NY Knicks: Odds for Top 10 Candidates to Claim Donnie Walsh's Old Job
The search for Donnie Walsh's replacement has officially begun for the New York Knicks, and all indications are that it will take awhile.
With the potential for a lockout still looming over the New York organization and the rest of the NBA, the Knicks are in no rush to find someone to fill Walsh's shoes.
However, at some point a replacement will be found and the Walsh era will officially reach its conclusion. It is an ugly truth, but a truth nonetheless.
There have been surprisingly few names thrown around in regards to whom will replace Walsh. When it comes to the New York scene, there is usually an abundance of rumors regarding recent personnel moves and vacancies.
However, we currently find ourselves without too many names, publicly that is, on the list of possible successors for Walsh.
There is no doubt that whomever takes over will have their work cut out for them. Walsh will be a tough act to follow considering all he has accomplished for this organization. In effect, the Knicks will have to be very selective when it comes to selecting his successor.
So without further ado, he are the odds for the top ten candidates to claim Walsh's old job.
No. 10: Isiah Thomas: 1000-1
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Before most true Knicks and basketball fans close this window and move on to someone else's article, hear me out.
Isiah Thomas has to be on this list, and quite frankly, we should feel fortunate that he is this low on it.
His continued ties to the Knicks and owner James Dolan have been quite public as of late, and although Dolan and even Thomas maintain that these claims are not true, they cannot all be fabricated. Thomas still is involved in the decision-making process in this organization in some capacity, and that is more than enough at this point.
From the moment Thomas joined the organization in 2003, he has caused nothing but pain for the Knicks and their fans. He traded for Eddy Curry. He signed Jerome James and Jared Jefferies to full mid-level exception contracts. And he molded the Knicks into the laughing stock of the NBA with the highest payroll.
Word is that Walsh will help the Knicks find his replacement, and if this is true, you can bet Thomas will not even be considered.
Odds are that even if Walsh is not involved in the hiring process, Thomas will not be considered. Dolan's PR status is low enough as it is, and even he will not want it to suffer further injury.
On the other hand though, odds are that Dolan and Thomas are still frequenting each other's blackberries and sneaking the occasional text message.
And that is why Thomas is on this list.
No. 9: Allan Houston: 100-1
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Former Knicks shooting guard Allan Houston has long been considered Walsh's successor.
For the past few years, many have believed that Walsh and the rest of the organization were grooming Houston to take over once Walsh retired. However, Walsh left sooner than expected, and the Knicks do not feel that Houston is ready yet. This is why the odds are stacked against him.
Also, Houston was just named the GM to the Knicks' D-league affiliate, further lessening the probability that he is their next President and GM.
Houston's public-friendly persona and attachment to the organization make him a good candidate in the eyes of Knicks fans. They would take solace in knowing that the future of the team is in the hands of someone who actually cares about the franchise's future, and who was the understudy to Walsh himself.
His current position, though, is considered by most to be the next step in the developing process for him to take over. More likely than not, Houston will be the successor to Walsh's successor if he performs adequately in his new position.
No. 8: Kiki Vandeweghe: 75-1
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Another former Knicks player in Kiki Vandeweghe makes the list of potential replacements for Donnie Walsh.
In addition to Allan Houston, Vandeweghe has generated some consideration for the position.
Vandeweghe has a strong front office track record. He spent time with the Dallas Mavericks and helped them develeop Dirk Nowitzki. He then went on to spend time with the Denver Nuggets, with whom he drafted Carmelo Anthony and hired current head coach George Karl.
After his stint with the Nuggets, Vandeweghe landed with the New Jersey Nets as an assistant to GM Rod Thorn. Vandeweghe also served time as the interim head coach for the Nets, replacing Lawrence Frank. When Mikihail Prokhorov took over the Nets, it was announced that Vandeweghe would not be returning.
Vandeweghe would be a solid replacement for Walsh. He has a good relationship with Anthony and has proven he can be instrumental in the drafting and development of players.
However, Vandeweghe is not too close to the top on the Knicks' list because it is believed New York would prefer to find a solution within the organization.
Nonetheless, if Dolan and the Knicks decide to take their search outside of current personnel, Vandeweghe could prove to be a very strong candidate.
No. 7: Danny Ferry: 65-1
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Former NBA player and Cleveland Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry also makes the list of possible candidates to take Walsh's old job.
During his time with the Cavs, Ferry brought in players such as Mo Williams, Shaquille O'Neal and Antwan Jamison to pair with superstar LeBron James. However, he could never quite find the supporting cast mate to help push LeBron and the Cavs over that championship plateau.
While some call his acquisitions mediocre, it cannot be denied that the Cavaliers had success during his tenure. Yes, they had James, but Ferry was able to put players like O'Neal and Jamison around him to at least keep the team relevant.
His greatest failure was perhaps his inability to acquire Amar'e Stoudemire from the Phoenix Suns before the 2010 trading deadline, which ultimately cost the Cavs James.
The general consensus is that while Ferry is on the list, he is not a top candidate. His experience in dealing with superstars makes him a candidate, but others rank higher on the Knicks' wish list.
No. 6: Mark Warkentien 50-1
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Former Denver Nuggets GM Mark Warkentein may also be considered for the position.
He was brought into the fold this past season to help facilitate the Carmelo Anthony trade. He effectively generated talks between the two parties and caught the attention of James Dolan, who absolutely coveted Anthony.
Warkentein does have GM experience obviously, taking over the reigns after Kiki Vandeweghe left the organization. He was the orchestrator of the trades that brought Allen Iverson and Chauncey Billups to Denver.
Two crucial factors help Warkentien's case for the position: his relationship with the already-reveled Anthony and the fact that he is already employed by the organization.
It is believed that the Knicks would prefer to find a replacement in-house and Warkentien would meet such criteria. However, there are other current New York personnel that are believed to be higher up on the candidate list.
However, if Warkentien is able to distinguish himself beyond his relationship with Carmelo Anthony, he will be a viable option to fill the void left by Walsh.
No. 5: Chris Mullin: 40-1
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Reports surfaced toward the end of 2010 that Donnie Walsh's preference is that Chris Mullin be his replacement.
Mullin, a former NBA player and Hall of Famer, has some front office experience from his time as the Golden State Warriors General Manager.
Walsh knows Mullin from his days in Indiana and likes the work he did in Golden State. Mullin left his position with the Warrior back in 2009 when it was announced that his contract would not be renewed.
Mullin has not yet been linked to any rumors as Walsh's replacement. You can bet, though, that if Walsh does have any say in the matter, he will push hard for Mullin, for whom he has great respect.
Mullin's greatest obstacle is James Dolan, who may not really want Walsh's input on who should replace him. This is probably why Mullin has not emerged as a very strong candidate to become Walsh's successor.
The Knicks' addition of Mullin to the front office is still a very real possibility.
No. 4: Jeff Bower: 20-1
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Former Hornets GM and head coach Jeff Bower comes in at the No. 4 most likely candidate to replace Donnie Walsh, which may surprise some people.
Yes, he is an outside candidate, but there is no denying his success.
Bower took a great risk in trading the franchise's star player in Baron Davis, but hit it big on said risk when he drafted Chris Paul in the 2005 NBA Draft. He is also responsible for trading for Tyson Chandler, thus pushing the Hornets to their first divisional title.
After Hurricane Katrina, the Hornets were forced to move to Oklahoma City, but Bower worked hard to keep the team competitive.
In November of 2009, Bower was made head coach of the Hornets, replacing Byron Scott. The team posted a 34-39 record.
Bower parted ways with the organization last summer, but the team that took the floor this past season and gave the Lakers a run for their money in the playoffs owes a great deal of its success to the work of Bower.
His experience and versatility when it comes to team management makes him a sleeper pick, and definitely a serious candidate should the Knicks turn their search outside the organization.
No. 3: Scott O'Neil: 10-1
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Scott O'Neil has been the President of Madison Square Garden since 2008.
O'Neil has had great success promoting the Knicks from a business angle, and he was a key part of their pitch to lure LeBron James to the Big Apple last summer. He is also widely respected throughout the basketball community.
Most may believe that O'Neil should be higher on this list. After all, we have established that the Knicks want to find a replacement for Donnie Walsh within the organization, and O'Neil is already a member of the Knicks personnel.
Despite this, though, O'Neil lacks experience in this department. His current job is very different than that of a GM, not to mention that although he was an integral part of the LeBron recruiting crew, this same team failed to convince James to join the Knicks.
What O'Neil has going for him is that according to multiple reports, he has close ties with James' agency, CAA, who also represents Chris Paul, a player that the Knicks openly covet.
Should O'Neil assume the role of GM, would that give the Knicks a better chance at completing their big three with the addition of Paul?
Who knows. But if he is the Knicks' choice to replace Walsh, you'd better believe his ties to Paul's agency are a huge reason for it.
No. 2: Kevin Pritchard: 5-1
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Former NBA player and Portland Trail Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard comes in at the No. 2 most likely candidate to replace Donnie Walsh.
With the Blazers, he was responsible and best known for the selection of Greg Oden in the 2007 draft. Pritchard also is responsible for the selections of Nicolas Batum and Jerryd Bayless, as well for acquiring the rights of Rudy Fernandez.
Nothing about his resume screams "amazing", but he has a reputation for being hard-working and is respected around the league. And the young core of players he assembled in Portland is nothing to shrug off.
It also must be noted that the Blazers were the second youngest team in league in 2008-2009 when they went on their incredible run and won 54 games.
Pritchard was released from the Blazers last summer and has been linked to rumors concerning Walsh's job ever since. He would almost be a lock for the position if not for the fact that the Knicks strongly desire to fix this problem in-house.
If it becomes clear to New York though that the solution to their problem does not lie within the organization, you can bet that Pritchard will be their first option.
No. 1: Glen Grunwald: 2-1
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Glen Grunwald is the former GM of the Toronto Raptors and currently serves as the Knicks' senior Vice President of basketball operations.
When it was announced that Donnie Walsh was leaving, he was named the Interim GM and remains the favorite to land the position permanently.
Why exactly?
Well, he does have front office experience prior to coming to the Knicks. Also, he is already an employee and as I have stated many times in this slideshow, the Knicks prefer to find someone in-house to replace Walsh.
Also, Grunwald is highly respected around the NBA and has been with the Knicks through both the Isiah Thomas and Walsh eras. He is actually a personal favorite of Thomas, which is why Dolan is sold on the idea.
A very possible scenario involves the Knicks allowing Grunwald to operate as the GM for the season as a try-out for the permanent position. He edges out Scott O'Neil because of his relationship Thomas, and knowing the influence that Thomas has over Dolan, this is completely justifiable.
However, do not let Grunwald's relationship with Thomas fool you; the man knows what he is doing.
With the Toronto Raptors, he was responsible for trading for Vince Carter and drafting Tracy McGrady, two superstars whose careers have been marred by injuries, not potential.
The McGrady pick is a definite eye-catcher. The Knicks, for the past decade, have had problems selecting players who can make an actual difference. Danilo Gallinari is probably the team's most significant selection and he is no longer with the team.
New York would definitely be at a drafting advantage with Grunwald at the helm.
His reputation and widespread respect make him a favorite to land the position, and as Interim GM, he should consider this his tryout for the permanent position.
If all goes well, Knicks fans may want to get used to seeing him as the GM, because there is a very real chance he will remain so permanently.
