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NBA 04/02/2011, 18.20 Rumors

Knicks owner won't commit to Donnie bacause of Isiah

Il proprietario Dolan non ha ancora esercitato l'opzione per prolungare il contratto di Walsh

NBA

With Isiah Thomas still looming in the background, Knicks president Donnie Walsh said yesterday he has no clue where he stands with James Dolan. Walsh added he can live with it if the Knicks owner decides against exercising the option on the final year of his contract.

According to an NBA source, the reason Dolan has not acted on Walsh's contract is he still has the former disgraced president Thomas on his radar, still speaks to him regularly and still is considering bringing him back in the future.

As Dolan drags his heels, Walsh admitted he has received no feedback on the job he is doing from the big boss. It is startling considering the money Walsh has saved Dolan while putting the club in prime position to make the playoffs with cap room the next two summers.

Walsh's remarks came in light of an Internet report suggesting Dolan is undecided on keeping Walsh. The NBA source told The Post what's preventing Dolan from committing to Walsh is not health, but Thomas' unyielding desire to return. The NBA source said Dolan talks to Thomas more than once a week regarding Knicks issues and does not care about the fan outrage that will occur if he eventually brings him back in some capacity.

Walsh continued to praise Dolan yesterday, but The Post reported in August he was furious when Dolan hired Thomas as part-time consultant without telling him first. The Post reported Walsh had told Dolan earlier he didn't think he could work with Thomas on a day-to-day basis. Thomas' consultations with Dolan could be hurting Walsh's cause.

When asked by The Post if Dolan is happy with the club's direction, Walsh said: "I don't know. I haven't sat down and talked to him in a while. So I really don't know. That's up to him. He doesn't have to share that with me."

A spokesman for Dolan declined to comment.

Walsh also said he's "embarrassed" by the attention of his uncertain future. Walsh's option for next season must be picked up by April 30, as reported three weeks ago by The Post.

Walsh said he is uncertain if the criterion on whether he stays is making the playoffs. With a recent slippage, the Knicks, at 25-23, still remain in sixth place but their lead over the Sixers is down to three games entering a home-and-home with Philly starting tonight. Suddenly, they are just five games from falling out of a playoff berth.

"I haven't heard the issues from Mr. Dolan," Walsh said. "I think he wants the franchise to be going in the right direction. I hope it is. If it isn't, then I understand."

Walsh, rehabbing from hip replacement surgery, has not traveled to scout college games all season or to be with the club. He still uses a walker.

Walsh is expected to add former Nuggets GM Mark Warkentien to the front office, with an announcement likely coming today, to help the college scouting but mostly to aid in Carmelo Anthony's recruitment.

Some top-level Knicks officials believe Warkentien's ties to CAA, which also represents Anthony, is important. It's not necessarily a view shared by Walsh.

Walsh said he won't be devastated if this is it for him as Knicks president.

"I'd like [to]," Walsh said about returning next season. "At 70, I'd probably like it less or [it's] not as important as when I was 40. In other words, there's a life after this.

"One thing I do know about Jim Dolan, he is honest," Walsh added. "So I don't believe any of this stuff."

Walsh seemed on edge yesterday.

"I'm embarrassed by all this," Walsh added of the attention regarding his contract. "When people start bringing it up, it's the last thing I want. If I leave tomorrow, I want to leave with dignity and I don't want to blame anybody. Everyone's treated me well. I have no complaints."

In what sounded almost like a farewell speech, Walsh said yesterday: "I don't want to get into, it's this guy's fault, that guy's fault. I'm a responsible person. I'm an adult. I've enjoyed every moment I've been here. The fans have been great. The owner's always been forthright with me and talked to me and I haven't had any problems with him as a person. I like him. So I don't get all this."

With Walsh reducing the payroll to roughly $58 million, around the salary cap, Dolan no longer is paying through the nose to lose. In fact, Dolan will pay $60 million less on this club than the one Walsh inherited. That club had a $93 million payroll and Dolan forked over another $24 million in luxury tax. And the team went 33-49.

"I think as far as position, it's exactly where I wanted it," Walsh said. "If we had LeBron [James] and Amar'e, we might be in better position. But I thought we'd get a team and start rebuilding it in the third year. We've done that and I see a future in this team. I don't build a championship team in three years but we started the process. I wanted it to be financially good cap-wise in position to get better and it is."

Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, whose future depends on Walsh coming back, said: "That's something he'll take care of and management will take care and it will work itself out."






E. Carchia

E. Carchia

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