KFDM COOP Posted April 22, 2008 Report Posted April 22, 2008 Report: Ex-Knicks coach Thomas banned from contacting players Former New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas has been banned from having any contact with members of the team as part of his reassignment agreement with team president Donnie Walsh, the New York Daily News reported, citing a team source. Walsh, who replaced Thomas as the Knicks' president, fired him as coach last week after Thomas went 56-108 as coach, including this season's 23-59 disaster, the franchise's seventh straight losing season. He has been reassigned as an advisor to the team. According to the report, there is concern that Thomas, if allowed to have any contact with the team, could either willingly or unwillingly undermine its new coach. Thomas acquired all the players on the current Knicks roster as team president. But the agreement does not prohibit Thomas from speaking to Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan, according to the report. Thomas does not have an official title. He reports directly to Walsh, who said no player brought up Thomas' name during last week's exit meetings Thursday. Walsh said he wants a new coach in place by the draft in June, when the Knicks will finally have their lottery pick again after handing over their last two to Chicago in the Eddy Curry trade. Mark Jackson has been portrayed as the front-runner to succeed Thomas.
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