This is so, so New York Knicks.
As the league’s East Coast glamour team embarks on perhaps the most important offseason in franchise history, upper-management turmoil again threatens to compromise its prospects. In wake of Isiah Thomas being appointed president of the WNBA’s New York Liberty comes a report that the Knicks’ Phil Jackson is displeased with that development. Even worse? The belief that Thomas has regained decision-making clout with MSG’s flagship organization.
Via Frank Isola of the New York Daily News:
Jackson, according to a team source, has expressed concern over Thomas’ presence at the Garden, further fueling speculation over Jackson’s future with the Knicks and whether Thomas could be in line to eventually replace Jackson as Knicks president.
“He’s not happy about it but what can he do about it,” said one Garden official, who requested anonymity. “This is just the start of it.”
[…]
Thomas has insisted that he will not have a role with the Knicks, yet league executives, who have a history with the Hall of Fame point guard, are convinced that Thomas accepted the job with the Liberty as an entry level position to eventually return to the Knicks.
Thomas’ original stint with New York began in 2003 when he assumed the position Jackson now holds. His disastrous tenure with the Knicks only worsened when owner James Dolan named him coach for the 2006-2007 season. Thomas was fired when Donnie Walsh, now of the Indiana Pacers, took over as general manager following the 2007-2008, during which the Detroit Pistons Hall-of-Famer led New York to a 23-59 record.
Jackson accepted a job with the Knicks to much fanfare before the 2014-2015 season. Though his hiring of Derek Fisher as coach remains a huge question mark and he’s also made a few other miscellaneous gaffes, the jury is still very much out on the Zen Master’s ability as a franchise’s top decision-maker.
We stand to learn much more about it this summer and next, when New York has hordes of cap space to chase starry free agents and a draft pick among the top-three selections. Jackson’s task to build the Knicks back to respectability is huge nonetheless, though, and will be made even more difficult by tension related to Thomas’ sudden addition.
For the sake of New York’s immediate and long-term prospects, here’s hoping the assumption of rival executives that Thomas will officially return to the Knicks proves wrong. Given Jackson’s displeasure with Zeke’s loose affiliation with New York, however, it certainly seems possible that alone will be problematic.