Could Allan Houston Replace Isiah Thomas As New York Knicks’ GM?
October 13 07
The New York Daily News reports on an interesting development with Allan Houston trying out for the Knicks:
Even if Thomas elects to cut Houston - who played his rookie season with Thomas in 1993-94 with the Detroit Pistons - there is always the possibility of Dolan hiring Houston to join the Knicks’ front office. And considering that Thomas’ job status remains up in the air after he and the Garden were recently found liable for sexual harassment, Houston’s presence adds an interesting wrinkle to the fallout
My Quick Take: Has Isiah Thomas learned that karma is a mo-fo? I’m not referring to his sexual harassment case that dominated the NYC’s daily papers and captivated the entire NBA.
I’m referring to his habit of insulting powerful NBA players and having it come back to bite him in the you-know-what. Here are some examples:
- Thomas once refused to pass to Michael Jordan at an All-Star game. His Airness never forgot the slight and conspired with other superstars to successfully keep Thomas off the 1992 Dream Team.
- Thomas once declared that the media glorified Larry Bird because he was white. He then called Larry-legend overrated. Bird, after getting hired as Indiana’s GM, quickly fired Thomas as the team’s coach.
There are countless other examples. This makes Houston trying out for the Knicks so interesting. The classy shooting guard, as the Daily News mentioned, could land a front office job with the Knicks and then replace Thomas as GM.
Houston, after all, is everything Thomas isn’t. He’s well-respected by his peers. He’s a consensus-builder instead of a divider. He says the right things. And he has a professional relationship with the media. His hiring would provide the Knicks with some much-needed good publicity.
Sure, Houston lacks front office experience. But, like Thomas, he has New York owner James Dolan’s ear. And that’s what counts. So Thomas, if he cuts Houston, better tread carefully. The two could find themselves working together in a different capacity-and soon.
Could Allan Houston replace Isiah Thomas as the New York Knicks’ GM? Get at us in the comment box below with your thoughts.
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