- Nov 4, 2003
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Sources tell Ken Berger of CBS Sports that the Knicks will have a very difficult time being able to get the NBA league office to approve an arrangement that allows Isiah Thomas to formally consult with the Knicks while retaining his position as head coach at Florida International University.
NBA team officials are not allowed to have the level of pre-draft contact and regular interaction with college players that a college coach like Thomas is required to as part of his job.
It will likely be found to violate the NBA's rules to permit this kind of dual role for team personnel.
If the Knicks are permitted to retain Thomas' services in such a manner, it could open the floodgates on NBA teams hiring members of college teams in order to give those NBA teams an inside track on college players.
"I think it's going to blur the line to such a degree that teams are going to say, 'OK it's a competitive disadvantage if we don't have a guy,'" a team basketball operations official said. "So they're going to go get guys, whether they're low-level coaches or whatever. All these teams and executives are going to say, 'Hold on, this is a different message you're sending us.'"
Berger also refutes reports that Donnie Walsh threatened to quit when Thomas was hired. Berger calls these reports "not entirely true."
Sources say that Dolan first discussed bringing Thomas back with Walsh, who indicated he wouldn't object to Thomas returning in the consulting role he held before accepting an offer from FIU. But Walsh made it known that he did not want Thomas having a full-time position in the daily operations of the Knicks.
Via CBS Sports
NBA team officials are not allowed to have the level of pre-draft contact and regular interaction with college players that a college coach like Thomas is required to as part of his job.
It will likely be found to violate the NBA's rules to permit this kind of dual role for team personnel.
If the Knicks are permitted to retain Thomas' services in such a manner, it could open the floodgates on NBA teams hiring members of college teams in order to give those NBA teams an inside track on college players.
"I think it's going to blur the line to such a degree that teams are going to say, 'OK it's a competitive disadvantage if we don't have a guy,'" a team basketball operations official said. "So they're going to go get guys, whether they're low-level coaches or whatever. All these teams and executives are going to say, 'Hold on, this is a different message you're sending us.'"
Berger also refutes reports that Donnie Walsh threatened to quit when Thomas was hired. Berger calls these reports "not entirely true."
Sources say that Dolan first discussed bringing Thomas back with Walsh, who indicated he wouldn't object to Thomas returning in the consulting role he held before accepting an offer from FIU. But Walsh made it known that he did not want Thomas having a full-time position in the daily operations of the Knicks.
Via CBS Sports
