Donnie Bows Down to King Jimmy

Now we know: Donnie Walsh DOESN’T have full authority on Knicks’ basketball operations. Why else would Isiah Thomas - thankfully out as coach - STILL be with this team in a capacity with no title, reporting to NO ONE but Walsh? Donnie actually claimed that Isiah can help the team with input, and has done “a lot” for the organization. Who is he kidding? The team is 103-186 since Isiah joined the team in December of 2003. Most sexual misconduct lawsuits that result in an 11 million dollar payout by your employer usually means that person will lose his job. Not in this case.

You wonder what kind of spell first Glen Sather and Isiah cast on Dolan. The Rangers were in the tank till Gary Bettman cancelled a season and imposed a salary cap. THAT was the best thing to happen to the Blueshirts -it made Sather WORK as a GM rather than just buy high priced players.

But THIS: For Walsh to say that Isiah can do any number of things for him-it reeks of Dolan-for WHATEVER reason still loyal to Thomas (though I am sure the 18 million still due Thomas may have something to do with it). What REAL basketball man with REAL autonomy would want Isiah Thomas anywhere near his team? Walsh had no difficulty watching Thomas leave (although Larry Bird ‘officially’ takes the credit) the Pacers five seasons ago.

You hope that Thomas will have no real power, that the next coach won’t have to feel pressure looking over his shoulder. You hope Donnie Walsh is enough of his own man to ensure that. But for right now, it smells fishy. At some level -and it looks like you don’t have to go too far-Jimmy Dolan still gets to play with the toys Daddy Charles gave him -the Rangers, and especially the Knicks.

If you check out Newsday’s Knicks Blog, fans agree that Isiah must go, and never return.