If true very interesting

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2007/11/02/
2007-11-02_source_isiah_thomas_wanted_to_settle_san-2.html

BY FRANK ISOLA

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Friday, November 2nd 2007, 4:00 AM

CLEVELAND — Three days before jury selection began in Anucha Browne Sanders' sexual harassment trial, Garden chairman James Dolan overruled Isiah Thomas and at least one other high-ranking Garden official and decided not to reach a settlement with Browne Sanders.

According to a source close to the case, Thomas, his attorneys and a Garden official felt a settlement would spare Thomas and the Knicks an embarrassing trial that could cost the franchise more than just monetary damages.

The one dissenting voice, however, was the only voice that mattered. "Jim didn't want to settle," said the source.

Dolan's decision to proceed with the trial was a fatal mistake and one that Thomas is paying for every day. But those who know Dolan are not surprised by his decision. Dolan has never been one to back down from a public fight, no matter how messy it gets.

Dolan fought the Jets and their plans to build a stadium on the West Side. He battled the YES Network not to televise the Yankees on Cablevision and went to war with Larry Brown over the final four years of the former coach's contract.

Thomas and the Garden were found liable in the case and have since filed an appeal.

we need a lawyer to answer this - couldn't isiah have tried to settle with anucha on his own to remove himself completely from the case?

Posted by oohah:

Posted by djsunyc:

we need a lawyer to answer this - couldn't isiah have tried to settle with anucha on his own to remove himself completely from the case?

And then where would Isiah be working? He's got a family to feed.

oohah

i don't know if he could've gotten out of it or not, but if he could, then he made the choice to stick with the case and stay employed by dolan. not saying whether that's good or bad, but this *source* could've come out alot earlier...and not after dolan's statements.

Posted by djsunyc:

we need a lawyer to answer this - couldn't isiah have tried to settle with anucha on his own to remove himself completely from the case?

As a seperately named defendant, he could have tried to settle on his own. However, as a practical matter, he was not going to go against the wishes of Dolan and he ideally wanted management to pay the settlement, not him personally, so settling on his own was never a viable option. SImply put, IT was not going to personally shell out the $3-$6 million it would take to settle the case.

Isiah got the only favorable outcome by not being personally liable.

That was a mistrail. Given the way the outcome came down that is one charge that actually might have legs in an appeal. If Jimmy wants to appeal ABS has that in her back pocket to counter.

Jimmy don't care about Isiah and IM sure his extension will pay him but he gotta be a good soldier and tow the line. Jimmy owns Isiah.