Isiah Thomas has his candidate for the Knicks’ soon-to-be vacant president’s job.
Although Thomas has taken himself out of the running for a presidential race he was never in, the former Knicks executive backed current vice president Glen Grunwald to take over permanently for Donnie Walsh. Thomas also said he feels owner James Dolan should keep everything in-house and name Mark Warkentien and John Gabriel as co-general managers.
The Post also has learned Thomas is not expected to be a candidate for the Pistons’ vacant head-coaching job, despite a report out of Detroit. Two sources told The Post Thomas would not be considered by Pistons president Joe Dumars because Dumars does not want to jeopardize their friendship.
Thomas hired Grunwald in Toronto and New York. Grunwald, who mostly has lost contact with Thomas, will become interim president July 1 to replace Walsh. Considering Thomas still speaks with Dolan, his recommendations aren’t to be taken lightly.
“I love Glen, he’s one of my favorite people on Earth,” Thomas said on the Ian O’Connor radio show on ESPN Radio. “He’s very competent, extremely smart, loyal to winning. He’s always done a good job wherever he’s been. He’s qualified, capable and extremely smart.
“Those three guys, [Grunwald], Gabriel, Warkentien, they are really good at what they do. They have experience and know how to select talent. All of them could do a good job. The three guys they have in house are really good.”
Warkentien, the former Nuggets GM and Blazers executive, was hired in midseason on an interim basis to help with the draft. His contract expires June 30. Among his draft gems in Portland were Zach Randolph and Jermaine O’Neal, both picked outside the lottery. In Denver, Warkentien drafted Ty Lawson at 17 and traded second-rounders for Aaron Affalo and J.R. Smith.
Gabriel, the former Magic and Sixers GM, was brought in by Walsh three years ago as the pro personnel director. His contract also expires June 30.
Gabriel, based in Orlando, and Warkentien, who lives in Portland, are both in New York this week for the Knicks’ predraft workouts and free-agent tryout camp the club will hold at week’s end. It is unclear if they will meet with Dolan.
Dolan also is expected to try to interview former Portland GM Kevin Pritchard.
The Post has reported Dolan has been convinced by his Garden lieutenants hiring Thomas, who has spent the past days saying he is not a candidate for the Knicks presidency, is not in the franchise’s best interests.
Thomas said he doesn’t want the job because of “the toll [it] took on my family and my kids.”