Donnie Walsh Expected to Join Knicks

by Seth on Mar 25, 2008 3:58 PM EDT in News

It's not quite official, but here's the report from ESPN:

Walsh is expected to sign a three-year, $15 million contract with New York at the end of this season to oversee their basketball operations division. The source did not know what would become of current Knicks president of basketball operations and head coach Isiah Thomas once Walsh joined the Knicks.

Walsh only said Monday he will finish the season with Indiana and will not comment on his plans. Pacers team president Larry Bird will take over many of Walsh's duties.

That's not finalized enough to be sure of anything, but things are looking up. More when it comes.

UPDATE: From CNNSI (I'm moving this to the top in expectation of developing news):

It appears current president and coach Isiah Thomas will not be back, though he is expected to receive a healthy severance, the source said. Thomas is reportedly making $7 million annually on a contract that runs for three more years, according to another league source.

UPDATE AGAIN: Not so fast?

The Donnie Walsh situation continues to produce conflicting reports. Tuesday morning at the Pacers' shoot-around in Indianapolis, a team spokesman told the Indianapolis Star that the ESPN report about Walsh agreeing to run the Knicks is false.

The spokesman, David Benner, said that Walsh, who announced on Monday he will leave the Pacers, "hasn't agreed to anything with anybody."

"There's nothing clear about his future and when there is he'll make a statement," Benner said. "He hasn't agreed to anything with anybody."

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Comments

This BETTER not go the way Billy Donovan went

with Orlando last summer.

I'm all for it. We need changes.

AIM: ThatsNoooGood

by JoshL on Mar 24, 2008 11:41 PM EDT reply actions

contention?

"Conference contention by 2008-2009 with him"

correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't 2008-09 NEXT season? keep dreaming.

Ewing with the step...YES! and the foul!

by Anthony Masons Haircut on Mar 25, 2008 5:54 AM EDT reply actions

that's weird

this was definitely a diary reply, im not sure why it got posted here. but as long as i'm here, i'm psyched about this.

this is the first step in the right direction the knicks have took since trading for latrell sprewell.

Ewing with the step...YES! and the foul!

by Anthony Masons Haircut on Mar 25, 2008 5:55 AM EDT up reply actions

As crazy as it sounds...

I think Walsh HAS basically agreed to run our team, and he's not announcing it till after the season out of "respect" for Isaiah Thomas. Walsh DID hire Zeke to coach the Pacers way back when, and probably doesn't want to shit on him any more than he has to.

My only concern is, you're not even going to TALK to Jerry West?? I mean fuck, he's helped put together MULTIPLE championship teams... that resume's not worth a phone call?

by HUSTLE HARDER on Mar 25, 2008 7:12 PM EDT reply actions

Today's Update...

The Daily News reports that Walsh has agreed to a "handshake deal" (Yahoo! writes that there is no deal at all, according to the Pacers owners), and that Donnie Walsh may, in fact, keep Isiah Thomas as coach.

And if you think that is bad, wait for it...

Donnie Walsh has a short list of GM candidates that includes... Billy King.

Again, I'm going to state for the record that I think no one in the local press has a clue what is going on....

by stopmikelupica on Mar 26, 2008 10:01 AM EDT reply actions