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Knicks fire Thomas as coach
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The New York Knicks have fired Isiah Thomas as head coach of the NBA team, club president Donnie Walsh announced on Friday.
Thomas, who also served as team president until Walsh was hired on April 2, steered the club to a 23-59 record this season. In two seasons as coach he compiled a 56-108 record.
"We've lost for four years and Isiah has been the coach the last two years and I just think a new voice, a new coach is necessary to change the direction of the team," Walsh told reporters on a teleconference call.
Thomas, a Hall of Fame player with the Detroit Pistons who had also previously coached the Indiana Pacers, added coaching duties to his role as president of the club after Larry Brown was fired following a 23-59 record in the 2005-2006 season.
The Knicks have reached the NBA playoffs just once since Thomas was put in charge of basketball operations in December 2003.
"The bottom line is we haven't won and the team didn't look like it was motivated to try to win and be competitive," Walsh said. "That isn't always the fault of the head coach but it certainly has to lie there."
Thomas has been embroiled in controversy off the court.
Last October, a federal jury in New York decided that Thomas had sexually harassed a female executive of the basketball team and awarded her $11.6 million in damages from team owner Madison Square Garden and its chairman James Dolan.
NO TITLE
Walsh said Thomas, who coached the Pacers when Walsh was in charge of basketball operations there, would remain with the Knicks without a title and would report directly to him.
"I value Isiah and his knowledge of the game and he will remain with the organization," Walsh said. "He will not have an official title but he will provide meaningful input to me."
Walsh said he informed Thomas of the decision on Friday and that the search for a coach would begin immediately.
"You're looking for someone who can lead men, who can teach basketball, who has a grasp of what the current game in the league is and the necessary elements that a team has to have to compete at a playoff level in this league," said Walsh.
(Reporting by Larry Fine; Editing by Trevor Huggins)
