Former Knicks president/coach Isiah Thomas visited the Garden’s offices at 2 Penn Plaza for hours yesterday, but a source familiar with the appearance said he was not interviewing for a position with the organization.
With Thomas angling for a job with the Knicks, the source said Thomas occasionally drops by to visit friends at the Garden, including owner Jim Dolan, whom he has maintained a strong relationship.
Though Thomas is head coach at Florida International, he still kept his house in Purchase, Westchester.
Knicks team president Donnie Walsh said he was at the team’s practice facility in Westchester yesterday and did not know Thomas visited the Garden’s offices.
“I don’t know of any meetings with Isiah,” Walsh said. “I don’t know anything about it.”
Speculation that Thomas was looking to return to the Knicks flourished when he volunteered to fly to Akron on July 7 to meet with one of LeBron James’ advisors because he had a past relationship with him. In a last-gasp effort, Thomas flew out the day before “The Decision.”
Two days later, Walsh told ESPN.com and several other media outlets, including The Post, that Thomas would be on his list of general manager candidates if he decided to hire one. Walsh said he was answering a hypothetical question, and yesterday he reiterated that he has no plans to hire a general manager this summer.
Nevertheless, Thomas’ influence on Dolan is evident, and it would not be shocking if he was brought back to direct the draft — the lone area in which Thomas succeeded here.
Before Thomas left the Knicks for FIU, he was working as a consultant to Walsh and made a scouting trip to Italy to watch Danilo Gallinari. The Post has learned Thomas also scouted, in Turin two years ago, their new 7-foot-1 Russian center signee, Timofey Mozgov.
Walsh, meanwhile, was having X-rays on his neck to determine if he can vacate his wheelchair.
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A CBSSportsline report said point guard Chris Paul has again told new Hornets management he would like to be traded, with the Knicks, Lakers and Magic on his wish list.
At Carmelo Anthony’s wedding, Paul toasted to a union of Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire and himself.