Walsh To Run Knicks, Isiah Likely Won't Be Back

[duncan228]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...cks/index.html

Walsh to run Knicks' front office
Source: Thomas likely out as president and coach
By Ian Thomsen, SI.com

Indiana Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh has reached an agreement to run the New York Knicks next season, a league source confirmed.

Final terms have not been reached, but an agreement in the broadest terms has been struck and Walsh will take control of the Knicks after this season, according to the source.

It appears current president and coach Isiah Thomas will not be back, though he is expected to receive a healthy severance, the source said. Thomas is reportedly making $7 million annually on a contract that runs for three more years, according to another league source.

Many potential aides to Walsh have been rumored, but one candidate to watch is Mark Warkentien, the de facto general manager of the Nuggets in his role as vice president of basketball operations. Warkentien and Walsh have built a longstanding professional friendship and they share the same agent in Steve Kauffman. Also, Warkentien could help revive the career of troubled Knicks forward Zach Randolph, who was drafted by Warkentien for Portland, where he had his best years.

Most important is Warkentien's approach to team-building. As opposed to other GMs who prefer to build over a long period of time via the draft, he is known as an executive who believes in making moves to improve teams quickly. His input would be valuable to Walsh in New York, where expectations are always inflated and the honeymoon promises to be short.

On Tuesday, the Pacers denied that Walsh had agreed to join the Knicks. "Donnie said this morning there's nothing clear about his future," team spokesman David Benner said. "When there is he'll make a statement. He hasn't agreed to anything with anybody."

Walsh announced Monday that he would step aside as CEO and president of the Pacers at the end of this season, his 24th with the organization, giving operation of the franchise a single voice under Hall of Famer Larry Bird. He declined to comment on his future.

The 67-year-old Walsh joined the Pacers as an assistant coach in 1984, became general manager in 1986 and president two years later. He hired Larry Bird as coach in 1997, and after Bird moved into the front office three years later, Walsh groomed him as his eventual successor.

As president of basketball operations, Bird has shared many of the day-to-day operations with Walsh in recent years, a division of authority that has often led to confusion in dealing with other teams, Walsh said.

"My real reason [for leaving] is, I think I've been here too long," he said. "It's not healthy for the franchise.

"I started thinking that the last two or three years. But you also want to see things get better."

[Indazone]

Man has he got his work cut out for him. How to fix the Knicks with all those bloated contracts that Isaih picked up. Who to trade and who to keep. If I were Walsh, I'd say every single player on that squad is trade bait. I'd keep the younger ones like Blackmon with potential but I'd start over. I mean get rid of Curry, get rid of Marbury, get rid of Z. Randolph, get rid of all of them. Raid the Hawks, the Grizzlies, the T-Wolves for talent.

Tank one or two more seasons to get the number one draft choice. I mean the entire Knicks organization is a complete mess.

[BacktoBasics]

Marbury is gone anyway. Thank god Zeke is out. What a waste of time and resources he was.

[PacerFan]

This comes as no surprise. Yes, I know Donnie hired Zeke way back when in Indiana, but Walsh is no dummy and he sees what has went on in NY. If there is one guy in the league that knows how bad cancers can be on teams it is Walsh with the Pacers these past few years.

[Tippecanoe]

about three years too late

[1Parker1]

Problem is, who's going to want any of those players with their big contracts and egos they've clearly displayed these past few seasons? I can't think of many teams...

[JMarkJohns]

Man has he got his work cut out for him. How to fix the Knicks with all those bloated contracts that Isaih picked up. Who to trade and who to keep. If I were Walsh, I'd say every single player on that squad is trade bait. I'd keep the younger ones like Blackmon with potential but I'd start over. I mean get rid of Curry, get rid of Marbury, get rid of Z. Randolph, get rid of all of them. Raid the Hawks, the Grizzlies, the T-Wolves for talent.

Tank one or two more seasons to get the number one draft choice. I mean the entire Knicks organization is a complete mess.

The only player of significance that the Knicks have is David Lee. Balkman is a solid rotation player, but totally replaceable. Robinson is a ball-hoggish showoff who won't lead a winning team from the point position and won't be anything more than a novalty player at SG. I haven't seen enough of Chandler, so I can't say. Collins and Morris aren't much either.

[Indazone]

Those bloated contracts are gonna be tough to get rid of. I don't know how Walsh is going to get it done.

[ElNono]

Man has he got his work cut out for him. How to fix the Knicks with all those bloated contracts that Isaih picked up. Who to trade and who to keep. If I were Walsh, I'd say every single player on that squad is trade bait. I'd keep the younger ones like Blackmon with potential but I'd start over. I mean get rid of Curry, get rid of Marbury, get rid of Z. Randolph, get rid of all of them. Raid the Hawks, the Grizzlies, the T-Wolves for talent.

Tank one or two more seasons to get the number one draft choice. I mean the entire Knicks organization is a complete mess.

Actually, it's hard not to look smart in NY no matter what you do. I mean, youo cannot possibly do worse than Isiah.

[Indazone]

Only teams wiling to pick up Marbury would be a team with a terrible losing record. Maybe say, the Heat or T-Wolves. Maybe even the Bucks