HoopsHype.com Rumors

Dolan, according to sources, feels badly that Thomas became the face of the Garden’s highly publicized sexual harassment case after a jury ruled in favor of a former female executive and determined that MSG was a hostile working environment. New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Isiah Thomas, James Dolan 

According to sources, Dolan isn’t ready to name Thomas to a formal Knicks’ position – even with Donnie Walsh’s quasi- consulting position soon coming to an end. The Post reported last summer the Knicks owner still maintains a friendship with Thomas but was disappointed his compadre publicly spoke about wanting Donnie Walsh’s position and believed he was secretly lobbying with select media members. New York Post

New York Knicks, Isiah Thomas, James Dolan 

Thomas would be better off with the Pistons, where the fan base loves him and owner Bill Davidson, with whom he feuded after retirement, has passed on. “I’d be shocked if anything happened officially,’’ one person familiar with the Knicks thinking said. “James still takes Isiah’s calls but that’s as far as the friendship goes. I’m sure Isiah will mount a public relations campaign to make it seem the Knicks may want him.’’ New York Post

New York Knicks, Isiah Thomas, James Dolan 

Here's what Isiah Thomas told me before the season about the job he thought he had done at Florida International: "I know today from where we started the program it's 100 times better than when I got the job.'' Let's just say those at FIU didn't agree. Sulia

Coaching, Isiah Thomas 

Florida International has fired men’s basketball coach Isiah Thomas, after the former Knicks coach and president went 26-65 in three seasons. Thomas took over at FIU in a surprising move in 2009, one that gave the Hall of Fame guard a chance to restore the reputation he tarnished through a series of embarrassments in New York. Under Thomas, FIU never won more than 11 games in a season. New York Post

New York Knicks, Isiah Thomas 

Chris Mannix: No surprise Isiah Thomas is out at FIU. People who have talked to him describe his interest in program as half hearted. He wants back in NBA Twitter

New York Knicks, Isiah Thomas 

It's getting tougher and tougher to scoff when someone suggests that ex-Knicks coach and general manager Isiah Thomas continues to possess a decent measure of influence in Madison Square Garden matters. Mike Woodson and Glen Grunwald, two longtime Zeke cohorts, happen to be the Knicks' current coach and GM. The sudden arrival of longtime Thomas pal Darrell Walker as a Knicks assistant, without any clear ties to Woodson, only strengthens such suspicions. ESPN.com

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Coaching, Isiah Thomas, Darrell Walker, Glen Grunwald 

In coaching circles, however, rumblings persist that Woodson's cause is being aided by behind-the-scenes support from Thomas, who is believed to have lost little of his sway with Dolan even though he's coaching at the faraway Florida International University. ESPN.com

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Coaching, Isiah Thomas 

Frank Isola: Best part about this? Mike Woodson is Isiah Thomas' former college teammate and good friend. And Woody is a Larry Brown disciple. Only in NY Twitter

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Coaching, Isiah Thomas, Larry Brown 

Asked which Chicago-born guard he most looks up to from the past, Rose said former Pistons great Isiah Thomas. Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Isiah Thomas, Derrick Rose 

Isiah Thomas said he met Rose last year after a game in Detroit and that Rose contacted him after the Bulls' season had ended. "He was pretty down," Thomas told ESPNChicago.com by phone on Wednesday. "He asked me 'How did you do it? How did you win back- to-back championships at this size?' And my response to him was that once you understand your opponent and know your opponent better than you know yourself, you'll win." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Isiah Thomas, Derrick Rose 

But while some question the price Rose is paying in pursuit of an NBA title, Thomas, a 6-1 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA champion with the Detroit Pistons, said he watches from his home in South Florida and applauds it. "He's very courageous," Thomas said of his fellow Chicago native. "You've got to be courageous and you've got to make sacrifices in terms of your body to have success as a small man in the NBA and to win championships. "And I emphasize win championships, because you can pile up statistics and great numbers playing a non-aggressive style and have a great career. But if you want to win championships, you have to pay the price and Derrick is definitely paying the price." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Isiah Thomas, Derrick Rose 

If Isiah Thomas, Glen Grunwald and Mike Woodson weren’t college teammates at Indiana more than three decades ago, Mike D’Antoni would still be justified feeling threatened that those three were spotted together on Thursday in Miami. But the dinner party at a trendy South Beach restaurant, which the Daily News has learned included several Garden employees, certainly raises eyebrows with D’Antoni fighting for his job and struggling to keep the Knicks from imploding. From all indications, D’Antoni is not in immediate danger of being dismissed as coach. Management appears to be willing to give him a chance to salvage the season with a healthy Baron Davis, who could return for Tuesday’s home game against Detroit. New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Isiah Thomas, Glen Grunwald 

And that’s where Thomas comes in. Grunwald holds Woodson, the former Atlanta Hawks coach and Larry Brown disciple, in high regard. But Woodson also had the support of Thomas, who serves in an unofficial role as adviser to Dolan and had told close friends, “Does anyone think Jim would hire Mike if he was only known as Larry’s guy?” Dolan respects Thomas’ voice but it doesn’t mean he always follows the advice of the former Knicks coach and president. In a radio interview last month, Thomas criticized the team’s decision to give Tyson Chandler a four-year, $58 million contract. Dolan emphatically endorsed the signing.Thomas, who was working behind the scenes to steer Chris Paul to the Knicks, felt it didn’t make sense for the club to use its amnesty clause on Chauncey Billups. His reasoning was two-fold; Billups’ $14 million salary was coming off the books on July 1 and his leadership in the locker room and on the court was crucial for this season. “If you don’t have a great guard, it’s hard to put together a game plan,” Thomas said. “You’re only as good a coach as your guards.” New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Isiah Thomas, Glen Grunwald 

Thomas, the former Knicks president and now the coach at Florida International (which is off to another lousy start at 4-10), said the NBA is a guards’ league and teams can’t win big with just a good front line. The indication was Thomas would have preferred the Knicks sticking with rolling the dice for Chris Paul through their master plan of preserving 2012 cap space. Anthony views things differently than Thomas. “I’m not someone who likes to disagree or agree with someone else’s opinion, but from my standpoint, I think we did a great job of building something, starting something in New York and bringing Tyson, me and Amar’e here,’’ Anthony said. “It’s a great foundation to building a house. That’s our goal.’’ New York Post

New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony, Isiah Thomas 

Thomas pointed out in the interview with South Florida radio host Sid Rosenberg the Knicks may regret cutting Billups, saying he has been “undervalued’’ his whole career and the Pistons still rue the day they let him go. “Of course we miss Chauncey. I miss Chauncey,’’ Anthony said. “We all miss Chauncey. As far as the Tyson trade, I’m excited about that. It’s easy for people to turn their back now when we’re not winning basketball games and the chemistry is not sound. That’s the easy thing to do.’’ New York Post

New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony, Isiah Thomas 

Isiah Thomas knows how important a starting point guard is to a team with a championship mentality. As the floor general for the 1980s Pistons, he led them to back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990. The former Knicks coach made that point on Miami radio's "The Sid Rosenberg Show" on Thursday when asked about the Knicks. In fact, Thomas questioned the team amnestying Chauncey Billups to acquire Tyson Chandler, which dimmed any hope for Chris Paul. "The guard play right now in the NBA is off the charts," Thomas said. "Losing Chauncey, I thought he brought a veteran leadership to the team. His savviness and guard play has always been severely undervalued. Detroit found that out when they let Chauncey go. I think there was a certain amount of leadership to what he brought to [the Knicks] last year." ESPN.com

New York Knicks, Isiah Thomas, Chauncey Billups 

Talks recently broke down after considerable concessions from the union, and Thomas hopes the owners have moderated their stance. "I said from the start that the owners have to decide how much they want to win by," Thomas said while getting ready for a Thanksgiving feast for his family and team today in south Florida. "Do you want to win by five points or do you want to win by 30 points? "That's the decision they have to make right now. I don't think anybody likes seeing the score run up." Detroit Free Press

CBA, Isiah Thomas, David Stern, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA 

Isiah Thomas called Friday to dispute a claim he has designs to become executive director. Getting through graduate school (a six-hour test Thursday prevented him from returning my call, I was informed) and coaching Florida International University are all he’s focused on, he maintained. I apologize beforehand for this cheap shot: So, apparently any advances by Thomas on Hunter’s job were strictly consensual. New York Post

Isiah Thomas, Billy Hunter, NBPA 

How many of you would be startled to discover Isiah Thomas has been creepin’ round Billy Hunter’s back door to get his job? How many would be stunned to learn Florida International University’s current head coach is angling in due course to replace the executive director of the Players Association should its membership feel flogged (compromised following so many compromises) by David Stern upon the completion of a new collective bargaining agreement or if negotiations again break down and additional salary (games) get forfeited? According to a pretty piped-in informant, skulking and stalking are exactly what Thomas has been doing as Hunter tries not to lose further frontage to one clearly identified Nor’easter after another: Namely, commissioner Stern stage-managed by 29 owners; players poised to push for immediate decertification if a deal can’t be struck during this extensive bargaining session; weighty agents counseling clients that leadership is limp; and growing frustration among even Hunter’s staunchest supporters. New York Post

Isiah Thomas, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA