Posted by EwingsGlass:

Posted by eViL:


Why can't we just sent D-Nic to the D-League?

Still counts as a roster spot...

Posted by islesfan:

It doesn't make any sense. The job description of the General Manager and Team President of the New York Knicks has nothing to do with the self preservation of Isiah Thomas. It has to do with being the caretaker of the short term AND long term future of the franchise It's not about how Isiah's personal interests are best served. If that even remotely becomes a factor in the GM's decision making then he needs to go right then and there.

That should NEVER be "expected" and it should NEVER "make sense".

Posted by Papabear:

Papabear Says

I like Nicoles and if everyone would stop saying Zeke is out after this season. Maybe he would take a chance with Nichols. But it's win now. So Nicholes didn't want to go over seas and we have no trak

Posted by misterearl:

"If Isiah waives Nichols he should be fired immediately"

Knicksfan - c'mon, no need to sound like a Drama Queen. Nichols has gotta prove himself like every other rookie in the NBA. What is so patently wrong with healthy competition for the precious 15 roster spots and the more cherished minutes?

Posted by Masterplan:

Posted by misterearl:

"If Isiah waives Nichols he should be fired immediately"

Knicksfan - c'mon, no need to sound like a Drama Queen. Nichols has gotta prove himself like every other rookie in the NBA. What is so patently wrong with healthy competition for the precious 15 roster spots and the more cherished minutes?

"every other rookie in the NBA" doesn't have a ticking clock to "prove himself" by the end of training camp. nichols put up better summer league stats than a lot of first rounders, for what that's worth. he should get more than a few weeks to prove himself against real NBA competition. anything else is making excuses for isiah's poor management and planning.

Posted by misterearl:

"Tell me if Chandler is battling for a spot?"

The Mayor... battle?

Get real.

The Mayor is working on his acceptance speeches.

You don't get the point. Whatever, man.

Posted by RemBee76:

Posted by islesfan:

It doesn't make any sense. The job description of the General Manager and Team President of the New York Knicks has nothing to do with the self preservation of Isiah Thomas. It has to do with being the caretaker of the short term AND long term future of the franchise It's not about how Isiah's personal interests are best served. If that even remotely becomes a factor in the GM's decision making then he needs to go right then and there.

First, let me say that I agree that Demetris Nichols should be given a shot over Fred Jones and Allan Houston. I grew to appreciate what Houston brought his last few years (he showed that he could at least carry the team, if not carry them to wins) He was underappreciated while he was here, and I think too many Knick fans underestimate what this team might have accomplished had he managed to stay healthy alongside Marbury. But his time has passed, and we need our spots on the end of the bench to hold on to young guys who may become part of this team's future core.

As for your statement above...I don't understand how one can divorce Isiah's attempt at "self preservation" from his "job description". I suppose you would like Isiah to be a martyr, stand up for what some fans think is best for the team even if it defies Jimmy Dolan and leads to his getting canned.

Frankly, that’s absurd. First and foremost in any GM's job description is to take the team in the direction dictated by the guy paying the bills, the owner. He does that, he keeps his job. He doesn't, he loses it. Every GM in the league is intent on self preservation.

Isiah has always been under a win now mandate from the top, this year is no different. He has managed to keep his job because of Larry Brown's bungling, low expectations, and a fair amount of kissing Dolan's behind, but I'm guessing (as is everyone else it seems) that patience has run out and this year there is more pressure to win than any other.

The balance between being the caretaker for the short term AND long term (as you so eloquently put it) has been a balance Isiah has struck his entire career so far here in New York. He has traded away draft picks but for the most part he has traded them for young guys who still have some upside. He has traded to acquire draft picks as well, we have the much criticized trade for M.Rose to thank for David Lee, the trade for J.Rose to thank for Renaldo Balkman.

Isiah has one more year for that balance to show results. If that means keeping Jones or Hosuston while losing Nichols that would be a shame, in my view, but if it works out this year it’s a decision that you have to respect. If it doesn’t work out Isiah is gone anyway.

Isiah's attempt at self preservation has absolutely nothing to do with his job description and it has nothing to do with what some fans think. That's just ridiculous. All owners want to win, plain and simple. Some want to win more than others and Dolan's acceptance of Isiah's record thus far leads me to believe that he's not the type of owner, like say a George Steinbrenner. That's what makes this "win now mandate", that Isiah is supposedly forced to work under, completely bogus. Isiah has been allowed to do whatever he wanted without fear of losing his job. The large extension that he received and the glowing words from Dolan at the time, for maxing out as the 8th best team in the conference for a couple of days, proves that. Any change in Isiah's alleged plan to build with youth, should be looked at primarily as an attempt at self preservation, since his job security appears to be in question for the first time.

The best example that I can think of where a GM divorces attempts at self preservation from his job description is Brian Cashman, the GM of the New York Yankees, this season. With the Yankees well under .500, after the first 2 months of the season, Steinbrenner let it be known that Cashman's job was on the line if they didn't right the ship. Cashman could have said to hell with the long term future and been completely short sighted by trading away their top prospects. But he was a martyr, as you put it, and didn't make any panic trades in an attempt to get proven players that could help save his job. He stuck with his plan of developing young players and was fortunate enough that those prospects and young players were able to help and right the ship this year while giving them a glimpse at a bright future. If any GM was under a "win now mandate" it would have been Cashman and he was able to divorce attempts at "self preservation" from his "job desciption".