The National Basketball Players Association has had talks with Isiah Thomas about the possibility that he could be its next executive director, Thomas tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. Thomas was “aggressively pursuing” the job at one point, but that’s no longer the case, according to Berman. Thomas served as president of the union for several years during his playing career with the Pistons.
The 52-year-old said this spring that he was “definitely” interested in returning to basketball as either a coach or a GM, but he tells Berman that he’s now more focused on business ventures. Still, Thomas said he’d listen if a team asked him to join its front office. He also left the door open for a return to the Knicks, though he’s not anxious to see that happen.
“I want to be clear about it today,’’ Thomas said. “I have really moved on, and I moved on years ago. Everyone else should really do the same.”
Knicks owner James Dolan said he wouldn’t hire Thomas back, as we passed along today. Berman hears that even if Dolan wanted to do so, Thomas would only work as Knicks GM if the owner would lift his policy of not allowing his executives to freely address the media.