh’s departure as Knicks president — forced out or left of his own choosing — he should be proud of his New York tenure, NBA commissioner David Stern said yesterday.

“Donnie can look back and feel good about a job well done,” Stern, who helped sway the franchise to hire Walsh in the first place, said following the dedication of a new grammar school learn-and-play center here through the cooperation of NBA Cares, HP and State Farm.

“I think that both Donnie and the Knicks are content with the outcome,” Stern added. “I think that the most important thing was that there be a decision one way or the other and I think that both sides are very content with the decision.”

Stern also pointed out that the Knicks’ interim leadership team, headed by vice president Glen Grunwald, is strong.

“Madison Square Garden can feel they have made an enormous step forward,” Stern said. “They’ve got a pro, a veteran in [assistant vice president] Glen Grunwald with Donnie as a consultant now. They’ve got a team with a couple of All-Stars and a great coach. Things are looking up in New York.

Dallas coach Rick Carlisle, who worked for Walsh with the Pacers, was even more effusive in his praise of his former boss.

“Donnie Walsh is basketball royalty,” Carlisle praised. “He did a wonderful job resurrecting that franchise. You look at where they are now and how healthy their cap situation is, and their personnel situation is, and he was the one that had the vision that it could be changed the way it has in a relatively short period of time.”

Stern said he really was not surprised by Walsh’s departure from the position.

“Donnie, as he said, is 70. He really felt that the next person who would take this job would be a five-or-six year sort . . . and he didn’t want to do it,” Stern said. “I’m delighted that he’s agreed to stay involved as a consultant for a year and be instrumental in working toward helping to select his successor. I think some of the media speculation about what was going on was a little bit over the top, but what else is new?”

fred.kerber@nypost.com