When the Knicks were trying to convince their fans that Isiah Thomas should work for the team again, they made sure to mention how Thomas helped get free agent Amar’e Stoudemire to sign here.
Stoudemire says that isn’t true.
New York Magazine on Thursday revealed this exchange between its reporter and Stoudemire:
NYM: Between the day free agency started and the day that you signed, did you talk to Isiah Thomas?
AS: No. I didn’t talk to him once.
NYM: Not once? He didn’t influence you to come here?
AS: I never talked with him once.
NYM: Wait, so have you even met him?
AS: A while ago, I think.
NYM: So, to be clear, you didn’t talk to him at ALL during this negotiating process with the Knicks?
AS: Nope.
At the July 8 press conference to announce Stoudemire’s signing, Knicks president Donnie Walsh thanked Thomas for his help recruiting Stoudemire.
Then, on Aug. 6, when Thomas was about to be rehired by the Knicks, a statement released by the team, credited to James Dolan and Donnie Walsh read, “Isiah was helpful to the team’s senior management during our most recent recruitment efforts, including assisting with the acquisition of Amar’e Stoudemire.”
The Knicks said Thomas was being hired as a part-time consultant to “assist the team’s senior management in various capacities, including player recruitment.” However, after the NBA questioned the arrangement over Thomas’ full-time job as a college head coach, he withdrew from the Knicks’ contract.
The magazine conducted the interview as part of a feature planned for an upcoming edition.