In another sign Isiah Thomas is doomed at season’s end when Donnie Walsh takes over, the Bronx-born president-in- waiting hasn’t even reached out to the Knicks’ lame-duck leader for a chat, according to a person familiar with the situation.
Of course, the Knicks needs a lot more than Walsh, still working out his Knick deal. Walsh, burdened by a slew of bad Knick contracts difficult to trade this summer, may make his biggest splash by hiring the right coach. And it’s not expected to be Thomas, with Rick Carlisle, Mark Jackson, Herb Williams and Scott Skiles among the early candidates.
When asked if he had talked to Walsh, Thomas acted flustered, saying, “To answer that type of question, you …” while looking at a PR aide.
“How do you answer something that hasn’t happened? Let’s deal with today. My direct report is [to] Steve Mills and Jim Dolan. Any questions you have about that kind of stuff you should talk to those two.”
Walsh supposedly is friends with Thomas – but if there were any chance of Walsh working as a team with Thomas, Walsh would have reached out by now.
With Walsh in charge in Indiana, he approved Larry Bird’s call of Carlisle replacing Thomas as head coach in 2003. And there’s a chance Carlisle could replace him again.
The Knicks need structure, and three players in the Knick locker room thought Carlisle would be a sound choice if the doomed Thomas is fired. On the contrary, former Bulls coach Skiles, also someone Walsh likes, has never been a fan of two prominent Knick starters, ex-Bulls Eddy Curry or Jamal Crawford.
Carlisle coached under Walsh in Indiana four seasons, compiling a 181-147 record, and considers Walsh one of his top “mentors.” Only Fred Jones on the Knick roster has played for Carlisle and is known to think of him as a good X’s and O’s coach.
Kevin O’Neill, interim head coach at Arizona this season and one of Carlisle’s assistants in Indiana and Detroit, said Carlisle would be a good choice for the Knicks.
“Rick is a good fit for any team no matter what,” said O’Neill, a former Knick assistant coach. “I’m sure Rick wants to coach again. He’s meticulous in his approach.”
Carlisle will likely get an interview, though Walsh once passed on him for Indiana’s top job when Carlisle was a Pacer assistant, leading to Carlisle becoming Detroit’s head coach.
Carlisle lives in Indianapolis, working part-time for ESPN.
“We need a different system, a different plan to build trust within the team again,” one Knick said. “Rick Carlisle is a systematic guy.”
Curry, making his first remarks since his surgery, told The Post, “I can’t even think that far. Right now Isiah’s our coach and I love him and have a lot of respect for him.”
Knick assistant Herb Williams, friends with owner Dolan and Walsh, will likely get an interview, too. Despite his inexperience, Jackson is an obvious candidate because of his strong relationship with Walsh.
The clock is ticking on Thomas, but Dolan will not let media reports force him into announcing a decision on his fate until after the season.
If Thomas is trying to keep his job, he did a poor job of it yesterday. He staged an 18-minute shoot-around, shortest of the season, then arrived 30 minutes before last night’s 103-96 overtime victory over Miami.
Thomas was late because of traffic related to a brushfire in Westchester. But there is no putting out this brushfire about Walsh’s imminent hiring.
Thomas is not even disputing reports his demise is upcoming, saying “This is what losing brings, this uncertainness.”
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The tanking was put off a night as Knicks (20-51) blew an eight-point lead in final 1:30, stung by two Ricky Davis late treys, but survived in OT to stave off official playoff elimination, breaking a five-game skid.
Knicks 103 Heat 96