Isiah Thomas, James Dolan Comment on Former Coach's Future With Knicks

In a portion of the interview on HBO's Real Sports that won't air on Tuesday night, New York Knicks owner James Dolan and Isiah Thomas all but shut the door on a return for Thomas to the Knicks organization.  

"I can comfortably tell you this: I don't see myself ever coaching the Knicks," Thomas told Real Sports' Bryant Gumbel (via Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News).

Thomas' comment was a bit open-ended in that he only specified he wouldn't coach the Knicks again; he didn't eliminate team president—a role he occupied from 2003-2008—or another front-office position as possible options.

Dolan, however, was a little more definitive, citing the New York market as motivation for Thomas to stay away from the Knicks altogether:

Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press remains skeptical Knicks fans have seen the last of Thomas, at least going by Dolan's reasoning:

Considering the history between Dolan and Thomas, a reunion isn't out of the question.

Dolan has been almost stubborn in his loyalty to Thomas, sticking with Thomas as team president for so long despite the team's results and then making him head coach in 2006.

Dolan also drew a lot of criticism for his decision to install Thomas as president of the WNBA's New York Liberty. Anucha Browne Sanders, a former team executive for the Knicks, won an $11.6 million sexual harassment lawsuit—of which Thomas was at the center—against Dolan and Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks were a disaster on the court during Thomas' stewardship, so the fanbase would likely be less than receptive to the idea of him coming back to the Garden in any official capacity.