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Isiah Still Believes He Can Win With Knicks


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Isiah Thomas was asked if he would describe his desire to return to his former position with the Knicks as a dream, a desire or an expectation.

 

"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."

 

http://www.realgm.com/images/nba/4.2/wiretap/photos/2006/Thomas_Isiah_nyk_080409.jpg

 

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."

 

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/69934/20101105/isiah_still_believes_he_can_win_with_knicks/

 

It's true, he probably could be winning with this Knicks team, but it's not true that he would still be there if it hadn't been for the legal issues. No offense to Isiah, but after a few more seasons of losing, the fans would have gotten sick of him anyway, and they would have had to make a move. Maybe some people agree that they would have stuck with him, but I don't buy that. He should get some coaching looks from other teams at some point (maybe even the Pacers once O'Brien's deal runs out), but definitely won't ever be back with the Knicks.

 

Thoughts?

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He is the most atrocious thing I've seen happen to a sports team I root for in my entire life, I will quit watching basketball altogether if he's back with the Knicks... It's that bad.

Look...I do think he's pretty much an idiot, but you have to at least applaud his effort; he was trying to win with the situation he had, he really was...unfortunately, what the Knicks REALLY needed to do was what Walsh did, wait out these horrendous contracts and get cap space. Isiah was just trying to put a winning team on the floor right away for the fans, and you really can't sit here and blame him for that.

 

He obviously made mistakes, and I don't know why he doesn't just go away instead of continuing to open his mouth.

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Look...I do think he's pretty much an idiot, but you have to at least applaud his effort; he was trying to win with the situation he had, he really was...unfortunately, what the Knicks REALLY needed to do was what Walsh did, wait out these horrendous contracts and get cap space. Isiah was just trying to put a winning team on the floor right away for the fans, and you really can't sit here and blame him for that.

 

He saw the league moving away from big men, so he decided to build with big men. Noble theory, until you build around Eddy Curry and Z-Bo, the sloppiest players in the league since the days of Oliver Miller and Tractor Traylor. Incapable of running the floor and playing defense. Was he trying to win? Sure. But effort doesn't mean he's capable of running a team in any capacity. We had a more successful club with Howard Eisley running the point and Shandon Anderson as the 6th man.

 

Look at what he gave for Marbury. Look at what he gave for Curry. Look at where it got us. He is not capable of doing anything other than drafting, and I blame him for absolutely every last thing that happened during his tenure. He is incompetent.

 

http://i53.tinypic.com/2qdsyrq.gif

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I never said they should bring him back...all I said was he tried to make moves that, during his tenure, would put a winning and exciting team on the floor, even if he knew it wasn't going to ever be championship caliber. That is all.

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I remember when I saw this summer for the first time that Dolan wanted Thomas to get back... And I still ain't over it to be honest. I still respect Thomas for his unbelievable NBA career but I certainly don't want to see him back anywhere near the Knicks any longer.

 

Getting rid of Dolan is what we gotta do (we sadly can..). I mean what the hell is that guy thinking ? Walsh did a fine job fixing Thomas' mistakes, it took enough time to do so, and he wants him back ? That really pissed me off.... I still respect Thomas as I said and I hope for him that he will succeed with another franchise but I don't want to see him in New York any more and I seriously hope that Dolan will change his mind.

 

There is no Knicks fan that wants him any more and I'm really, REALLY puzzled that him and Dolan doesn't even understand that... It's just totally ridiculous.

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In Isiah's defense, Curry looked good at the time. If Curry ever did go on a miracle diet, he could be the most dominant big man in the NBA, he just didn't have the work ethic. I feel bad for Isiah, always have. He was a good drafter and a decent coach, just got raped by his bad deals. I still think he could be a good coach, just don't let him be your GM too lol.

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