Isiah's legacy: super player or bad GM?

Point forward · Post #1 » by **Point forward** » Sat Jan 5, 2008 4:27 pm

I really dig Isiah Thomas. He suffered a horrible childhood, was a Top 3 guard of a generation which featured Magic and MJ, and willed the Pistons to two rings. In the Stockton vs Isiah debate, I comfortably take Isiah.

But you know the never ending story about Isiah and the Knicks. He is running them into the ground, nothing he touches is working. FYI, he came in Dec 2003, and the Knicks won 37, 39, 33, 23 and 33 regular season games since then. I am not a Knicks fan, but my heart bled after the Blue and Orange were blown out back2back vs the Sixers, lost against the gimpy Kings (starting lineup: Miller/Garcia/Mikki/Salmons/Udrih), and got annihilated by the Celtics.

AT THIS MOMENT, when you think of Isiah, is he the greatest PG not named Magic and Oscar, or the guy who is destroying the Knicks? For me, he is still a Pistons legend first, but boy, he is quickly losing ground.

candy for lunch · Post #2 » by **candy for lunch** » Sat Jan 5, 2008 4:32 pm

You're forgetting the other things he's destroyed

bballcool34 · Post #3 » by **bballcool34** » Sat Jan 5, 2008 5:03 pm

To those who'd seen him play- he'll be remembered as a great player

To recent fans- he'll be remembered more as an incompetent general manager

NetsForce · Post #4 » by **NetsForce** » Sat Jan 5, 2008 6:11 pm

Even his good play can't offset his "skill" as a GM.

It's not just Isiah as the Knicks GM it's Isiah the basketball executive that has been so bad...

halfHAVOC · Post #5 » by **halfHAVOC** » Sat Jan 5, 2008 6:25 pm

superbad GM, because it happened after and is most recent.

TonyMontana · Post #6 » by **TonyMontana** » Sat Jan 5, 2008 9:02 pm

He sucks as a GM , but was one of the best P.G to ever play the game .IMO

Julio · Post #7 » by **Julio** » Sat Jan 5, 2008 10:14 pm

Point forward wrote:I really dig Isiah Thomas. He suffered a horrible childhood, was a Top 3 guard of a generation which featured Magic and MJ, and willed the Pistons to two rings. In the Stockton vs Isiah debate, I comfortably take Isiah.

But you know the never ending story about Isiah and the Knicks. He is running them into the ground, nothing he touches is working. FYI, he came in Dec 2003, and the Knicks won 37, 39, 33, 23 and 33 regular season games since then. I am not a Knicks fan, but my heart bled after the Blue and Orange were blown out back2back vs the Sixers, lost against the gimpy Kings (starting lineup: Miller/Garcia/Mikki/Salmons/Udrih), and got annihilated by the Celtics.

AT THIS MOMENT, when you think of Isiah, is he the greatest PG not named Magic and Oscar, or the guy who is destroying the Knicks? For me, he is still a Pistons legend first, but boy, he is quickly losing ground.

I tought you were talking about Thomas, not Frazier(who is IMO the 3rd best PG in history..I would go as far as call it a tie betwee him and Oscar).

Back on topic, as a player.He did bring his team 2 titles, during the best era for the NBA.

skones · Post #8 » by **skones** » Sat Jan 5, 2008 10:56 pm

He'll always be remembered as one of the best point guards to ever play the game.

hermes · Post #9 » by **hermes** » Sat Jan 5, 2008 11:09 pm

bballcool34 wrote:To those who'd seen him play- he'll be remembered as a great player

To recent fans- he'll be remembered more as an incompetent general manager

JordansBulls · Post #10 » by **JordansBulls** » Sun Jan 6, 2008 6:02 am

I think of him more as the player on the Pistons. Actually that's all I think of him as. The same as Mchale on the Celtics.

Jules Winnfield · Post #11 » by **Jules Winnfield** » Sun Jan 6, 2008 6:07 am

both. His legacy as a player and coach are separate.

Post #12 » by **tkb** » Sun Jan 6, 2008 9:48 am

I've got both too. I'm able to see through his horrible GM skills and appreciate him for the legend he was on the court.

Point forward · Post #13 » by **Point forward** » Sun Jan 6, 2008 12:33 pm

Julio wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
I tought you were talking about Thomas, not Frazier(who is IMO the 3rd best PG in history..I would go as far as call it a tie betwee him and Oscar).

Back on topic, as a player.He did bring his team 2 titles, during the best era for the NBA.

Frazier was an insanely good PG, and I have no probs if ppl say he is the third best PG all-time. I just like Isiah -- the PLAYER -- very much. On topic, I just cannot believe Zeke is so effective in destroying his own legacy.

mudyez · Post #14 » by **mudyez** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 5:36 pm

following the nba since 93...so he is the guy that killed one of the greatest nba-franchises

PharoaheMonch · Post #15 » by **PharoaheMonch** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 9:45 pm

"Destroyed the Knicks" ha ha.

People are acting like he destroyed some sort of championship dynasty team....newsflash, they were already pretty damn bad when he came and weren't going anywhere with that NY "now now, build later" mentality that everyone pushes.

Real basketball fans will remember Thomas for his fiery play.

PharoaheMonch · Post #16 » by **PharoaheMonch** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 9:47 pm

mudyez wrote:following the nba since 93...so he is the guy that killed one of the greatest nba-franchises

What did he kill? Am I mistaken or something.were we talking about a perennial contender or a powerhouse team when he got there?

He made it worse, but to suggest that he killed something that on the basketball court was barely alive..is absurd.

dingclancy · Post #17 » by **dingclancy** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 12:05 am

A great PG. Though if he does not stop outdoing Bill Walton with his quotes I dunno what to think.