David Stern Accepts Blame for Knicks' Isiah Thomas Confusion

Filed under: Knicks

For several days in August, the New York Knicks had basketball fans everywhere scratching their heads with the news that ower James Dolan intended to hire Isiah Thomas as a consultant.

As confusing as it was to understand why Dolan would desire the services of the man responsible for driving his franchise into the ground, the most perplexing wrinkle was that Thomas intended on remaining in his capacity as head coach at Florida International University.

Needless to say, it didn't take long for the NBA to intervene, informing the Knicks that having an NCAA head coach on their payroll was a clear violation of league rules, prompting Thomas to rescind his interest. The conflict of interest seems so obvious; why did the Knicks ever think it might work?

Because David Stern said it would.

In an interview with several New York writers, the NBA commissioner admitted the mistake of initially giving the unusual arrangement the green light before later realizing it conflicted with league policy.

"It's fair to say I missed the issue,'' Stern said, cited in the New York Post. "I told them they can do it. And when it was announced, my guy said it's not allowed. I blew that one pretty good.

"It didn't comply with our rules and ultimately wouldn't have complied with NCAA rules."

 

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