NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
Few owners in professional sports have generated more controversy with less winning than James Dolan.
In more than 25 years running the New York Knicks, he has fired coaches, feuded with legends, lost a sexual harassment verdict, banned lawyers with facial recognition software, ejected a beloved former player in front of a national audience and sued a rival franchise in a move the rest of the NBA largely viewed as bizarre.
Advertisement
Through it all, he has refused to sell, refused to step back and refused to stop inserting himself into decisions that have repeatedly damaged one of the most valuable franchises in sports.
Here’s a look at his time with the team:
1994: The purchase
Cablevision founder Charles Dolan bought out ITT’s half of Madison Square Garden and the Knicks for $650 million in 1997, the family had full control. His son James got the job of running the teams.
2000: Patrick Ewing gone
Patrick Ewing gave the franchise 15 years and never got a ring. When he requested a trade, the Knicks sent him to Seattle in a 12-player deal without a proper sendoff. He spent two decades outside before the current front office brought him back as a basketball ambassador.
Advertisement
2003: Isiah Thomas
Dolan hired Isiah Thomas, freshly fired by Indiana with no front office experience, as president of basketball operations.
2005-2006: Larry Brown
Thomas hired Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown on a five-year, $50 million deal, which was the richest coaching contract in NBA history. It fell apart quickly as Brown openly feuded with Stephon Marbury, the team went 23-59 and Brown was gone after one season.
2007: Sexual harassment verdict
Former Knicks executive Anucha Brown Sanders sued Thomas, MSG and Dolan, alleging Thomas called her a “bitch” and a “ho” and made unwanted advances. A jury believed her and awarded her a settlement worth approximately $11.6 million.
Advertisement
Then NBA Commissioner David Stern said that going to trial rather than settling “was not a model of intelligent management.”
Eight years later, on HBO, James Dolan said he still thought Brown made it up.
2008: End of the Thomas error
Four-plus…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/james-dolan-25-years-chaos-120311134.html
Author :
Publish date : 2026-06-01 12:03:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
