The rumor mills in the NBA are hitting high gear, especially concerning the New
York Knicks.
If sources are right, the recent shake-up in New York is only a preview of
things to come. The catalyst was the firing of General Manager Scott Layden on
December 22. In his place, the Knicks crowned former Indiana University great
Isaiah Thomas as President of Basketball Operations.
Thomas told the New York Post that he would be unconventional in restoring the
Knicks to prominence. Thomas also was quoted on ESPN.com as saying several NBA
executives have told Thomas that the best way to rebuild the team is “to blow it
up”.
Thomas is expected to make wholesale changes to the team. He started the purge
by trading underachieving forward Clarence Weatherspoon to the Rockets for
Moochie Norris and John Amaechi on December 30.
It is also rumored that Thomas will oust embattled coach Don Chaney in favor of
someone he is more comfortable with. Rumors have circulated the past week that
Knicks assistant Brendan Malone will be moved up to the top spot. Malone was the
coach of the Raptors when Isaiah was the General Manager of that team.
The Hoosier Gazette has learned from league sources that Thomas will indeed fire
Chaney, but will not replace him with Malone.
Instead, Thomas will call on his connections back in Indiana to find the new
coach. Possibly as early as next week, Thomas will name current IU coach Mike
Davis as the Knicks’ coach.
Davis has no NBA experience, but his coaching philosophies mesh well with
Thomas’. Davis has come under fire recently for his team’s poor play and sources
in the state have said Davis is “exploring his options.”
A source close to the IU program, speaking anonymously, said “Coach Davis can
see the writing on the wall and would like to be proactive in his future.” The
source also said Davis is intrigued by the prospect of coaching fellow
University of Alabama alumnus Antonio McDyess, the Knicks’ talented power
forward.
Davis and Thomas were close friends when the latter was coaching the Indiana
Pacers the last several years. Thomas showed this week he would surround himself
with friends in New York. He hired his Chicago childhood buddy, Mark Aguirre.
Aguirre has been given the assignment of mentoring the Knicks’ big men.
Both Davis and Thomas were unavailable for comment before deadline. The move
will have to be approved by Madison Square Garden CEO James Dolan, but this
appears to be a rubber stamp decision, if the response from Knick front office
personnel is any indication.
Anucha Sanders, Senior Vice President for Marketing and Business Operations,
said having Davis at the helm of the Knicks would be “terrific.” Sanders said,
“Mike Davis would make a great coach for the Knicks. He would be a coach we
could build our entire marketing plan around. He really has the media-friendly
characteristics we look for in an important position holder in the MSG family.
He’s well articulated and always shows great composure on the sidelines--two
qualities that are a great asset for any team.”
