Isiah to sign multi-year extension

[Premium]

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Isiah Thomas has apparently produced enough to improve the Knicks in order for him to be back next season.

James Dolan will meet with beat reporters on Monday who cover the team, but Madison Square Garden officials would not say what Dolan plans to discuss.

The Garden chairman is expected to announce he has given Thomas a multi-year extension as president and coach</div>

Link

 

[LBJ2006MVP]

<div class="quote_poster">Premium Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Link

</div>

Huh again? 1 win and he gets an extention wtf is this?

 

[dallasdude]

I think Isiah deserved it. He has made Eddy Curry into an All Star caliber player and brought the Knicks back into the playoff hunt.

 

[Ewings2ndcousin]

<div class="quote_poster">LBJ2006MVP Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Huh again? 1 win and he gets an extention wtf is this?</div>

What do you mean 1 win? Under Zeke they are 8 games better than last year with 19 more games to go. Clearly that is better than last year dismal season. Like it or not he got these guys talkin seriously about the playoffs which is a huge step. IMHO

 

[Bobcats]

As a coach, he's done an ok job. He's gotten the most out of Eddy Curry, which no other coach has done before.

 

[PHENOMENON]

I hate Isiah Thomas. Pay him his money and let him go.

 

[Mr. J]

What's wrong with Isiah?

People give Isiah a hard time for the Knicks' salary, which was already bad before he came. Now that the Knicks are losing almost $60-million off the books int his season and they are in a great position to make the playoffs and do decently, why should he get axed?

I would have waited until the end of the season though. I just hope we continue this good basketball we're playing. If we totally collapse and end up with 33 wins or something, then Isiah can get axed!

 

[Chutney]

Man this made my day. You can always count on Dolan to screw up a situation so badly, that it's funny.

 

[Schaddy]

^

Look, Isiah's doing a reasonably solid job as the coach this season. For that, he deserves just a little respect.

But to give him a new deal, it's like Dolan is saying 'ok, I'll forget about the fact that you've sabotaged this franchise for the next decade as the worst GM in sports, all because we're no longer an all-out laughingstock, I mean, look - we're only five games below average!' On some level, it's still rewarding extreme mediocrity.

 

[Mr. J]

I wouldn't have done a multi-year contract, but with all things considered, I think he deserves an additional year.

 

[tradebark]

hahahahahahahahhahahahahhaha

 

[Chutney]

I personally think he should be fired and crucified by Knicks fans, but I suppose I can understand giving him another season just because the team has been so unstable the past few years.

But, the timing of this signing is just terrible. The team's making a critical run for the playoffs and now he risks making the players a bit complacent. And the multiple years is just idiotic. It's like Isiah's been kicking Dolan in the balls for the past decade and he's suddenly worthy of long-term security, because he's only kicking him in the shin this season.

 

[Sir Desmond]

<div class="quote_poster">MrJ Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">
People give Isiah a hard time for the Knicks' salary, which was already bad before he came.</div>

And was hardly helped by his precessor adding Jerome James, Steve Francis, Stephon Marbury, Jalen Rose, Jared Jeffries, Jamal Crawford, Malik Rose, Tim Thomas, Quentin Richardson, all of whom were/are paid more than they're worth... Oh hang on.

It may have been bad before he came (enormous cop out), but he's prolonged it incredibly, and you're still not in a position to compete in the forseeable future.

 

[Mr. J]

<div class="quote_poster">Sir Desmond Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">And was hardly helped by his precessor adding Jerome James, Steve Francis, Stephon Marbury, Jalen Rose, Jared Jeffries, Jamal Crawford, Malik Rose, Tim Thomas, Quentin Richardson, all of whom were/are paid more than they're worth... Oh hang on.

It may have been bad before he came (enormous cop out), but he's prolonged it incredibly, and you're still not in a position to compete in the forseeable future.</div>
Tim Thomas was traded for Keith Van Horn who had virtually identical salaries. Jalen Rose wasn't a bad move since he expires a year later and the Knicks got a first round draft pick: Renaldo Balkman who was worth it. Malik Rose got the Knicks two first rounders: David Lee and Mardy Collins. Kurt Thomas is old, injury prone and the Knicks got two young players: Nate Robinson and Q-Rich who give the Knicks more production.

The bad moves: Steve Francis, Jerome James, Jared Jeffries. Steve Francis was a Larry Brown move, which he, Isiah, and Dolan both admitted. Jerome James and Jeffries were just terrible signings. No excuse there.

Basically, Isiah has overpaid for many players, but in return he sacrificed the salary cap for some sort of future, which the Knicks didn't have with Layden. Despite the Knicks' high salary - which is coming off the books in the next few years - they have a solid young core: Curry, Lee, Frye, and Robinson.

I think the prolonged salary was worth it for a solid young core.

 

[Sir Desmond]

You don't have a young core capable of contending though, you still have a backcourt full of overpaid shoot-first players. A few young roleplayers isn't worth the amount of cap hell the franchise has gone through under Isiah, and realistically that's all they are.

Who is your young marquee stud, someone capable of being a franchise guy? Is it really Eddy Curry?

 

[Mr. J]

<div class="quote_poster">Sir Desmond Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">You don't have a young core capable of contending though, you still have a backcourt full of overpaid shoot-first players. A few young roleplayers isn't worth the amount of cap hell the franchise has gone through under Isiah, and realistically that's all they are.</div>
I think our young core is good enough to take us far. We have a center who scores 20 PPG on a nightly basis, which is a commodity in this league; a second year player who is already one of the league's best rebounders, and two accompanying players who compliment them well. That's taking us farther than Eisley, Weatherspoon, Harrington, Anderson, and the other washed up, immovable players. At least Isiah, despite jacking up the payroll (which is coming down nicely) has given us a solid young core. As far as "contending" I'm not sure, but I do know we have at least a decent future with an all-star caliber center and solid, young role players. We can be a consistent playoff team, which again, is better than the direction Layden's team was headed in.

I'd also like to mention David Lee (coming off the bench) is the second most efficient sophomore only behind Chris Paul by 00.33. That's one hell of a role player, IMO.

I think the "selfish backcourt" argument is overrated. Marbury and Francis have never played second fiddle in their careers and they have been more than willing to sacrifice their shot attempts for Eddy Curry. Besides, both Marbury and Francis expire in 2 years. Anyway, the Knicks weren't going to have sufficient cap room until Houston's $100 million contract expired, which is at the end of this season. So essentially, they sacrificed 2 more years (until Marbury and Francis expire) to get younger and more talented.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Who is your young marquee stud, someone capable of being a franchise guy? Is it really Eddy Curry?</div>
Efficient post scorers are a commodity in this league. Other than the declining Shaq and Yao Ming, which center do you know that requires consistent double-teaming?

 

[Sir Desmond]

Will you contend anytime soon with Eddy Curry as your go-to guy?

 

[PHENOMENON]

The Knicks are have the 8th spot, and with 20 odd games left for most teams I doubt that these guys can keep that spot.

I guess I jumped the gun on Isiah, but he's not one of my favorites.

 

[44Thrilla]

<div class="quote_poster">MrJ Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">

Efficient post scorers are a commodity in this league. Other than the declining Shaq and Yao Ming, which center do you know that requires consistent double-teaming?</div>
Why just centers? What's the difference between double teaming a power forward or a center? Seems like you're trying to narrow down the answer to make Curry look better, when you know there's no difference between double teaming a center or a power forward.

 

[Mr. J]

<div class="quote_poster">Sir Desmond Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Will you contend anytime soon with Eddy Curry as your go-to guy?</div>
It's too hard to tell. It depends how everyone around him performs, etc.

But the point is with Eddy Curry and co. we are going farther than we were with an injured Allan Houston and co.

<div class="quote_poster">44Thrilla Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Why just centers? What's the difference between double teaming a power forward or a center? Seems like you're trying to narrow down the answer to make Curry look better, when you know there's no difference between double teaming a center or a power forward.</div>
You're right. But it still doesn't matter. Curry is one of the best big men at drawing consistent double teams, which is more than what many teams can say.

<div class="quote_poster">PHENOMENON Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">The Knicks are have the 8th spot, and with 20 odd games left for most teams I doubt that these guys can keep that spot.

I guess I jumped the gun on Isiah, but he's not one of my favorites.</div>
I wouldn't have given him the extension so early because of the very reason you said. I just don't want the Knicks or Isiah to feel "comfortable" with their temporary playoff position.

 

[Sir Desmond]

<div class="quote_poster">MrJ Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">
But the point is with Eddy Curry and co. we are going farther than we were with an injured Allan Houston and co.</div>

And my point is you're not going far enough to justify Isiah's spending as a GM. Not even close.

 

[Mr. J]

<div class="quote_poster">Sir Desmond Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">And my point is you're not going far enough to justify Isiah's spending as a GM. Not even close.</div>
When Isiah got here, the Knicks had old, overpaid players and a salary cap over $100 million. So all of Isiah's spending was to acquire young players which we desperately needed. If Isiah stood pat we would have been in the same predicament one way or another. Talentless with free cap space or talented with no cap space. I don't think the payroll is that big of deal. It's going down by 50 million this summer and another 40 million in two years.

His only terrible moves were his free agent signings.

 

[phunDamentalz]

<div class="quote_poster">MrJ Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">
His only terrible moves were his free agent signings.</div>
It's true, his drafts have been solid. He's earned an extension because the team plays like a team. And all the Nate haters should realize that the confidence/swagger he has is something few players have and once he gets more accustomed to the game and humbled a bit, that will be a huge asset. Any time you have a guy who's 5'9" play like he's 6'5" that is a good thing. He's going to be a factor in this league like it or not.

 

[AMS_ICE]

<div class="quote_poster">phunDamentalz Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">It's true, his drafts have been solid. He's earned an extension because the team plays like a team. And all the Nate haters should realize that the confidence/swagger he has is something few players have and once he gets more accustomed to the game and humbled a bit, that will be a huge asset. Any time you have a guy who's 5'9" play like he's 6'5" that is a good thing. He's going to be a factor in this league like it or not.</div>

Nate will only get worse in time, attitude wise. The guy is a thug. He will want to be the number 1 guy for the Knicks. Believe this. Put him on any team that doesn't involve Isiah, he would spend a lot of time on the bench or not make the team at all. The guy is a circus act.

 

[NewYorkBalla33]

Steve Francis is alright. he's gotten the knicks out of some tight spots.