Isiah: I will help Knicks any way I can

Isiah Thomas playfully brushed off the suggestion that he could help recruit potential free-agent Chris Paul to the Knicks during a radio interview Thursday.

But his response to the idea that he could help bring Paul to New York shed some light on his current influence with the Knicks.

Here's what the former Knicks GM/coach had to say during an interview with Sid Rosenberg on WQAM in Miami:

"I root for the Knicks, I want them to win. I'm always going to be a close friend with [owner James Dolan]. I root for the organization. I want everyone to do well ... If there's any way I can help them, I can. I mean I will, and I can," Thomas said.

It's an open secret that Thomas still has a heavy influence with Dolan.

Dolan tried to hire Thomas as a consultant last season, a move that was eventually nixed by commissioner David Stern because of the conflict of interest that arose as a result of Thomas' head coaching job at Florida International University. After Stern nixed the hire, Dolan released a statement saying he would "continue to solicit" Thomas' views.

Also, ex-president/GM Donnie Walsh publicly thanked Thomas last summer for his help in landing then free-agent Amare Stoudemire during Stoudemire's introductory press conference. Dolan also reportedly sent Thomas after LeBron James in a last-ditch effort to recruit James last summer.

Thomas, who worked for the Knicks as president, GM or coach from December 2003 to April 2008, was reportedly involved in the recruitment of Carmelo Anthony last season.

Now, he's expected to do the same with Paul, who is under contract for the 2011-2012 season but has a player option for 2012-13, during which he is scheduled to make $17.8 million.

Many have speculated that New York is a potential destination for Paul. Current Knicks point guard Chauncey Billups, whom New York acquired in a three-team, 13-player deal last February, will be a free agent after 2011-2012.

THOMAS GIVES THUMBS UP TO WOODSON HIRE: Thomas also told Rosenberg that he is a fan of the Knicks' decision to hire Mike Woodson as an assistant. The widely-held perception is that Woodson, the former Atlanta Hawks head coach, was brought on to Mike D'Antoni's staff to help the Knicks' defense, which was statistically one of the NBA's worst last season.

Thomas has a long history with Woodson. He played one season with him at Indiana University and told Rosenberg that Woodson was one of the reasons he chose to play at Indiana.

"I think they'll get along well," Thomas said of D'Antoni and Woodson. "Woody definitely understands defense. He learned from the greatest mind in the game in terms of coach [Bobby] Knight. The way we were taught to play defense and defensive concepts, he'll be a great fit there. And he gets along well with the players and he'll be demanding of the players."

Thomas is hosting an NBA exhibition at Florida International featuring Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Paul and others on Saturday. Proceeds from the game will go to "Mary's Court" - a foundation in his late mother's name. Proceeds will benefit local education programs.

Thomas caught heat from Rosenberg for scheduling the game on the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur. He apologized.

"It wasn't meant to be that way and I apologize," Thomas said.
http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/knicks/post/_/id/6242/isiah-i-will-help-knicks-any-way-i-can

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you know what at this point what are you going to do ?

It seems that he has a relationship with James Dolan, which is fine in my book, so they are friends big deal.

he didnt really say anything other than he roots for the organization;
it appears the media and circles around him, include him in the knicks world more than zeke includes himself; which makes me believe he is just trying to live his life, but everything is magnified by the media to push stories into the NY fanbase, when realistically he can do whatever he wants to do, at the end of the day

if he is some how responsible for uniting

chris paul
stat
and
Melo

are we really going to be mad about it ?
 

Wargames

Starter
When its all said and done lets be honest the idea of Isiah return as boogey man who is really running the Knicks is just another sign that the Knicks have major flaws in management & ownership. Until a certain Owner sells the team their is no limit on the types of mismanagement and insanity we as knicks fans will have to suffer through.

On another Note Isiah did give Stat a new Nickname that isn't horrible.... 'Renaissance Man'. It sounds cool and its definitely a New York City type of name.

Link

The obvious scary part of this news is Amare excepts it as he has been knighted by a king..... but Amare probably knows who the boss really is :barf:
 

New New York

Quiet Storm
Seriously he needs to realize that there is nothing he can do put himself in good standing with Knick fans!!!


He just does not get it!!!
 

nyk_nyk

All Star
Seriously, why can't people just get over it already? He did some good as well as damaging things when he was here but that was almost 3 years ago. He truly roots for the team and has its best interest in mind. Yes, he made some questionable moves but who hasn't?

Even Walsh, who we all praise, accepted a rape when he included our 1st rd pick (Hill) AND a future 1st rd pick in the T-Mac deal. Let's not forget T-Mac was a former shell of himself at the time and clearly did not command all that was traded to HOU.

Walsh also drafted guys like Hill and Gallo in front of some good promising PGs. (Jenning, Holiday, Lawson, Bayless)

It doesn't matter how much we all bitch and moan about IT but let's not forget the worst move in recent Knicks history: TRADING AWAY PATRICK EWING!
 

tiger0330

Legend
Let him root for the Pistons, they got him all his rings and got him into the HOF. I wish the guy would just go away but that relationship with Dolan probably means we will see him running the Knicks again when the Knicks have their next shakeup.
 

New New York

Quiet Storm
Seriously, why can't people just get over it already? He did some good as well as damaging things when he was here but that was almost 3 years ago. He truly roots for the team and has its best interest in mind. Yes, he made some questionable moves but who hasn't?

Even Walsh, who we all praise, accepted a rape when he included our 1st rd pick (Hill) AND a future 1st rd pick in the T-Mac deal. Let's not forget T-Mac was a former shell of himself at the time and clearly did not command all that was traded to HOU.

Walsh also drafted guys like Hill and Gallo in front of some good promising PGs. (Jenning, Holiday, Lawson, Bayless)

It doesn't matter how much we all bitch and moan about IT but let's not forget
the worst move in recent Knicks history: TRADING AWAY PATRICK EWING!

First off for every "good" Isiah did he did 5 bad moves!

Secondly Walsh did not trade for T-Mac because he thought he was getting an All Star, the Houston trade was about cap space which did include Walsh convincing Houston that Hill and a pick was fair compensation for taking on Jefferies' contract which Houston eventually bought out

Any comparison to Walsh and Isiah as GM's is absurd!
True neither was perfect but Walsh is why we are relevant, Isiah was why we were the butt of SNL jokes!

Isiah made 4 good draft picks (Ariza,Nate,David,and Wilson) and getting The Sins to throw in a draft pick in the Q-Rich/Kurt Thomas trade was his lone good trade....should we count all the bad moves?
 

ronoranina

Fundamentally Sound
If Zeke were to quit his job at FIU, is there anything the league could do to prevent him coming back to the Knicks as a top exec if Dolan really wanted him :barf:?
 
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nyk_nyk

All Star
First off for every "good" Isiah did he did 5 bad moves!

Secondly Walsh did not trade for T-Mac because he thought he was getting an All Star, the Houston trade was about cap space which did include Walsh convincing Houston that Hill and a pick was fair compensation for taking on Jefferies' contract which Houston eventually bought out

Any comparison to Walsh and Isiah as GM's is absurd!
True neither was perfect but Walsh is why we are relevant, Isiah was why we were the butt of SNL jokes!

Isiah made 4 good draft picks (Ariza,Nate,David,and Wilson) and getting The Sins to throw in a draft pick in the Q-Rich/Kurt Thomas trade was his lone good trade....should we count all the bad moves?

Again, not dismissing all the screwed up things he's done, but no GM is perfect at their job. I just don't understand why some people feel he should be banished for life? They guy made some good moves at the time. You have to look at it from a point-in-time perspective.

He got Marbury at the peak of his career when he was a top 5 PG at the time. He also saw something in Curry (young C with potential), which materialized a bit while he was here. Curry's cliff dive wasn't Isiah's fault. No one could have prevented that. His draft picks were always solid so no one can deny his ability to spot talent.

He was far from the worst GM, but because its the Knicks and NYC things will appear to be 100x worse. He actually brought some good players here but the chemistry was off. I wouldn't care if he came back as long as he was void of any signing ability. He's good as spotting raw talent but wasn't so good at preserving financial flexibility for the future.

The one thing that I can't defend is that lawsuit crap. That was a bad look for the franchise.
 

knickscity

Benchwarmer
hell, if Zeke had true influence in getting Melo Amare and possible CP3 to the Knicks, I say "Bout time he did a good thing, should have done stuff like that, when he was running".

I'm over it. Go Knicks!!!! Whenever there is a season.
 
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