Scott Layden Fired <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> NEW YORK (AP) -- Scott Layden was fired Monday as president of the New York Knicks and Isiah Thomas was hired to replace him, a source told The Associated Press. The move comes after New York missed the playoffs the past two seasons with a roster largely assembled by Layden. The Knicks are 10-18 this season, and recent speculation centered on coach Don Chaney possibly losing his job. </div> Full Story
Knicks fans will love this. Hopefully the new GM can turn the Knicks franchise around. John Gabriel next to get fired?
I was just about to post it. Isiah Thomas! Wow. I think he's gonna really revamp the roster. I think everyone thought Zeke would get back into coaching soon, not management. This is a good move for him.
I am surprised by this move not because I felt Layden's job was secure, but because I had a funny fealing Isiah Thomas was about to get another job. With the bad start Indiana University has gotten off too, I thought Mike Davis would be fired. Who would be better for that job than former Hoosier and former professional coach, Isiah Thomas? Oh well, looks like your job is a bit safer, Mike Davis.
I can see Knicks fans celebrating long and hard in New York. Layden has really made a mess of that franchise, and I would be very surprised if he manages to find another management position in the near future.
At long last Layden is gone.What a terrible GM he was...I hope Isiah can try and turn the Knicks around. Good luck to you Zeke :thumbsup:
Thomas was a decent coach when he was with the Pacers. but didnt he have trouble making front office decisions when he was with the Raptors. But anybody can do a better job than scott Layden. I knew Layden time was getting shorter & shorter after he traded the Knicks most popular & best all around player for kieth Van Horn. Bringing in a basketball icon like thomas with create an enviroment that has been missing in the garden these last few loosing seasons. I expect Thomas to make a trade in a few weeks just so he can put his stamp on the team. And start to put together a team that he wants to see on the floor. Maybe a deal will include one of those point guards that really cant score Ward, Howard Eisely or even Frank Williams. Thomas doesnt like point guards that cant score thats why he was the start of the demise of Jamal Tinsley in Pacerville. And He loved Damon Stoudimre when he was dropping like 20 a game on the Raptors. I expect Van Excel or even Damon to be putting on a knick uniform very soon. Also Don Chaney might need to start to worry. If Thomas feels like taking on the pressure of being gm & head coach than Mr Chaney will be sent packing. I think things in the world famous Arena are about to start getting real interesting.
Thomas may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but anything other than Scott Layden is a step in the right direction. <font size="1">BTW, I edited this thread to look more professional.</font>
I doubt Isiah will consider taking the coaching reins. If anything, this will extend the life of Chaney's coaching tenure in New York like with the case of Jim O'Brien in Boston. The new GM will either clear house or blank slate it for the coach, and I have a feeling Isiah will blank slate it since it's the middle of the season. I like a trade for Damon Stoudemire. Damon and Sheed for KVH, Kurt Thomas and Howard Eisley? Would that work? The Knicks would have a high scoring point and a big frontline, and could make quite a push for the playoffs. And Portland might be willing to part with those guys because of their bad reps.
I have been talking to Knick fans on AOL Instant Messanger and they kept making up trades they felt Isiah could pull off. Here is the one that I found the most intriguing - Pacers Send: Jermaine O'Neal Austin Croshere Knicks Send: Kurt Thomas Keith Van Horn Mike Sweetney 2004 First Round Draft Pick (Conditional) I am aware that this deal doesn't work cap-wise, however, the GM's would tweak with that to make it work. I really questioned this at first. The Pacers are the only team in the league with twenty or more wins other than the Lakers, so why would they trade their best player away? They wouldn't, however, let's think about this. Thomas wants O'Neal (so I've heard) and O'Neal wants to play for Thomas. Lineups: Pacers - PG -Brewer/Johnson/ Anderson/Tinsley SG - Miller/Jones SF - Artest/Harrington PF - Van Horn/Sweetney/Pollard C - Thomas/Foster/Pollard/Brezec Knicks (SL*) - PG - Eisley SG - Houston F - O'Neal F - McDyess C - Mutumbo
I dont see this trade happening, Bird basically lied to get Oneal to resign with the Pacers so why would he trade him now, And Bird has been big on Austin ever since his coaching days with the pacers & he fought to have Austin put back in the regular playing rotation after Thomas left. And with the relationship between Bid & thomas I dont see them doing any deals together in the near future. And I most def. dont see Bird giving Thomas a star franchise player like Oneal. And what would happen to McDyess, every Knicks fan in the world was waiting for him to come back & be the savor. So Thomas wouldnt trade or bench him before he really got a chance to completely regroup & regain those abilities to be that franchise player the Knicks think he can be. If the Knick make a trade its going to be for a point guard. Knicks fans have been screaming for one for years. Thomas will be a hero if he can make it happen.
The Knicks look better already. I didn't think Isiah was interested in a management job, but I wish him well. This is a great opportunity for him, especially since he'll have a lot of money to play around with. Hopefully he can cut down the Knicks payroll, and improve their talent at the same time. I've always liked him, so I hope he succeeds in New York.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Wave:</div><div class="quote_post">I have been talking to Knick fans on AOL Instant Messanger and they kept making up trades they felt Isiah could pull off. Here is the one that I found the most intriguing - Pacers Send: Jermaine O'Neal Austin Croshere Knicks Send: Kurt Thomas Keith Van Horn Mike Sweetney 2004 First Round Draft Pick (Conditional) I am aware that this deal doesn't work cap-wise, however, the GM's would tweak with that to make it work. I really questioned this at first. The Pacers are the only team in the league with twenty or more wins other than the Lakers, so why would they trade their best player away? They wouldn't, however, let's think about this. Thomas wants O'Neal (so I've heard) and O'Neal wants to play for Thomas. Lineups: Pacers - PG -Brewer/Johnson/ Anderson/Tinsley SG - Miller/Jones SF - Artest/Harrington PF - Van Horn/Sweetney/Pollard C - Thomas/Foster/Pollard/Brezec Knicks (SL*) - PG - Eisley SG - Houston F - O'Neal F - McDyess C - Mutumbo</div> And would this be before or after hell froze over?(Note, I did read the part where you[Wave] said this wouldn't happen......I just want to stop this in its tracks before JBB becomes plastered with an absurd trade like this) O'Neal is not leaving Indiana for that package. The Pacers are in the thick of taking an early lead for HCA. Granted its early, but trading away their best player hinders whatever lead they now posses. And should that trade ever come about, there is no way Indiana would want to take in Van Horn. Carlise(sp?) doesn't want another 3/4 that cannot defend. Sweetney is stuggling to get PT. I hardly would call that, and a 1st rounder that wouldn't be a lottery pick fair compensation for a top 10(debateable, I guess) player in the league.
Wave, I dont see that trade happening. O'Neal is the centerpiece in Indiana(their franchise) and it would be stupid for them to trade him away unless they got a superstar in return. I don't think there is anyone on the Knicks that the Pacers would want in return for O'Neal, no matter how big the deal is. As for Isiah Thomas. This comes as a real shock to me. I can see Isiah in the Detroit front office however I just cannot picture him in the Knicks front office. Weirder things have happened before though. I think it was a great move for the Knicks. It will be interesting to see how Isiah "spices" things up for his new franchise.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting dexter:</div><div class="quote_post">Wave, I dont see that trade happening. O'Neal is the centerpiece in Indiana(their franchise) and it would be stupid for them to trade him away unless they got a superstar in return. I don't think there is anyone on the Knicks that the Pacers would want in return for O'Neal, no matter how big the deal is. As for Isiah Thomas. This comes as a real shock to me. I can see Isiah in the Detroit front office however I just cannot picture him in the Knicks front office. Weirder things have happened before though. I think it was a great move for the Knicks. It will be interesting to see how Isiah "spices" things up for his new franchise.</div> If I was New York, with an unlimited budget(although they have said they are going to try to reduce costs), Id be on the horn with teams looking for one year deals. Knight, Ward, McDyess- all come off the books this summer.
Well it doesn't look as if Chaney is gone until the end of the year at least. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"I was a coach that just got fired, so I understand the type of pressure that Don is under right now," said Thomas, who was let go as head coach by Indiana in the off-season. "We will give him all the resources to go out and compete. We want to clear the clouds around him, because he needs to think clearly and the team needs to think clearly." Thomas may, however, be shaped by the events that took place this past summer. He was abruptly fired when Larry Bird took over as the Pacers' new president. "From that experience, I'm definitely much more compassionate," Thomas said. "I'm not that type of manager that (Bird) is. I'm a different kind of manager. I believe in helping people, and I don't believe in hurting people. Right now, this is a difficult situation and, unfortunately, it's a situation that we have to play out on a public stage. However, my job as the manager is to help the coach, not hurt him." </div> http://www.nj.com/knicks/ledger/index.ssf?...62664263220.xml
Isiah said that he is there to improve the Knicks now. The same stupid philosophy that has them stinkin up the place. They should have long dealt the losers they have for expiring contracts. Hell, they might even give McDyess a long-term deal. How stupid would that be?
