PART TWO
Direction of your franchise?
3 years ago, I signed a contract with Phil Jackson, who has more championship rings than anyone else. We thought he was the best guy to run the NY Knicks. I made an agreement with him. I turned over the entire basketball operations to Phil & Steve. Whether I like the results or not, I'll honor that agreement all the way until the end. It's not over yet. My hope is the team will become much, much better & Phil will be successful. I recognize some 3+ years ago, running basketball OPs is not my skill set. I tried to find the best guy & many agreed. Everyone said I was going to meddle. Everyone sees I have stayed away & let Phil run the franchise & I will for the length of the agreement. How can I get anyone to come work for us if I don't honor the agreement.
He's done a terrible job. He's killing Carmelo on twitter.
At this point, I'm hearing from people you have to step in. No. It doesn't work that way.
Still believe in him?
I'm gonna honor my agreement. That's what you do. He's got a little more than 2 years left. He can continue on for the full agreement. I am not going to exercise any opt out. I will honor the agreement for the full agreement.
What player will want to come play here if the president is bashing the players?
Phil has total control. He'll have to address it. I will not weigh in on those things I said I wouldn't weigh in on.
Want Carmelo traded?
I'm not gonna go there. That's meddling with Phil. I'm not gonna do it.
You don't do these interviews often.
It's not my thing.
Phil doesn't do interviews. OK with the tweets?
Part of his agreement is he controls is own PR. It's within his control.
You gave him a lot of control.
Everyone was calling for it. To get a guy with 11 rings to do the job, he was right to say I need full control. We wouldn't have been able to get him. I'm not gonna bite on the bait.
Some things out there: When Carmelo re-signed, you told him he had to re-sign him & when he wanted Rambis as coach, you said no.
Not true. Carmelo thing not true either. It was totally up to Phil what to do. I had no idea what he was going to do. I made a point of staying away & not weighing in.
Does he tell you?
He submits a budget. He's stayed on target.
Why now with this to not get involved?
3 years ago, if you look at where we were before, where I tried to do my best, we weren't doing well & fans were upset. Fans want a winning team. I recognized I don't have those skills. Smart thing to do as an exec. is to hire someone who's good at it, the best you can.
Any concern on your part that he's the greatest coach in the history of sports but never did this job.
I don't recall there being a concern. We were concerned whether he would come or not. Phil is a great basketball mind and hard for you to argue otherwise with the success he's had.
Will he opt out?
No indication he'll do anything but stay through the length of the contract.
Does it eat at you that you haven't won since you bought the team?
I'd like to win. Everyone who works with me, we want to win. Phil wants to win. Carmelo wants to win. Jeff Hornacek wants to win. They're putting all their effort & energy into it. We haven't been winning but I got the best people on it I could find. Not much more else I could do.
Has he done a good job?
I won't comment. From the position I'm in, Phil doesn't need to hear from me, especially through the radio. It's a five year deal. At the end of the deal, we'll see. While in his deal, I'm staying out.
Oakley, If he comes to the game, he's not getting in tonight?
No.
Would the Knicks get him help?
Absolutely. When you have issues, the first step is to ask for help. He has lots of people around him who would help him but we would too if he'd seriously address the issues.
Has John Starks or Allan Houston said anything about Tuesday? They like him.
They do like him but I haven't had any direct conversations. We've had a relationship with Charles since he retired & left the Knicks. Every time we've tried to patch things up with him. Every time, it ends up the same way. Abusive, disrespectful, we gave up & stopped trying to reach out for him. Now this. It's not just about me. There were security people abused, service people abused, the same people who will help fans find seats, get them food, they were abused. ... How do you bring your kids to a game if you think that's gonna happen? You don't. There was a time way back when before we took over the Garden where the Garden was a place it'd not be uncommon to see fights & rowdy behavior. We put an end to that. We aren't going back to that ever. You can bring your kids, your family, you're gonna be safe. No one will treat you like that.
Bother you fans at the Rangers game chanting Charles Oakley?
I noticed it. I understand it. He was a great Knick. I'd like to be chanting Charles Oakley. I do think those fans, like tonight, we'll probably hear chants but those same people should look around, look at the people working at MSG and understand the person they're chanting for was a great Knick but terribly abusive to those there to help them. When they do that, in some way, they're saying as good as you are to me, it doesn't matter to me. Take them into account, please.
Those who paint you as a villain...
Ask Phil.
Fake news, people who chanted Charles Oakley thrown out of the Rangers game?
(Laughing) No. There were a lot of them. No. That's not abusive. Nothing wrong with that.
Going to the game tonight.
I am.
Afraid of what you might hear?
Fully expect it to happen. I'll interpret it's the love of Oakley's basketball game.
Level of involvement with the Rangers same with the Knicks?
Glen & I & Jeff talk quite often. Glen does have the final say on all matters Rangers.
Last couple days embarrassing for everyone?
Charles should be embarrassed. Should we be? We're sad, not embarrassed. This is an abusive situation. The staff, the workers at MSG were abused here. If you're being abused, don't be embarrassed. Refused to be abused.