http://sportstwo.com/NBA/Story/NBA/1893513 Report: West interested in Knicks job Friday, March 21, 2008 11:53 AM MELVILLE, New York (Ticker) -- Jerry West reportedly is interested in cleaning up Isiah Thomas' mess. West would be interested in replacing Thomas as the front-office leader of the New York Knicks, according to a report published Friday by Newsday. Citing three sources "with ties to West," the newspaper claimed that the former Los Angeles Lakers executive would accept a job offer from the lowly Knicks. "He would definitely take the job," one source, evidently a former league executive, told Newsday. The architect of the seven championship squads with the Lakers, West spent the past five seasons running the Memphis Grizzlies before leaving his post as the team's director of basketball operations last summer. One anonymous source told Newsday that West, 69, wants to run another franchise. "It wouldn't surprise me," the source told the newspaper. "He's such an A-type personality. It's hard for him to sit on the sidelines and not be involved." West did not indicate any interest in running the Knicks but also did not rule out the possibility of returning to the front office. "I have not had any contact from anyone about any job, period," West told Newsday. "I have not been approached. I do not know what my response would be to any job opportunity, but I'm not out actively campaigning for anything." West also claimed that he never told anyone he was interested in running the Knicks. A 14-time All-Star guard with Los Angeles from 1960-74, West joined the Lakers' front office as a special consultant in 1979 and was promoted to general manager three years later. During his 19-year stint as general manager (1982-94) and executive vice president (1995-2000), the Lakers captured four titles and made eight trips to the NBA Finals. West made his biggest acquisitions in the summer of 1996 when he signed superstar center Shaquille O'Neal and traded Vlade Divac for the draft rights to guard Kobe Bryant. Named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history, West surprised many with his decision to come out of retirement and take over as the Grizzlies' president of basketball operations. In 2003-04, West was named NBA Executive of the Year when the Grizzlies won 50 games and made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. West would be a welcome addition to the front office of the Knicks, who have become one of the NBA's biggest laughingstocks under Thomas in recent seasons. Mired in last place in the Atlantic Division, New York (19-48) already has clinched its seventh consecutive losing season and has not reached the postseason since 2003-04. Thomas, who signed a contract extension worth a reported $24 million 11 months ago, has been the constant source of criticism the past year. Fans have called for his firing on a nightly basis at Madison Square Garden. Thomas' decisions as team president have been widely criticized, as he has loaded up on expensive contracts - creating major salary cap problems - while failing to build a competitive team. If that were not enough, Thomas has found controversy off the court. He lost a sexual harassment lawsuit last October, costing Madison Square Garden $11.5 million in a settlement with former executive Anucha Browne Sanders. The Knicks, who have not finished with a winning record since the 2000-01 season, have gone through four different coaches while traditionally owning the league's highest payroll since Thomas joined the team in December 2003.
The only way to save the Knicks is to let the bad contracts expire, its as simple as that. No one is going to take their garbage.
