Thomas Says He Won't Be Coaching Knicks

By CHRIS SHERIDAN
.c The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) - Seeking to quell the perception he's the man-in-waiting to replace Lenny Wilkens as coach of the New York Knicks, team president Isiah Thomas took himself out of the running Tuesday.

``I'm not coaching the New York Knicks,'' Thomas said while also acknowledging he played a part in the resignation of Wilkens' top assistant, Dick Helm, following the team's 0-2 start.

Thomas, who made wholesale changes to the roster and staff following his hiring 10 1/2 months ago, wasted no time reacting to his team's poor start to the new season.

In place of Helm, Wilkens' longtime friend and right-hand man, Thomas moved director player personnel Brendan Suhr to the bench as Wilkens' new assistant.

Wilkens said it was the first time in his coaching career, after 2,450 games, that he would lead a team without a hand-picked assistant next to him. Herb Williams and Michael Malone are holdovers from former coach Don Chaney's staff, while Suhr, George Glymph and Mark Aguirre were brought in by Thomas.

Since arriving in New York, Thomas has said he still has an interest in returning to the sidelines. But his comments Tuesday night were his strongest to date regarding the possibility of coaching in New York.

``I think in other cities you may be able to pull off GM-coach, but I don't think in this city you can do it,'' Thomas said.

``Now, will I ever coach another team? That's possible. But as long as I'm the president of basketball operations in New York, I don't see myself coaching the New York Knicks. That's not going to happen while I'm here,'' Thomas said.

Wilkens continued to stick with the company line that Helm had resigned of his own volition, but Thomas acknowledged playing a role in the departure of the 71-year-old assistant and indicated it was a response to the Knicks' 34-point loss in their home opener Saturday night.

``Anything that's done basketball-wise with the New York Knicks, I do have a say and my hand is involved, and I either approve or disapprove,'' Thomas said, adding: ``What happened here the other night is totally unacceptable, and I hope to never see it again.''

nobody cares? lol i thought it was pretty interesting