Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE
The Knicks’ former president and current advisor has a contract that expires June 30, but has received permission from Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan to speak with other teams about executive positions. Walsh, 71, brought the Knicks back to respectability and has conquered several health challenges over the past few years. He’s nowhere near wanting to remain in a permanent state of retirement. With Bird believed to be on the way out in Indiana, owner Herb Simon could keep the structure mostly intact by keeping GM David Morway, making Kevin Pritchard’s role more permanent and bringing Walsh back to oversee the front office. There also are indications that the Magic could be interested, which would be a coup for an organization looking to create an atmosphere of respect and accountability to calm the Dwight Howard drama, which has not been extinguished but only delayed. Unless Howard is completely out to lunch, he’d have to recognize that putting Walsh in charge — with a proven day-to-day GM like former Hornets executive Jeff Bower — would put the Magic on solid footing.
Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel takes a look at Orlando’s news #2 point guard, Ish Smith:
He was out of basketball until the Magic signed him in early February. He had been waiting for a call after being waived by Golden State on Jan. 13.
“It sounds like a cliché,’ but it’s all about winning, not about me,” Smith said. “You win, you’re remembered.
“You win, you’ll feel the repercussions and the good things will come later.”
RT @dlandon13:what do you think of ish smith taking Duhon job as the backup pg? —> Chris has quit on Stan, so yes Ish works…
— Steve Kyler (@stevekylerNBA) April 11, 2012
RT @magicfan2301: when you say he quit? —> when you blow off practice twice in a row when your team is struggling… that’s quitting to me
— Steve Kyler (@stevekylerNBA) April 11, 2012
And of the seven other teams likely to make the East playoffs, the Magic match up best against the Pacers.
The Pacers would not be an easy opponent. Indiana has improved across the board, highlighted by the continued development of 7-foot-2 center Roy Hibbert and the emergence of shooting guard Paul George.
Still, the Magic won the regular-season series three games to one, including a 102-83 blowout win in Indianapolis on Jan 24 and a gritty 85-81 win in Indianapolis on Feb. 4 in which the Magic flew to Indiana on the day of the game.
(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, ESPN Florida’s Magic Insider (http://ESPNFlorida.com) and is the co-host of the ESPNFlorida.com Insiders Show Sunday mornings at 10:00 am EST. Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here)
Topics: Chris Duhon, Donnie Walsh, Ish Smith, Jeff Bower, Orlando Magic
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