“Everyone I’ve spoken to on this situation has given me the advice to start all over, blow it up.”ISIAH THOMAS
MIAMI – The advice Isiah Thomas has received from four basketball people he is close to has been what some knick fans have been saying for two years – blow it up and start over.
However, the Knicks’ new boss said he’s not ready to do so. Not yet, anyway.
“I spoke to four people I respect a lot,” Thomas said before the Knicks faced the Heat last night. “Everyone I’ve spoken to on this situation has given me the advice to start all over, blow it up, get under the salary cap and [stink] for five years. Before I go that route, I will give guys enough firepower to go out and win games.”
Those who think the Knicks should move under the cap are oblivious to the notion that it would take five years – when Allan Houston’s $100 million deal expires – to have a shot of accomplishing such a feat. That’s how buried the Knicks are – with an $89 million payroll, they are $43 million over the salary cap.
“When I’m talking about rebuilding, we’re not talking about rebuilding the team, we’re talking about rebuilding our salary cap,” Thomas said. “That’s two different things – there’s a salary-cap game, then there’s a talent game. We want to win while restructuring our other game.”
However, Thomas seems ready to cut payroll, admitting he has some interest in Houston free agent Eddie Griffin, who is under house arrest awaiting trial on a domestic violence charge. “We could be interested, yeah,” Thomas said.
“I can’t think of an organization that’s been saddled with this type of debt structure, that’s blown it up and started all over,” Thomas said. “I want that to be my last resort. I don’t want to come in and put a team out there that [stinks] for five years to get better. It’s my last resort not my first option. Before I push that button, I want to explore every possible option to make us better.”
One way of beginning the process of getting under the cap is by letting Antonio McDyess’ $13 million contract come off the cap this summer. But Thomas may look to trade the pact and get some talent in return.
In five short days, beginning last Monday and ending Friday, Thomas has indicated his distaste for virtually every move former Knick GM Scott Layden made.
Thomas doesn’t think the franchise can rely solely on McDyess’ recovery – something Layden stubbornly did. Clarence Weatherspoon, the undersized power forward whom Layden gave a full mid-level exception – five years at $28 million, will be bought out and waived any day now. But that would save only $1-2 million and not help the cap that much.
Thomas has questioned the team’s pride and toughness, released second-round pick, 7-5 Slavko Vranes on Christmas Eve and ripped their other second-rounder Maciej Lampe.
The McDyess saga is getting worse. His left knee stiffened again in Memphis after the first quarter and he scored just two points in 22 minutes, coming off the bench. “I’m fine with coming off the bench,” McDyess said. “I’m not giving the team what it needs.”