Post by Baqu3ro on Apr 19, 2008 11:57:43 GMT 8
NEW YORK -- The New York Knicks sacked head coach Isiah Thomas, the National Basketball Association team announced.
Thomas reportedly was told last week that he would not be back behind the bench, and new Knicks president Donnie Walsh made the announcement official on Friday.
In the just-concluded NBA season, the Knicks finished 23-59, matching a club record for losses set under Larry Brown in 2005-06.
Knicks fans had been calling for Thomas's head through much of the disappointing campaign.
Under Thomas' watch, the Knicks had became one of the NBA's most dysfunctional teams, both on and off the court.
In his two seasons as coach, Thomas won less than a third of his games.
Thomas, who worked under Walsh in Indiana when he was the Pacers' coach for three seasons from 2001-03, was re-assigned within the Knicks organization.
Thomas was criticized for his coaching, and also for his moves as general manager. His mass of expensive contracts created salary cap problems but failed to build a compesampayanve team.
Even so, New York owner James Dolan had inked Thomas to a contract extension worth a reported $24 million 10 months ago.
Dolan then turned a deaf ear to the criticism directed toward Thomas, as chants of "Fire, Isiah" could be frequently heard at Madison Square Garden.
Thomas' days as Knicks' coach finally appeared to be drawing to a close when Dolan hired the 68-year-old Walsh as the team's president on April 2.
Thomas also found controversy off the court.
In November, Madison Square Garden reached an out-of-court settlement for $11.5 million with former executive Anucha Browne Sanders, who had filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Thomas, Dolan and the Garden.
Thomas feuded throughout the season with Knicks guard Stephon Marbury, which helped undermine the team and Thomas' authority.