ducks
11-01-2005, 08:57 AM
New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com
Crowded at the top
By FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Tuesday, November 1st, 2005
Isiah Thomas goes through players, coaches and executives the way Larry Brown changes jobs. And that's the past two years we're talking about.
Perhaps it was inevitable that two Hall of Famers, who never met a roster they didn't want to makeover, would end up working together. Just like Hollywood has TomKat, the World's Most Famous Arena has ThomBrown, a celebrity marriage of two NBA A-listers from different generations.
"We're just two guys rolling up their sleeves, trying to win," Thomas said. "We're good partners. People say we can't work together? Well, you haven't heard that from anybody who knows me or him."
Not since Latrell Sprewell arrived in 1999 have the Knicks generated so much buzz heading into opening night. Tomorrow in Boston, the Knicks' roster will feature eight new players, including Eddy Curry and three first-round draft picks. The longest tenured Knicks - Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway - have worn blue, orange and white for just 22 months.
In the top-heavy Eastern Conference, the Knicks should have enough talent to compete for one of the final three playoff spots. And with Brown constantly badgering his team about defense, rebounding and playing unselfishly, the Knicks will at least resemble a competent unit for the first time since the days of Jeff Van Gundy.
But the most compelling drama could take place behind the scenes where Thomas and Brown, acquaintances for more than 25 years, will be working together to try to bring New York its first NBA championship since 1973.
This could be the modern day version of Pat Riley and Dave Checketts, a coach and front office duo that re-vitalized the organization in the earlyn '90s. Or this could be Rick Pitino and Al Bianchi all over again, a relationship that ended with Pitino leaving to coach Kentucky.
"I'm in an environment that I think is as good as any I've ever come from," Brown said. "(Isiah's) goal is exactly like mine. He wants to win. He wants players that want to get better and want to do the right thing."
Brown and Thomas seemed to genuinely like and respect one another and believe they will share a strong working relationship. But that relationship will be tested during the first four-game losing streak or when Brown wants player X,Y or Marbury traded.
Brown's idea of working with his general manager is one of an equal partnership. With the Indiana Pacers, Brown was constantly discussing personnel decisions with his long-time friend, GM Donnie Walsh. In Philadelphia, Brown worked well with Billy King, the man Brown hired to run the Sixers.
Two years ago, Brown inherited a good Detroit Pistons team that was made great when GM Joe Dumars traded for Rasheed Wallace. The Pistons won one title and reached the NBA Finals last season. But Brown and Dumars disagreed over Brown's use of Darko Milicic and Dumars grew weary of Brown openly flirting with the Cavs and talking about the Knicks while under contract with the Pistons. Reclusive Pistons owner Bill Davidson would later say that Brown was a good person.
For two seasons in New York, Thomas has operated with complete autonomy. It was his way or the West Side Highway. No less than 38 players have been shuffled in and out since Thomas arrived. And lest anyone forget who is running the Knicks, Thomas made it a point to stand 10 feet away from the floor at center court.
"By the way," Thomas says, "a lot has been made of me standing in the tunnel. But have you noticed that since I did it a lot of other GMs stand in the tunnel."
Even if Thomas isn't about to trade autonomy for anonymity, there are examples of him making concessions for Brown. Consider that Lenny Wilkens was a lot like Brown: Brooklyn-born, in his mid-60s, a Hall of Fame career with one NBA title on his resume. Heck, Wilkens also coached the USA to an Olympic gold medal in 1996.
And yet Wilkens was only allowed to hire one assistant, Dick Helm, and Thomas fired him the day after the Knicks were blown out in last year's home opener.
Brown hired three of his assistants from Detroit - Dave Hanners, Phil Ford and Brendan O'Connor - and unless the Knicks lose by 100 points tomorrow none of the three is in any danger of being terminated.
Last year's disappointing 33-49 record seems to have forced Thomas to re-evaluate his plan and seek outside counsel. Although Thomas was a remarkable success as a player - how many six-foot guards become franchise players? - he has yet to get out of the first round as a head coach or executive.
Hiring Brown, who has a reputation for getting teams to overachieve, is Thomas' shrewdest move to date. It demonstrates that he is willing to sacrifice being the face of the organization for the sake of bringing in a coach who gives the Knicks instant credibility.
"I said at the end of last year, I'd never been associated with a team that was called a bad defensive team or a team that was called soft," Thomas said. "I've played on some of the greatest defensive teams ever, in college and in the pros, and last year was my first time experiencing that."
Brown clearly wants to make some alterations to the roster Thomas has presented him. The head coach has dropped subtle hints that the team doesn't have a true point guard. Brown also wants to add a small forward.
Brown is Thomas' fourth head coach in New York but unlike Don Chaney, Wilkens and Herb Williams, Brown is the first to talk publicly about his concerns over personnel.
"I go in every single day talking to the GM about ways I think we can improve and I don't think there's a coach in the league that doesn't do that," Brown says. "But I'm realistic. It doesn't always happen as easily as you might hope. So your job is to hopefully make the players better and I think if you ask anybody that I've ever coached, they'll tell you I've tried to help them improve."
Since the start of training camp, reports have surfaced about the Knicks pursuing George Lynch, Theo Ratliff, Eric Snow and Kevin Ollie. All played for Brown in Philadelphia and all were referred to as "Larry Brown type of players." Whether that bothers Thomas is unclear. But 10 days into camp, Thomas signed one of his own players, Jamison Brewer, who was later released.
There is no telling how Thomas will react if his three prized first-round picks - Channing Frye, Nate Robinson and David Lee - are buried on the bench. What happens if Brown wants Marbury and Jamal Crawford traded? How does Thomas like the Knicks being called Brown's team?
Thomas dismisses the idea that he will be competing with Brown for the spotlight. He points to the fact that he was willing to hire Brown in the first place, part of his sincere "commitment to winning."
"I want to have the best people and the smartest people working here," Thomas adds. "I don't have a problem doing that. I only have a problem working with people who don't want to win.
"This is what I know about winning, I mean really winning. There is more than enough credit to go around. And if we do win the guy I'll be most happy for is Jim Dolan. He's the best owner in the NBA. Instead of putting $20 million in his pocket he spends it on players."
Dolan also handed Brown $50 million. And with money comes power. Thomas understands that better than anyone.
"We both come from great coaches who taught the game in a certain way so we both want to see our teams play a certain way and have the type of people who can play that way," he said. "And if we disagree, I think that's healthy."
Crowded at the top
By FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Tuesday, November 1st, 2005
Isiah Thomas goes through players, coaches and executives the way Larry Brown changes jobs. And that's the past two years we're talking about.
Perhaps it was inevitable that two Hall of Famers, who never met a roster they didn't want to makeover, would end up working together. Just like Hollywood has TomKat, the World's Most Famous Arena has ThomBrown, a celebrity marriage of two NBA A-listers from different generations.
"We're just two guys rolling up their sleeves, trying to win," Thomas said. "We're good partners. People say we can't work together? Well, you haven't heard that from anybody who knows me or him."
Not since Latrell Sprewell arrived in 1999 have the Knicks generated so much buzz heading into opening night. Tomorrow in Boston, the Knicks' roster will feature eight new players, including Eddy Curry and three first-round draft picks. The longest tenured Knicks - Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway - have worn blue, orange and white for just 22 months.
In the top-heavy Eastern Conference, the Knicks should have enough talent to compete for one of the final three playoff spots. And with Brown constantly badgering his team about defense, rebounding and playing unselfishly, the Knicks will at least resemble a competent unit for the first time since the days of Jeff Van Gundy.
But the most compelling drama could take place behind the scenes where Thomas and Brown, acquaintances for more than 25 years, will be working together to try to bring New York its first NBA championship since 1973.
This could be the modern day version of Pat Riley and Dave Checketts, a coach and front office duo that re-vitalized the organization in the earlyn '90s. Or this could be Rick Pitino and Al Bianchi all over again, a relationship that ended with Pitino leaving to coach Kentucky.
"I'm in an environment that I think is as good as any I've ever come from," Brown said. "(Isiah's) goal is exactly like mine. He wants to win. He wants players that want to get better and want to do the right thing."
Brown and Thomas seemed to genuinely like and respect one another and believe they will share a strong working relationship. But that relationship will be tested during the first four-game losing streak or when Brown wants player X,Y or Marbury traded.
Brown's idea of working with his general manager is one of an equal partnership. With the Indiana Pacers, Brown was constantly discussing personnel decisions with his long-time friend, GM Donnie Walsh. In Philadelphia, Brown worked well with Billy King, the man Brown hired to run the Sixers.
Two years ago, Brown inherited a good Detroit Pistons team that was made great when GM Joe Dumars traded for Rasheed Wallace. The Pistons won one title and reached the NBA Finals last season. But Brown and Dumars disagreed over Brown's use of Darko Milicic and Dumars grew weary of Brown openly flirting with the Cavs and talking about the Knicks while under contract with the Pistons. Reclusive Pistons owner Bill Davidson would later say that Brown was a good person.
For two seasons in New York, Thomas has operated with complete autonomy. It was his way or the West Side Highway. No less than 38 players have been shuffled in and out since Thomas arrived. And lest anyone forget who is running the Knicks, Thomas made it a point to stand 10 feet away from the floor at center court.
"By the way," Thomas says, "a lot has been made of me standing in the tunnel. But have you noticed that since I did it a lot of other GMs stand in the tunnel."
Even if Thomas isn't about to trade autonomy for anonymity, there are examples of him making concessions for Brown. Consider that Lenny Wilkens was a lot like Brown: Brooklyn-born, in his mid-60s, a Hall of Fame career with one NBA title on his resume. Heck, Wilkens also coached the USA to an Olympic gold medal in 1996.
And yet Wilkens was only allowed to hire one assistant, Dick Helm, and Thomas fired him the day after the Knicks were blown out in last year's home opener.
Brown hired three of his assistants from Detroit - Dave Hanners, Phil Ford and Brendan O'Connor - and unless the Knicks lose by 100 points tomorrow none of the three is in any danger of being terminated.
Last year's disappointing 33-49 record seems to have forced Thomas to re-evaluate his plan and seek outside counsel. Although Thomas was a remarkable success as a player - how many six-foot guards become franchise players? - he has yet to get out of the first round as a head coach or executive.
Hiring Brown, who has a reputation for getting teams to overachieve, is Thomas' shrewdest move to date. It demonstrates that he is willing to sacrifice being the face of the organization for the sake of bringing in a coach who gives the Knicks instant credibility.
"I said at the end of last year, I'd never been associated with a team that was called a bad defensive team or a team that was called soft," Thomas said. "I've played on some of the greatest defensive teams ever, in college and in the pros, and last year was my first time experiencing that."
Brown clearly wants to make some alterations to the roster Thomas has presented him. The head coach has dropped subtle hints that the team doesn't have a true point guard. Brown also wants to add a small forward.
Brown is Thomas' fourth head coach in New York but unlike Don Chaney, Wilkens and Herb Williams, Brown is the first to talk publicly about his concerns over personnel.
"I go in every single day talking to the GM about ways I think we can improve and I don't think there's a coach in the league that doesn't do that," Brown says. "But I'm realistic. It doesn't always happen as easily as you might hope. So your job is to hopefully make the players better and I think if you ask anybody that I've ever coached, they'll tell you I've tried to help them improve."
Since the start of training camp, reports have surfaced about the Knicks pursuing George Lynch, Theo Ratliff, Eric Snow and Kevin Ollie. All played for Brown in Philadelphia and all were referred to as "Larry Brown type of players." Whether that bothers Thomas is unclear. But 10 days into camp, Thomas signed one of his own players, Jamison Brewer, who was later released.
There is no telling how Thomas will react if his three prized first-round picks - Channing Frye, Nate Robinson and David Lee - are buried on the bench. What happens if Brown wants Marbury and Jamal Crawford traded? How does Thomas like the Knicks being called Brown's team?
Thomas dismisses the idea that he will be competing with Brown for the spotlight. He points to the fact that he was willing to hire Brown in the first place, part of his sincere "commitment to winning."
"I want to have the best people and the smartest people working here," Thomas adds. "I don't have a problem doing that. I only have a problem working with people who don't want to win.
"This is what I know about winning, I mean really winning. There is more than enough credit to go around. And if we do win the guy I'll be most happy for is Jim Dolan. He's the best owner in the NBA. Instead of putting $20 million in his pocket he spends it on players."
Dolan also handed Brown $50 million. And with money comes power. Thomas understands that better than anyone.
"We both come from great coaches who taught the game in a certain way so we both want to see our teams play a certain way and have the type of people who can play that way," he said. "And if we disagree, I think that's healthy."