5 Candidates To Replace Isiah Thomas As New York Knicks GM

James Dolan would make a terrible poker player. Instead of folding on a bad hand, he would raise the stakes or try bluffing out of trouble. In short, he would get taken.

After hearing the hometown boos of Madison Square Gardens, Dolan must re-examine his cards as New York Knicks’ owner.

Through everything that’s occurred, Dolan still holds power. His family won’t sell the team and the NBA can’t force him out. But even an absolute dictator, who inherited his position by birth, should know when the empire he rules is crumbling.

Since Dolan won’t leave, he should cut his losses and fire Isiah Thomas. Herb Williams and Glen Grunwald can fill-in as coach and GM.

Then Dolan must relinquish day-to-day power on all personnel decisions. This may seem like an unrealistic pipe dream, but it’s the only way to attract an elite GM and president.

After all, the Knicks need an architect with the resume, presence, and power to heal the franchise and convince Dolan to stay away from his toy. So who could replace Thomas?

Top Choices …

Candidate 1: Jerry Colangelo.

Why: Colangelo built a sports empire in the Arizona desert, so he’s shrewd, experienced, and talented. Best of all, he could probably convince his son, Bryan, to leave the Raptors and join him in the NYC. Did we mention the Colangelos are media friendly, too?

Why: Walsh, the classiest executive in pro sports, is stepping away from his longtime gig with the Indian Pacers. He’s a New York native and oozes professionalism. However, Walsh is close with Thomas and won’t undermine his friend by lobbying for the job.

Why: West is currently retired. The Logo won’t return to L.A. because, like Walsh, he doesn’t want to undermine his friend, current Laker GM Mitch Kupchak. Would West trade his Freedom 55 package for Dolan and The Big Apple?

The Dark-horses …

Candidate 4: Kiki Vandeweghe.

Why: He played in New York, rebuilt the Nuggets, and is smart enough to survive the organization’s internal politics. But does he have the credentials to stand up to Dolan?

Candidate 5: Glen Grunwald: 

Why: He’s everything Dolan isn’t: quiet, unassuming, and intelligent. However, he may be too meek to survive New York and his loyalty could lie with Thomas since ‘Zeke’ hired him.

Will Dolan hire one of these candidates? If so, who? Or will he bring in a puppet to replace Thomas? Get at us in the comment box below.

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