Isiah & Larry Safe for Now

Isiah & Larry Safe for Now

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MEMPHIS ? Isiah Thomas' job is safe for now. The same is true of Larry Brown. At least that is what Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan told the players during a team meeting before yesterday's practice.

According to a player, Dolan assured the Knicks that he is not making any dramatic changes to the club's hierarchy.

"No one is getting fired," Dolan told the team. "We're in this thing together."

Several other players, including Malik Rose and newly acquired Steve Francis, would only say that Dolan's brief address was mostly positive.

"Mr. Dolan just kind of cleared the air," Rose said. "He said he's not giving up on us."

Dolan and his group of executives joined the Knicks in San Antonio on Monday and watched the team be embarrassed by the defending NBA champs. Thomas, the Knicks president, canceled a European scouting trip to accompany Dolan for the final two games of the trip.

Garden president Steve Mills and Garden vice chairman Hank Ratner are also on the trip that ends following tonight's game against the Grizzlies. The Knicks (15-41) are off to the worst start in franchise history and have dropped 20 of their last 22 games.

The Knicks' record and Dolan's presence here have led to speculation that Thomas could be in jeopardy of losing his job. However, Dolan planned the trip weeks in advance, and people in the organization are convinced that Dolan still has faith in his embattled team president.

Of course, Dolan never gave advance warning that he was going to fire Scott Layden or Lenny Wilkens, two moves that came out of nowhere. The Knicks dismissed a television report that cited unnamed sources claiming that Thomas would be fired within 24 hours.

It doesn't seem logical that Dolan would have Thomas travel to San Antonio and then to Memphis if he was set to cut him loose.

Dolan met with Brown following Monday's loss before boarding a private jet with Thomas, Mills and Ratner and flying here.

"He didn't fly me back," joked Brown, who traveled with the team. "Why would he want to fly with us?"

Brown had scheduled a film session and practice yesterday afternoon at FedEx Forum, but beforehand, Thomas asked to address the team. According to a player, Thomas told the team to give Brown a chance to coach them. His remarks came one day after Brown hinted that he has lost several veterans.

"Isiah asked if he could talk to the team," Brown said. "We were about to leave and Mr. Dolan happened to come by and Isiah asked Mr. Dolan if he would say something to the team."

Brown refused to divulge what Dolan told the team, saying only that "there was no negative stuff or anything like that."

"I think what both of them said was really good," Brown added. "He's been real supportive. Isiah's been real supportive. I don't know how they can be watching us play."

Dolan was not made available to reporters and it is unclear if he will talk today. In recent years, Dolan has met with the team's traveling beat reporters once during the preseason and again during the season, usually during a road trip in March.

This year, it will be difficult for Dolan to put on a brave face. The Knicks' payroll is a league-high $125 million and they are about to miss out on the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons. The franchise hasn't won a playoff series since 2000.

When Dolan last addressed the state of the Knicks, he sounded encouraged about this season.

"The great thing about sports and one thing I really like about basketball is in the end, the truth comes out on the basketball floor," Dolan said in October. "We shall see. I'll be right there with you guys watching the truth on the floor."

So true.</div>

Source