National Basketball Association

Woodson has no room for Isiah

Published May. 24, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

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Mike Woodson has no plans to hire former Knicks coach/president Isiah Thomas, the New York Post reported Thursday, as the coach's temporary role in New York was set to be secured.

The Knicks were expected to officially introduce Woodson, up until now an "interim" appointment, as their permanent head coach in a conference call Thursday after he piloted the Knicks to an 18-6 regular-season finish before the injury-hit team fell 4-1 to Miami in the first round of the playoffs.

Woodson was predicted to land a three-year deal with a package worth more than $10 million.

But it was understood Woodson has no plans to add the unemployed Thomas to his coaching staff, nor place him in an advisory role, as he seeks to set the foundations for a successful tenure in New York.

The Post said Woodson had dinner with Thomas, his old teammate at Indiana, last month in Westchester but is content with his current group.

Woodson brought in and plans to keep ex-Knicks point guard Darrell Walker, his former Hawks assistant Jim Todd and advisor Bill Smith, his high school coach in Indianapolis, while retaining Mike D'Antoni carryovers Herb Williams and Kenny Atkinson.