Yes, the Knicks are finally about to make a smart move. By my count it’s their second in the Dolan era. The first was something about upgrading the catering at the Garden.
Donnie Walsh, the current head poo-bah of the Indiana Pacers, is rumored to be New York bound. While Indiana has been in a steady state of decline since the Pacers decided to duke it out with the fans a few years back, Walsh’s overall record in Indiana over more than twenty years is more than solid.
While Walsh never got the Pacers that championship, he came close. They lost in the 2000 Finals to a Shaq/Kobe/Phil Laker squad, which isn’t exactly a dishonorable thing. On top of that they had the best record in the NBA in 2004, got to six conference finals and won four division titles on Walsh’s watch.
The guy know what he’s doing. He knows how to run a basketball team. So, this has to be a good thing for the Knicks, right?
Dolan being Dolan, you have to figure he’ll find a way to screw it up. My guess is that Isiah Thomas, who’s owed something like 21 million more dollars over the next three years, will get to stay on as coach.
Thomas got an extension for exactly what last year? I’m pretty sure I too could have guided the Knicks to a non-playoff season while embarrassing them and costing them tons of money in an employee harassment suit. Although, unlike Thomas, I’m so not sure I would have been able to commit so much money to losing ballplayers that I’d hamstring the Knicks financially for years.
Remind me again why Walsh wants to come to New York? I’m guessing it’s bucks, the new challenge and friction with Larry Legend in Indiana.
Let’s just hope it’s all that Walsh expects and that Dolan will let him do his job even if it means costing Isiah his.
