OвЂ™Connor left for Sacramento before BrownвЂ™s dismissal to be Eric MusselmanвЂ™s top assistant. вЂњLegally, the coachвЂ™s association is strong and they will be and, from what I know, they are.вЂќ With assurances from Brown that heвЂ™s not going to coach next season or perhaps ever again, Karl got the green light to pursue Knicks assistant Dave Hanners.Д«rown brought in Hanners, Phil Ford and Brendan OвЂ™Connor from Detroit. вЂњI made my comments about that,вЂќ Karl said. Karl, as part of the coachвЂ™s association, is supporting Brown. If Stern docks Brown some of his wages, itвЂ™s likely because of BrownвЂ™s vagabond career and not the KnicksвЂ™ bizarre case against him. Brown instead got a $7 million buyout on top of the KnicksвЂ™ $50 million contract. ThereвЂ™s a rumor, too, that Stern was willing to arbitrate the PistonsвЂ™ matter from last summer and told Detroit not to hesitate to go to arbitration. The matter is in the hands of NBA commissioner David Stern.ДЄ person connected to the Pistons said SternвЂ™s name was in BrownвЂ™s contract, too, in Detroit. Their decision not to pay him is unprecedented. вЂњIf we feel something will improve the basketball team, give us the resources to do that.вЂќ Karl is not alone in thinking the KnicksвЂ™ treatment of Brown across the span of his final 40 days as coach was wrong. вЂњWe have all the flexibility to do what we need to improve our basketball team,вЂќ Thomas said. HeвЂ™s just got to do it with a safe investment. Backing up what he said to Karl, Thomas intoned, вЂњWeвЂ™re not allowed to talk about other teamвЂ™s players.вЂќ In truth, the Knicks have scant interest in Martin because of his contract and risky knee problems.Д«ut Thomas denied heвЂ™s not allowed to add to the KnicksвЂ™ league-high payroll. Thomas made a telling remark when a Denver reporter asked about the interest level in ontheblock Nuggets power forward Kenyon Martin. In a nutshell, Thomas told Karl, вЂњstop talking about the Knicks.вЂќ Karl said the meeting ended well, with the Nuggets coach explaining heвЂ™s also defended Stan Van Gundy, and Van Gundy is not one of his pals like Brown is. Thomas must have forgotten the KnicksвЂ™ gag order did not extend to Denver. KarlвЂ™s charges were all on the mark, but Thomas was furious Karl supported Brown publicly. Karl, one of Larry BrownвЂ™s best buddies and a fellow North Carolina graduate, had made several critical remarks in the newspapers and on the radio about the KnicksвЂ™ handling of BrownвЂ™s dismissal and Isiah ThomasвЂ™ failure to support Brown during the season. LAS VEGAS вЂ“ High in the bleachers at UNLVвЂ™s Thomas & Mack Center Friday during the KnicksвЂ™ summer-league game, Isiah Thomas gave Nuggets coach George Karl an earful.

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