Isiah Thomas Not Getting Knicks Job, Knicks Fans Rejoice

So much for Isiah Thomas returning to the Knicks as a part-time consultant. The Knicks will have to look elsewhere since hiring a college coach to any capacity with an NBA team is against league rules:

After nearly three days of reviewing league policies that apply to the consulting arrangement Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan tried to arrange with Thomas, the Knicks and NBA officials reached the only conclusion possible: Thomas’ job as basketball coach at Florida International clearly disqualifies him from working in any capacity for an NBA team. League rules strictly prohibit any coach, scout, executive, consultant or anyone else remotely employed in basketball operations with an NBA team from having any contact with draft-ineligible players. Such contact, obviously, is a key part of a college basketball coach’s job.

To the lay person it would seem fairly obvious that a college coach working with an NBA team was against league rules on at least one of the sides, but in great Knick fashion it took James Dolan three days to figure out that it was against NBA rules.

So, Isiah Thomas is not going to be hired as a Knick consultant, but James Dolan must really like Thomas:

Here’s all you need to know about Isiah’s dealings with the Knicks. James Dolan said tonight: “I will continue to solicit his views.”

So Isiah Thomas will not be paid but will still essentially be doing the same job? That seems on the up and up.