Charles Barkley Apologizes to Mike D'Antoni and Donnie Walsh

via NYPost.com

"I have a rule, I try to always be honest and fair on TV," Barkley said. "I screwed up the other night when I said something about Mike D'Antoni that wasn't cool. I want to apologize to Mike D'Antoni and Donnie Walsh. When you're on television you should never talk about someone getting hired and fired. That's inappropriate. I made that mistake. I want to apologize personally to Mike D'Antoni and Donnie Walsh. I've got great respect for Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni. I want to apologize. That's all I can do."

Barkley may be onto something, with an impending sweep on Easter Sunday, Donnie Walsh's contract expiring it may be time for day I say the return of Isiah Thomas. Don't mind me, I'm just upset...

Read more: HERE

Is Isiah Secretly Running The Knicks?

Via NYPost.com

 "Everyone agrees they need to keep improving to get to a championship level,'' Thomas said on Miami radio tonight with Sid Rosenberg. "I don' think anyone's saying this is it. I do think the organization wants to improve to get better and get to the next to level. But for me to speculate on this Carmelo situation, I just don't think it would be proper to insert myself in such a public way knowing what I know.''

"You ask me to be as honest as I can and I will be brutally honest with you,'' Thomas said. " I don't think anyone will say where they will be five years from now. But whereever I am in five years, I will be physically and emotionally prepared for whatever challenge is presented to me.''

Thomas was asked point-blank if he's advising Dolan, specifically on Melo. "The conversations I have with any of my friends are always private and confidential,'' Thomas said. "The conversations I have with friends and people that I know, those are private conversations.''

Listen to the entire interview with Sid Rosenberg:

Isiah-era Knicks That The Don Had To Fix: Where are they now?

All the talk in the city yesterday was about the hiring of former vice president of Nuggets basketball operations Mark Warkentien as Knick consultant,possible heir to the "Don",they are several other potential predecessors out there to take over for the real KnicksGM,69 year old Donnie Walsh.The question the streets wanna know is will the "famously unpredictable," James L. Dolan retain his 2012 option by the deadline of april 30th reported by the New York Times. I say instead of grooming his replacement while he is arguably the GM of the year,besides the former Knicks coach that fled after 94,how about we make him feel appreciated for the great work he has done like landing STAT and lock him up for as long as he wants to be the KnicksGM.

Internally, there are fears that Dolan will attempt to bring Isiah Thomas back to run the team, the Times reports.

Here is a rundown and update of the players the last KnicksGM brought into NYC.

THE BALLERS they tried

Zach Randolph, Memphis Grizzlies Had a brief and forgettable stopover with the Los Angeles Clippers. Now producing the usual gaudy numbers for Memphis: 20 points and a career-best 13.2 rebounds a game. Has not made the playoffs or been part of a winning team, though the Grizzlies have a shot at the eighth seed in the West. Salary in 2008: $13.3 million. Current salary: $17.3 million. How he left: Traded (with Mardy Collins) to Clippers, for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas, on Nov. 21, 2008.

Jamal Crawford, Atlanta Hawks Won the Sixth Man of the Year award last season, simultaneously proving that Crawford was a) one of the better players Isiah Thomas acquired and b) was miscast by Thomas as a starting guard and No. 1 scoring option. Remains a key reserve for playoff-bound Hawks, but scoring and shooting percentages have dipped, to 15.9 points and 43 percent. Salary in 2008: $7.9 million. Current salary: $10.1 million. How he left: Traded to Warriors, for Al Harrington, on Nov. 21, 2008.

David Lee, Golden State Warriors Named an All-Star in final Knicks season, albeit as an injury replacement. Was the best member of a bad Knicks team, averaging 20.2 points and 11.7 rebounds. Now a solid member of a poor Warriors team, averaging 16 points and 9.7 rebounds. Salary in 2008: $990,000. Current salary: $10.8 million. How he left: In sign-and-trade deal with Warriors, for Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf and Kelenna Azubuike, on July 8, 2010.

Nate Robinson, Boston Celtics Other than Crawford, the only Isiah-era Knick to play a major role for a playoff team. Helped fuel Celtics’ Game 4 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in 2010 N.B.A. finals. Now averaging 7.7 points and shooting .412 as the Celtics’ sixth man. Salary in 2008: $1.3 million. Current salary: $4.2 million. How he left: Traded (with Marcus Landry) to Boston, for Eddie House, Bill Walker and J.R. Giddens, on Feb. 18, 2010.

Wilson Chandler, Knicks Thomas’s best parting gift — a talented, low-maintenance, high-scoring forward who always plays hard and improves every year. Averaging a career-best 17.4 points. Current salary: $2.1 million. Future: A free agent this summer, could be used in trade for Carmelo Anthony or let go to make room for Anthony.

ON THERE LAST LEGS hanging by a thread

Quentin Richardson, Orlando Magic Opened season as a key rotation player, became superfluous when Magic acquired Gilbert Arenas and Jason Richardson. Played 57 minutes in January. Salary in 2008: $8.1 million. Current salary: $2.3 million. How he left: Traded to Memphis, for Darko Milicic, on June 26, 2008.

Jared Jeffries, Houston Rockets Found niche as versatile defender in his final years with Knicks. Niche in Houston is between 13th and 14th seats on the bench. Has made 17 appearances this season, averaging 7.8 minutes. (Side note: Thomas, upon signing Jeffries, said he would “balance the plane ride.”) Salary in 2008: $5.6 million. Current salary: $6.9 million. How he left: Traded to Houston (with Jordan Hill) in three-team deal that brought Tracy McGrady to Knicks, on Feb. 18, 2010.

Renaldo Balkman, Denver Nuggets The hustle. The hair. The Rodman-like nose for the ball. There was little to enjoy about these Knicks, but Balkman’s frantic energy was something. He is more static now: He has played 44 minutes this season. (Side note: Balkman was drafted one spot ahead of Rajon Rondo in 2006.) Salary in 2008: $1.3 million. Current salary: $1.7 million. How he left: Traded to Denver for Taurean Green, Bobby Jones and a second-round pick, on July 28, 2008. (Jones and Green were later waived.)

Eddy Curry, Knicks Symbol of an era of overpaid underachievers. Peaked in 2006-7 (19.5 points a game), regressing ever since. Unable to stay healthy or in shape jeopardizing career. Has appeared in 10 games since start of the 2008-9 season. Salary in 2008: $8.9 million. Current salary: $11.3 million. Future: If Knicks cannot trade his expiring contract by Feb. 24, they will probably waive him.

WASHED UP,NOT IN THE ASSOCIATION steph should be ashamed of himself

Stephon Marbury Benched by Coach Mike D’Antoni. Refused a buyout. Took a buyout. Joined the Celtics. Played sparingly. Declined to re-sign with Celtics. Wanted better offer. Found no other offers. Went on YouTube. Ate Vaseline. Now playing in China. Salary in 2008: $19 million. How he left: Waived Feb. 24,2009.

Jerome James Often injured, always jovial, rarely in shape. Spent a lot of time on what came to be known as the Jerome James Memorial Stationary Bike. Presumed retired. Salary in 2008: $5.8 million. How he left: Traded (with Tim Thomas, Anthony Roberson) to Chicago for Larry Hughes on Feb. 19, 2009.

Malik Rose Consummate nice guy, veteran of two Spurs championship teams, tried best to infuse professionalism in a chaotic environment. Now a broadcaster for the Spurs. Salary in 2008: $7.1 million. How he left: Traded to Oklahoma City for Chris Wilcox on Feb. 19, 2009.

Mardy Collins Steady, selfless guard. Not particularly good at anything. Out of league after failing to make Washington Wizards last fall. (Side note: Paul Millsap was still on the board when Collins was drafted in 2006.) Salary in 2008: $967,000. How he left: Traded (with Zach Randolph) to Clippers on Nov. 21, 2008.

Fred Jones Won 2004 slam-dunk contest. Won 23 games in only season with the Knicks. Spent 2008-9 with Clippers. Has not been seen since. Salary in 2008: $3.3 million. How he left: Was not re-signed after 2007-8 season.

Randolph Morris When Knicks signed him straight out of college — via little-known loophole — Thomas said Randolph was like an extra first-round pick. Like an extra Mardy Collins. Salary in 2008: $810,000. How he left: Was not re-signed after 2007-8 season.

SOURCES:New York Times
VIA:offthedribble.blogs

NBA X-Mas Gifts

via NYDailyNews.com

Isiah Thomas: A job in the Garden - coaching the Liberty.

Donnie Walsh: Complete autonomy

Jim Dolan: Wisdom.

Mike D'Antoni: Jeff Van Gundy's defensive playbook.

Pat Riley: Peace, prosperity and Erik Spoelstra's job.

Erik Spoelstra: His old job doing the board for Pat Riley.

LeBron James: Game 5 vs. Boston expunged from his permanent record.

Maverick Carter: A crash-course in marketing/PR.

Chris Bosh: No games in Toronto this season.

Steve Nash: Amar'e Stoudemire.

Amar'e Stoudemire: M-V-P chants in the Garden in May.

The Isiah Thomas 25 Year Rebuilding Plan Song

The singer is dead serious too...lol

League closing doors on Isiah Thomas’ iffy return

via YahooSports

As the clock ticked down in the New York Knicks’ draft room in late June 2005, Isiah Thomas wanted to choose Pittsburgh’s Chris Taft over Florida’s David Lee. Sources say that all around Thomas front-office elders and scouts begged him to change his mind. No one believed Lee would become an All-Star, an $80 million man, but they knew this: Taft was terrible.

Only one of Thomas’ oldest confidants, Brendan Suhr, had a voice strong enough to sway him. Before the Knicks president finally backed down and submitted Lee’s name to be picked with the 30th selection, Thomas snapped, “You’d better be [bleeping] right.”

As it turned out, they were bleeping right, and Thomas could keep proclaiming himself some kind of talent evaluation guru. He’s running out of material, and out of time to sell it. Thomas keeps talking about turning down NBA jobs, but these are make-believe offers. No one has offered him a job, and he’s gone to great lengths to make sure no one ever will. Thomas isn’t delusional, but desperate. He’s speaking to a one-man audience – Knicks owner Jim Dolan.

Only now, it appears Thomas is losing Dolan, too. Dolan has come to understand the severity of the NBA’s investigation into the Knicks after Yahoo! Sports reported apparent illegal draft workouts under Thomas’ regime, sources say. And Dolan’s been livid over it. Rodney Heard, the Knicks scout at the center of the investigation, was Thomas’ guy all the way, and Heard is still involved with Thomas’ Florida International University program.

The NBA has enlisted an outside law firm to probe the circumstances of the workouts – including one in which Indiana Pacers guard Brandon Rush said he suffered a severe knee injury – and sources say more tips keep flowing in from around the league. Several teams want severe sanctions for the Knicks, because these charges dig to the heart of competitive balance and fairness. Beyond monetary fines and forfeiture of future draft picks for Donnie Walsh’s regime, league sources say any uncovering of Thomas’ possible complicity in potential violations could result in a suspension to be tacked onto his future return to the NBA.

In the end, that could be moot for this simple reason: Thomas may never work in the NBA again. No one in the league has done more for Thomas’ post-playing career than Walsh, and yet Thomas has gone out of his way to undermine his benefactor and try to get the GM job back for himself. If that’s how Thomas treats the man responsible for his $20 million coaching contract with the Pacers – the man who treated Thomas with dignity upon replacing him in New York – what chance of loyalty would someone else have with hiring Thomas?

After his recent interview with ESPN New York’s Ian O’Connor, where Thomas described himself as a visionary, it was suggested by many that Thomas sounded delusional. There’s no delusion. He’s too sharp, too tactical. This is a plan of attack; a foolish one, but a plan nonetheless. Thomas wants to redirect the narrative of his Knicks years, revise the history and redirect blame on his failures.

Pity those poor kids at Florida International, because it’s clear Thomas sees the job as beneath him – just as he would a scouting assignment in the NBA or a player personnel position. All this tells potential NBA employers is that Thomas will never be satisfied with a low-level rehab post until he’s undercut everyone on the masthead and taken over the franchise. There are more qualified front-office executives who would offer far more trust and far less drama. Thomas is fading fast with Dolan, and the rest of the NBA is already done with him.

Now, Dolan and Walsh are cooperating fully with the league on an investigation that’s been taken out of the office of Stu Jackson, the NBA’s vice president of basketball operations and an old friend and Vancouver Grizzlies boss of Heard. Thomas hired Heard to the Knicks, and Walsh regretfully extended his contract. There are witnesses to corroborate Rush’s story of blowing out his knee as a Kansas sophomore in a Knicks workout, and witnesses to tell about the weeks that Wilson Chandler spent in private sessions with Heard prior to the Knicks drafting him in 2007.

The long arm of the NBA law is bearing down on Thomas, and the league’s most unemployable executive is digging himself deeper and deeper. Dolan had to pay $11.5 million for Thomas’ sexual harassment case, and it’s possible he’ll have to pay more in fines and draft picks for the alleged violations that started under Thomas’ regime. Here’s some advice for Isiah Thomas: Stop thinking about the jobs you’ll never get, and get to work on the one you’d better keep at Florida International.

Isiah Thomas on ESPN Radio talks Knicks Full Audio

Isiah Thomas on ESPN Radio Talks Knicks and More Full Audio by KnicksGM

Isiah Still Believes He Can Win With Knicks

via RealGM.com

"Desire or dream," replied Thomas. "I don't expect it. But knowing what I know about the game and the relationships that I have, I'm confident that if no crazy [stuff] happens, I think I can win in New York, and I think I was really close to winning in New York."

When Thomas was hired in 2003, Thomas claims he immediately targeted LeBron James as the eventual centerpiece of the Knicks. Thomas believes James, who was a rookie in 2003, would have eventually come to New York if the former team president didn't have his tenure derailed by a sexual harassment suit and a losing record.

"I have to believe that," Thomas said, "because that was my plan. So I stick to it."

Thomas acquired players like Eddy Curry and Jamal Crawford, who he thought would appeal to James.

"They were just all friendly, and they were all on the AAU circuit," Thomas said.

Thomas believes there would be a chance James and Dwyane Wade would have signed with the Knicks instead of the Heat had he been able to stay true to his original plan.

"I think if you take away that trial," Thomas said, "I'm still there, we make the playoffs a couple of times ... and I don't know if Miami has LeBron or Wade. We may have had LeBron and Wade."


Read more: HERE

Isiah wants second shot with Knicks

via ESPN.com

Asked if he hopes to replace Donnie Walsh whenever the 69-year-old Knicks president retires, Thomas said, "Every single day of the week.

"When I look at my GM/executive record, if I'm evaluated on that, then whoever's after Donnie, if you're not talking about some of the top people in the game, I'll put my draft evaluation record up against anyone's."

Read the article HERE

HEATHATERS :Isiah Thomas talks HEAT

Isiah Thomas talks HEAT by KnicksGM

David Stern likes Isiah?

via NYDailynews.com

Commissioner David Stern would not prevent the Knicks from rehiring Isiah Thomas as long as Thomas is not affiliated with the NCAA.

"Absolutely not," Stern said.

Speaking to four New York-based reporters in Paris before the Knicks' preseason loss to Minnesota on Wednesday, Stern admitted that he erred in August by giving Garden chairman James Dolan permission to hire Thomas as a consultant. Six days later, Thomas was forced to vacate the position because as the coach at Florida International University he was in violation of NBA bylaws.

"I think it's fair to say that I missed the issue," Stern added. "I told them they could do it. And when it was announced, I wasn't officially informed, but I knew and my guys said that's not allowed. Oh, I blew that one pretty good. And I called them up and told them."

Thomas' possible involvement in the future of the organization remains an ongoing issue for a franchise that has posted nine straight losing seasons.


Read more: HERE

Felton adjusting to the team

via NYPost.com

One reason the Knicks brass believes this will be a bigger, better season is the upgrade at point guard with the summer signing of free agent Raymond Felton.

But Felton took a step backwards yesterday in the Knicks' 106-100 loss to Minnesota. He committed five turnovers and scored just four points on 1-of-6 shooting -- a very Chris Duhon-like performance. Felton had three turnovers in the preseason opener in Milan.

"Raymond's just trying to go too fast, driving it too deep, too fast," coach Mike D'Antoni said.

The worst part is Timberwolves point guard Luke Ridnour, the Knicks' top choice in free agency, looked a lot crisper. Ridnour had 11 points, eight rebounds, two assists and just one turnover in 31 minutes. Ridnour would not accept the Knicks' two-year offer as team president Donnie Walsh wanted to keep cap flexibility in 2012 to possibly sign Chris Paul. Felton signed a two-year deal.

Felton said he is struggling with all the new faces.

"I have to let things happen itself," Felton said. "It's all about trying to get used to everyone else. That's what I'm doing. I'm getting accustomed to everybody going to a new team."


Read more: HERE

Isiah: LeBron should have signed with Knicks!

Marc Berman reports,

 

"I think -- and I honestly believe this -- it would've been interesting to see if he could have [won a title with the Knicks]," Thomas said outside Arthur Ashe Stadium. "The curiosity factor, the whole world would've been drawn to watch and see if he could do it. The whole LeBron Knick thing would've piqued everyone's curiosity.

Read more: HERE

 

 

I think we all pretty much felt the same...too bad the Queen excuse me King James wasnt ready for that spotlight...

New York Knicks pull the plug on Isiah Thomas interview with Michael Kay on ESPN Radio

My Knicks said hell no you aint going on the radio, he just might tell James Dolan's secrets...

check the article here