The Fork in the Road

by Guichard Cadet

Something happens to the Knicks when they hit the road for an away game. They become a different team, one that lacks confidence and the desire to compete. Even elite NBA teams have losing records on the road. The Knicks' record is an appalling 8-27 for the year.

A week ago, with their playoff lives on the line, they went West and lost 4 straight games. Ironically their best game was against the best of those teams, the Seattle SuperSonics. Instead of being road warriors against Golden State, they looked worried as if the game could be the end of their season.

The Knicks’ problem can be narrowed down to one item. Isiah Thomas’ road map to the future has a fork in the road. No one feels secure as to his future with a team, headed by 2 defacto leaders – a much-maligned point guard, and a rookie head coach.

Recent Knicks history proves front office and coaching hiring/firing decisions are made in a New York minute. By the end of next season, unless the team shows significant improvement, Isiah may no longer be with the team.

On the one hand, Thomas is saying that you cannot rebuild in NY. Yet his recent trade suggests he is rebuilding, in that he essentially “gave up center Nazr Mohammed for two first-round draft picks”.

Throughout his life, Thomas has shown he can make the tough decisions. Examples include: defying Bobby Knight and leaving Indiana for the NBA Draft, leaving his post with the Toronto Raptors, and purchasing then selling the Continental Basketball Association.

These are the gambles of an extremely confident person. The next wager is whether to play it safe or put all the chips on the table.

Should Isiah coach the Knicks? From the moment Knicks brass announced they had hired Thomas as the team’s president, that question has hung over his head. When it came time to replace coaches Don Chaney and Lenny Wilkens, newspaper headlines challenged him to take over the team. Thomas’ answer from day one indicates he senses greater satisfaction in winning a championship from the front office, rather than the sidelines.

Though he’s yearned to stay the course, the straight path has led to two sub-par seasons. Left or right? Success is not guaranteed, even if you measure it only with a teaspoon.

The gamble: rookie head coach Herb Williams will guide the team to the next three playoff levels and then, win an NBA championship. With the coaching situation, Isiah's doomed either way he goes with Herb. If he keeps Williams, he looks like a “good guy”. What happens if by mid-season, the team hits a slump similar to this year’s?

If he fires Williams and bring in, (for simplicity’s sake) Phil Jackson, and the team hits a slump? Phil does not get fired. For clarity, see Jerry “The Logo” West! Jackson has a way of endearing himself to the clutch decision makers, e.g. MJ, Shaq, Jeannie Buss. Managing key relationships is the mainstay of Phil’s success.

No slump, and all the credit to Jackson, winner of his 10th championship!

If Thomas elects to coach the team, he would get demonized in the papers, for that being his plan from the onset. So? This team is his vision. The players will not dare question his authority. The coaching staff is already his. All that remains: keep the title of President, and get a person to handle the core GM responsibilities.

It’s better to lose than to snooze while trying to stay on the straight and narrow road.