Donnie Walsh Upset Over Knicks’ Hiring of Isiah Thomas

According to both the NY Post and NY Daily News, Knicks President Donnie Walsh — much like all Knicks fans — couldn’t believe his boss re-hired Zeke, and nearly quit upon learning of the decision: “Isiah Thomas nearly climbed the corporate ladder from consultant to Knicks president on Day 1 of his new job with the club. The Daily News has learned that Donnie Walsh considered resigning after Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan made the controversial move to hire Thomas, but Walsh decided to continue running the team despite his objections to Thomas having a role in the front office. ‘Donnie finds this entire thing distasteful,’ said one NBA source. ‘He’s had second thoughts about staying but he wants to finish the job.’ Walsh, who did not return phone calls yesterday, is under contract through 2012. Last month, he denied a published report that he was contemplating retirement for health reasons. Dolan’s insistence on giving Thomas the ambiguous title of consultant angered Walsh, who for two years has been trying to hire former St. John’s All-American Chris Mullin as general manager. Dolan has refused to sign off on hiring Mullin and clearly has designs on giving that position to Thomas, who also holds the title of head coach at Florida International University in Miami.