By MARC BERMAN
There is no more supportive friend in this world than Post columnist Mike Vaccaro, who was there this weekend to help me celebrate a very special occasion for my 13-year-old son. But that doesn’t mean we don’t argue all the time. And it doesn’t mean I can’t take issue with his demanding the immediate firing of Isiah Thomas on our frontpage today.
Eddy Curry’s career-high 36-point explosion and three blocks Saturday night – his ninth straight 20-plus game – is just another reason to hold fire. There are others, beyond the Knicks having an Atlantic Division-high eight victories. Maybe Mike wants to fire Rod Thorn tomorrow, too.
We can’t make a final evaluation of this roster until his most important signing – Jared Jeffries – plays. Perhaps Jeffries is not the vitally important defensive piece that Isiah has talked about, but at least you have to see how it looks.
Their 8-14 record seems as unimpressive as every other team in the East. James Dolan has given Thomas a season – and he really wants to give him the whole season to evaluate all the young guys.
With Curry emerging as an All-Star candiate, the rush for Isiah’s head now looks premature. Isiah’s legacy is completely tied to Curry. There are so few dominating centers in this game. The Knicks may have a genuine franchise piece to build around. We don’t know yet.
Vaccaro wrote every Thomas trade has been “mindless, senseless.” Is the Curry trade senseless? They got Curry and gave up Mike Sweetney and Tim Thomas. As for the draft-pick part of the deal, the Knicks have Renaldo Balkman, whose playing, while Tyrus Thomas is not. And this summer’s draft-pick swap might not be noteworthy, if the Bulls continue to struggle.
David Lee is a great complement to Curry. And they have enough scoring guards for balance. But again, it’s all about whether you believe in Curry. If you do believe at age 23, Curry is going to be an All-Star center, you can’t even think about firing Isiah right now.
Isiah has been wrong on the fans since Day 1. He’s been too obsessed with the boos and telling the fans when and how to cheer. The line he uttered the other day he’d like to have back, about fans not “understanding” the game the way he sees it.
It’s funny to hear the fans chant “Ed-dy” the game after “Fire Thomas.” Can’t have it both ways.
But Isiah still is wrong about the fans. He may not be wrong about Curry. That’s all that should matter.