CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted December 22, 2003 From ESPN.com... Associated Press NEW YORK -- Scott Layden was fired Monday as president of the New York Knicks and Isiah Thomas was hired to replace him, a source told The Associated Press. The move comes after New York missed the playoffs the past two seasons with a roster largely assembled by Layden. The Knicks are 10-18 this season, and recent speculation centered on coach Don Chaney possibly losing his job. Instead, the odd man out is Layden, who replaced Ernie Grunfeld in the summer of 1999 after the Knicks were coming off an appearance in the NBA Finals. The team scheduled an 3:30 p.m. ET news conference but would not specify what was being announced. An Eastern Conference official who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed Layden was out and Thomas in. Thomas has been out of the NBA since being fired over the summer by the Indiana Pacers, where he was the coach for three seasons. "I want to stay in coaching," Thomas told the AP last month. "I enjoy it. I had a great deal of success helping shape and mold young people, making the playoffs with the youngest team to do it in 25 years. I got bit by the bug. "I'll wait for my next opportunity," he said. "I wouldn't rule out college but I prefer the pro game." Thomas' first task with the Knicks will be evaluating a roster with the league's highest payroll and ascertaining whether any of those massive contracts can be moved in a trade. Layden's last major move was the four-team deal that sent Latrell Sprewell to Minnesota and brought Keith Van Horn to New York. The deal has looked tilted in the Timberwolves' favor over the first two months of the season as Sprewell has averaged 17.2 points for Minnesota while Van Horn has struggled, averaging 14.8 points and getting benched for the fourth quarter of several recent games. Prior to the Van Horn trade, Layden's biggest move came on draft night in 2002 when he sent Marcus Camby, Mark Jackson and the Knicks' lottery pick to Denver for Antonio McDyess. McDyess fractured his kneecap in an exhibition game and missed the entire 2002-03 season, finally returning 11 games ago. With the Knicks losing regularly while failing to draw the sellout crowds that were a staple during the 1990s, Layden became a lightning rod for criticism. The anti-Layden feeling was so strong in New York that when LeBron James was selected with the overall No. 1 pick in the draft last June, commissioner David Stern's announcement of the selection was drowned out by a loud chant of "Fire Layden." James Dolan, chairman of the team's corporate owner, Cablevision, notified Layden of the move late Monday morning, the AP's source said. Layden did not answer a call placed to his cell phone. The firing was not unexpected. But hiring Zeke as GM is a bit of a surprise...since he retired as a player, it seems everything he touches (Raptors, CBA, Pacers) turns to lead. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2GOLD 0 Report post Posted December 22, 2003 Right, Isiah will save them. With such great talented players as......umm...... He's screwed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted December 22, 2003 Right, Isiah will save them. With such great talented players as......umm...... He's screwed. Maybe he'll come out of retirement! Yeah! That'll save them! Of course, Isiah at 40-something is probably still an upgrade over...um...whoever their point guard is right now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Smell the ratings!!! Report post Posted December 22, 2003 And here I thought it was impossible for the Knicks to get worse Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HarleyQuinn 0 Report post Posted December 22, 2003 Eisley isn't bad so long as he passes the ball each game. Van Horn would be better in a Vin Baker-esque low post/outside shot role and if Allan Houston would bother to pass more he could be solid as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Mindless_Aggression Report post Posted December 22, 2003 Kurt Thomas will bust his ass for you and Mcdyess is coming along okay. That still really isn't much though, Thomas, Mcdyess and at times, Van Horn, play the same spot and they don't have a true point guard night in and night out. I guess Mutumbo will do fine in the middle for now, he sadly is an upgrade over most in the east. Houston has been great for them but thats really about all they have. Everyone else on their bench is essentially in the limbo of suck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steviekick 0 Report post Posted December 23, 2003 I think getting rid of Layden was a good idea. The man couldn't even build a proper team around John Stockton and Karl Malone when he worked over in Utah. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
