Thomas says Knicks are done dealing -- for now


Jan 23, 2004
ATLANTA (AP) -- New York Knicks president Isiah Thomas might be done dealing for a while.

"We'll always try to improve the team," Thomas said Friday night before the Knicks played the Atlanta Hawks. "But at this point, we don't have anything."

Since replacing ousted team president Scott Layden on Dec. 22, Thomas has turned over nearly half the roster and a majority of the coaching staff.

Thomas pulled off a blockbuster trade with Phoenix earlier this month for Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway. After struggling initially with the new players, New York had won four of its past five entering Friday night's game.

"I don't think we'll ever do anything quite as good in my time here as getting a player as good as Stephon Marbury," Thomas said. "In your GM career, those types of deals are few and far between."

That doesn't mean Thomas feels the Knicks have all the pieces. He talked about getting more athletic and possibly adding a presence in the low post -- "Everybody's looking for Shaq," he said -- but said making more trades will be difficult.

"We would like to get better there, to control the game from the paint," Thomas said. "I'd like to give Lenny the option to control it from the paint and from the perimeter.

"I don't know if we'll be able to get that done. It's hard making deals in this business, period."

maybe its not a bad thing, imagine rasheed taking the midlevel exception to be a knicks...hey he says he wants to play here and malone and payton are pulling stuff like dis off, so ill keep my fingers crossed that it will be better of for us..

Sheed will never settle for the mid level - he is too young. Payton and Malone are done - thats why they signed on to get a share of Kobe and Shaq'a rings - they couldnt do it on their own and they had enough in the bank to sell out for next to nothing. Sheed on the other hand can still get a decent payday and play for a contender.

Not that I wouldnt love him to take the mid level and play for NY. I just dont think it will happen.

I think Portland's statement about there being no deal on the table just means the opposite and Rasheed will wind up in NY, which is where he wants to be traded.

maybe its not a bad thing, imagine rasheed taking the midlevel exception to be a knicks...hey he says he wants to play here and malone and payton are pulling stuff like dis off, so ill keep my fingers crossed that it will be better of for us..

I think IT may be making another Smoke Screen. He said he would lie to the media and he could be doing it now. If the right deal comes along, he will make it. If not, he will wait until the off season.

Posted by sandiegoknick:

I think IT may be making another Smoke Screen. He said he would lie to the media and he could be doing it now. If the right deal comes along, he will make it. If not, he will wait until the off season.

Good post. That pretty much sums it up IMO.