Results tagged “donniewalsh”

When we previously noted on the Knicks burgeoning interest in signing free agent guard Allen Iverson, it seemed as though it was a long shot to happen. But new reports have come out in the last two days that are making us question everything.

For basketball fans in New York, the upcoming NBA season is really all about next year. July 1, 2010, to be precise; the exact moment when free agents like LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh hit the market. It’s a strange year because you won’t have much to root for and apart from a few core players; the Knicks and Nets will be willing to trade away players in exchange for cap space next summer. And don’t forget Knicks’ fans, former GM Isiah Thomas traded away the 2010 number one pick for Stephon Marbury, so the draft lottery isn’t a possibility.

Stephon Marbury is officially a persona non grata to the Knicks: A meeting to discuss his future with the team ended with, the Daily News reports, "storming out" and the Knicks asking the point guard to stay away!

All along it has been clear that Donnie Walsh is positioning the Knicks for a run at LeBron James after the 2010 season and Friday he made his boldest move towards that goal yet. The Knicks are sending Jamal Crawford to Golden State for Al Harrington. Crawford is the better player, but with a contract that runs through the 2011 season, his contract is a problem. Harrington is currently hurt and adds another forward to the mix, but his contract expires at the right time (after 2009-2010) for the Knicks to make a run at LeBron. And, the Knicks might not be done, as there are multiple reports that Zach Randolph could be headed out of town as well. Trading his two highest scorers on the same day would be a bold move for Donnie Walsh, but for Knicks’ fans who have waited years for a coherent plan to come out of MSG it is worth it. UPDATE: In addition to sending Crawford to Golden State, Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins are also heading to California. The two have been traded to the Clippers for shooting guard Cuttino Mobley and forward Tim Thomas, clearing even more salary for 2010. In other crazy Knicks news, they may have to dress Stephon Marbury tonight to have the 8 players required by league rules.

On Election Day, vote for the Knicks as the most naïve organization in sports. The Knicks met with Stephon Marbury on Monday and told him they are not going to play him or even dress him for games unless someone gets hurt. Amazingly, Knicks’ management seems to think this problem will now be resolved. Mike D’Antoni told the media, "Pretty soon that story is not going to be fun to read because it is going to be the same old story. You are going to be beating a dead horse.”

In the Knicks' 116-87 loss last night to the 76ers, Stephon Marbury once again found himself on the bench and not in action throughout the course of the game. But unlike the season opener, Marbury was prepped for his bench time by Coach Mike D'Antoni and supported the team while in street clothes. Now the question remains: what the heck do the Knicks do with him?

Boy were we wrong about fan reaction at the NBA Draft. Not only did the fans boo the Knicks selection of Danilo Gallinari, but they even started a “Fire Donnie” chant. Why the hate for Gallinari? Well, the fans wanted OJ Mayo and drafting a European player probably brings back memories of Frederic Weis. Perhaps the booing was just Knicks fans getting out their leftover animosity from this past season. Gallinari isn’t a bad pick however. He doesn’t play defense (so he fits right in) but he is extremely good with the ball and can score which makes him a perfect fit for Mike D’Antoni’s system. However, with the addition of Gallinari, the Knicks have a glut at the 3 and the 4 spots, so expect some sort of trade to happen soon, preferably the end of the Zach Randolph era.

Mike D’Antoni was introduced as the new Knicks coach at MSG today, simply stating he was excited to be here before answering questions from the press. D’Antoni defended his reputation as a coach who didn’t emphasize defense saying that his teams averaged 58 wins over the past four years which means “our team was the best defensive club on the floor 58 nights a year”. He went out of his way to praise Donnie Walsh a number of times and Walsh reciprocated saying, “He can adjust his style to the personnel. We will work together to build this team to be competitive as quickly as possible.”

According to reports, Mike D’Antoni has agreed to become the next coach of the Knicks. D’Antoni will receive a four-year/$24-million deal to move from Phoenix where he led the Suns to 50+ wins in every full season he coached.

Isiah Thomas may still be a part of the Knicks organization, but he's been barred from contacting any of the players. The Daily News says the no-contact policy was "part of his reassignment agreement with Knicks president Donnie Walsh."

It may have come a year too late, but Isiah Thomas is no longer President or coach of the New York Knicks. Donnie Walsh announced Friday afternoon that he had relieved Thomas of his coaching duties saying, "The bottom line is we haven't won and the team didn't look like it was motivated to try to win and compete. Those were the reasons. A new coach is necessary to change direction of the team."

His team tied the franchise record for most losses in a season. He assembled a mass of costly players that were long on extra pounds and short on ability to win games. He was found liable on six counts of sexual harassment. The day after Isiah Thomas' Knicks played the final game of the 2007-08 season -- a loss of course -- the coach and the rest of the world are still waiting to learn officially of his fate. The Daily News, however, says he's gone.

Of all the local fan bases, the Knicks' -- and not the pessimistic Mets' -- supporters have earned a reward. They got just that with free concessions during Monday's loss to Boston (what else is new?) on fan appreciation appreciation night in the season's final home game. Knicks marketing SVP Howie Jacobs explained, "We think it’s appropriate to thank our fans for a lot of loyalty they’ve shown us this year.”

• Rangers 4 Devils 1: Don’t let the score fool you, this was a close game for about 57 minutes. New York got on the board first thanks to Brendan Shanahan, but New Jersey answered with a power play goal from Paul Martin. The game remained tied until the 7:23 mark of the third period when the Devils made a bad turnover off the power play and Brandon Dubinsky hammered home a rebound off a shot for Scott Gomez. It was one of three assists for Gomez who had a great game in his playoff debut for New York.
Continue reading "Last Night's Action: The Rangers Take Round 1"

Are the Knicks under Isiah Thomas the worst team in the history of sports? According to New York Magazine, they just might be. Jeff Coplan’s piece offers the most complete and depressing summary of the Knicks during the Dolan era. From designating Knicks as “the Church of Lowered Expectations” under Dolan to describing the “rolls of flab” peeking through the Eddy Curry’s jersey, everyone--with the exception of Malik Rose and David Lee--is subject to withering criticism.

After eight days of negotiations, the Knicks and former Pacers president Donnie Walsh agreed to a deal that will make Walsh the team's president of basketball operations. That means the much-loathed Isiah Thomas, currently the Knicks' president and coach, will have a smaller role -- if any role -- with the organization, but the exact details of his situation remain to be seen.

It’s clear from things like the 18-minute shoot-around the other day that Isiah simply doesn’t care anymore. And while that isn’t necessarily a surprise and may not even cost him a job in the organization, it is disappointing to see from someone who competed the way Isiah did on the court.

Could it really be true? Is our long nightmare really over? It certainly seems that way as multiple reports state that Donnie Walsh has decided to become the Knicks' President, agreeing to a three-year deal worth around $15 million.