During Isiah Thomas' five years as the Knicks' President of Basketball Operations, the Knicks piled up a 151-259 record despite owning the league's highest payroll, went through five head coaches, traded for over-the-hill stars and, oh yeah, had a sexual harassment lawsuit. But don't tell that to Isiah Thomas. He believes he did great, and he's got his eye back on the Knicks job once current team president Donnie Walsh retires.
Isiah Thomas Continues To Show That He Is From Mars
That was just one of the many hilarious things Thomas said in a two-hour interview with ESPN New York’s Ian O’Connor. There’s more below the jump, but here’s the best line.
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.”
Sure, go ahead Isiah. Put it up there. Because you will lose, and you will lose badly. Save yourself the embarrassment.
Because, see, you undermine your self-described NBA executive acumen when you say stuff like this.
LeBron James would have taken his talents to the white lights of Broadway, not the white sand of South Beach, if Isiah Thomas had anything to do with it.
"I have to believe that," Thomas said, "because that was my plan. So I stick to it."
Hired as president of the Knicks in December of 2003, Thomas said he targeted James as the centerpiece of a future title winner in New York "from the first day he got in the league, as soon as I got the job."
Thomas guessed James would ultimately sign an extension with Cleveland that would keep him with the Cavaliers through 2010, but went about acquiring players he thought would appeal to LeBron, anyway. Eddy Curry and Jamal Crawford, for instance.
Here’s the problem with your strategy, Isiah: to sign James, you need to create something called “cap room” to be able to afford him. You instead chose to add more salary to your team’s payroll for bad players. This actually takes you out of the LeBron James sweepstakes. In fact, Donnie Walsh spent the better part of two years completely deconstructing the roster because you didn’t understand this.
(Also, why would Eddy Curry and Jamal Crawford of all people appeal to LeBron. That's funny).
Some other highlights:
- Thomas still maintains his innocence with the Anucha Browne Sanders sexual harassment trial, saying he "wasn't her boss" and maintaining his innocence.
- Thomas on his personnel decisions: "But there were 24 All-Stars last year," he said, "and I left New York with two of them, David Lee and Zach Randolph. Jamal Crawford became a sixth man of the year." Correct, but two of those players were empowered by different teams, and two play the same position. But sure Isiah, pat yourself on the back for your fantasy team.
- Isiah on being fired: "That's a problem with being a visionary," Thomas said. "You're way too far out, and by the time it catches up, people will hack you to death." Real visionaries are snickering.
- Finally, in a line that I'm sure will be relayed many, many times in many, many places, here's what Isiah said on his career: "In Toronto, Indiana and New York," Thomas said, "I've never actually gotten fired for a basketball reason."
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