DOLAN AMUSED BY BROWN'S TRADE REQUESTS

By MARC BERMAN

June 27, 2006 -- Knicks owner James Dolan made a powerful case yesterday that Larry Brown's player personnel suggestions were irrational.

An impassioned Dolan revealed Brown wanted six players waived at season's end, including Stephon Marbury, and also wanted Isiah Thomas to sign 43-year-old ex-Knick Charles Oakley, who hadn't played since 2003-2004 when he bombed out in eight games with the Rockets.

Thomas laughed off the Oakley request, telling Brown the club was rebuilding and Oakley's presence would only take time away from rookie Channing Frye. Brown and his agent Joe Glass did not return phone messages.

After the 23-59 disaster, Brown told Thomas he wanted Marbury, Steve Francis and Jerome James cut, contracts totaling $180 million, including luxury tax. Brown also suggested trades for players that would have added another $100 million to the payroll, believed to include Denver's Kenyon Martin.

By then, Dolan had lost all faith in Brown's trading expertise following the Jalen Rose and Francis debacles.

"Both those trades I spoke to Larry directly," Dolan said angrily. "Both of those trades he was an advocate for. The first one, quote, I'm dying here, I got to have this guy, that's Jalen Rose. The second one, Steve Francis, he said, I'm begging you to do this. No less than three weeks after, that's 80 million worth of transactions, I was told these guys are no good, we have to get rid of them. How do I take that?"

So when Brown made his waive request and made more trade proposals in early May, Dolan was sick to his stomach. "How do I confidently go into that," Dolan said. "Even if I was sure he was right."

"(Brown) said we'd have to do all the trades to be any better and we needed to prove to him we wanted him as coach," Dolan added. "At that point I had real misgivings and could see us with him gone. I had signed him for $50 million. I was very motivated to keep him as coach."

Dolan said he couldn't get Brown to "acknowledge" one mistake, leading to Dolan's decision to withhold the $40 million in claiming he violated his contract. Dolan confirmed The Post's report Glass pushed for David Stern's name to be on the contract. Dolan said Stern knew about the clause. Glass has yet to file the appeal, according to Dolan.

Dolan's case seemed strong, but not his decision to let this drag on 40 days, letting Thomas' and Brown's feud fester publicly.

"There was nothing going on business-wise that we had to do it," Dolan said. "You all know me. I try not to make decisions by what the press says."

Larry Brown lost his mind. Alzheimers is a serious possibility.

I mean we know you love veterans but DAMN!!!! He's 43!! In Sports terms, thats ancient.

There were a couple of posters-myself included-that would have LOVED to have Oak back as an enforcer ON the bench to keep some of the young kids in line.

Posted by djsunyc:

"Both those trades I spoke to Larry directly," Dolan said angrily. "Both of those trades he was an advocate for. The first one, quote, I'm dying here, I got to have this guy, that's Jalen Rose. The second one, Steve Francis, he said, I'm begging you to do this. No less than three weeks after, that's 80 million worth of transactions, I was told these guys are no good, we have to get rid of them. How do I take that?"

That Larry. Such a joker.

Posted by Killa4luv:

Posted by joec32033:

There were a couple of posters-myself included-that would have LOVED to have Oak back as an enforcer ON the bench to keep some of the young kids in line.

On the bench as an assistant, not as a got damn player!!!

You stick Oak as the 12th man on this bench to show these kids what to do...it is not a bad idea just because LB wanted it to happen and Zeke didn't want to do it.

Exactly! What a stupid idea! If Larry Brown really wanted this, then he really has lost it! That would just be nutty - waste of space. It's okay for a nostalgic fan to want Oak back but for a coach - hall of famer- to want a 43 yr old - way past his prime player on his roster, it just goes to show you how delusional he is. I believe Dolan in regards to Brown's antics. I mean he made some really questionable almost bizarre moves last season that we all witnessed. We just hung on thinking that there eventually the madeness would make some since. Over 40 line-up's? Not continuting to start Frye when he was clearly the brightest spot on the team? And to not start him for what? Oh yeah, to give Malik Rose minutes. Brown is senial!

hmm... getting a veteran to work with and teach young players that will play for the veteran minimum... yes, totally stupid. Instead lets trade for Steve Francis with Nate, Crawford and Marbury already here.

Posted by fishmike:

hmm... getting a veteran to work with and teach young players that will play for the veteran minimum... yes, totally stupid. Instead lets trade for Steve Francis with Nate, Crawford and Marbury already here.

Oakley is about ten years past "veteran" status, his last effective stint was with Jordan and the Wizards - 4 years ago (when he was 39). Brown wanted Francis.

Look, I don't think anyone wants to absolve Isiah of blame here. But there sure seem to be plenty of people trying to absolve Larry. It's a little ridiculous.

Posted by fishmike:

hmm... getting a veteran to work with and teach young players that will play for the veteran minimum... yes, totally stupid. Instead lets trade for Steve Francis with Nate, Crawford and Marbury already here.

I agree that Larry's request for Francis makes no sense with those guys here, but I believe you're misunderstanding the Oakley proposal. It was to sign him to PLAY as I understand it, taking either Q Woods' or Jackie Butler's roster spot. It would have made much more sense for to hire him as an assistant who works with the young players.

Wanting to sign Oakley was a completely insane idea. As whacked out as not using screen and rolls with the roster he had last season.

Posted by BigRedDog:

Fish would be the 1st one to complain if brown played oak and took minutes from frye.(Also if we had to cut a young player to make a roster spot) Some people(joec,fish) can't admit when they're wrong and what a stupid idea it is.

BigRed, feel free to put your opinions here instead of what you think others are trying to put down.

Almost everyone in the NBA is in agreement that you need a good mix of vets and youth to make a team work. You can't just have a team full of guys who are 23 and under and expect them to know how to play and practice and know the in's and out's of doing their job. That's why it's always good to have guys like AD/Malik in the locker room. The knicks need more guys like that.