Wayback Wednesday: What If…Isiah Thomas Was Traded to the Knicks?

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m pondering another historical NBA What If, specifically what if Isiah Thomas was traded to the Knicks in 1994?

Let it be known that I’m not a big fan of Isiah Thomas! I certainly respect his skill and accomplishments, and I’d even go so far as to say that like too many players of his era, he’s now become somewhat underrated. However, I’ve never respected his decision to lead the walk-off after the Chicago Bulls finally topped the Detroit Pistons in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals, and consider it a stain on his character. Also, many of his comments regarding Michael Jordan in recent years have been incredibly petty, and laughably inaccurate. I’d suggest that some of the harsh truths in The Last Dance hurt!

With that being said, he’s undoubtedly one of the all-time greats. On top of being a two-champion and 12-time All-Star, Isiah Thomas remains the Detroit Pistons’ all-time leader in points, assists, steals, and minutes, having spent his entire NBA career with the club. However, there was briefly a possibility that Zeke might end his career with the New York Knicks – a team that he’d later come to be associated with – and one more NBA Finals run. It’s an interesting What If, and with the Knicks back in the NBA Finals, it feels like a good time to revisit it! Let’s take a look back…way back…

By 1994, the Bad Boy Pistons were no more. Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, and Bill Laimbeer were the only players left from the championship teams, and Laimbeer retired early in the season following an altercation with Thomas in practice. The previous season, the Pistons missed the Playoffs for the first time since 1983, and were on pace to do so again in the early weeks of the 1994 campaign. As such, it seemed highly unlikely that Zeke would have an opportunity to contend for a third ring as long as he remained in Detroit, who were looking to rebuild. Come January 1994, there was talk that Isiah Thomas could be traded to the New York Knicks.

The Knicks were in need of a capable point guard after Doc Rivers went down for the year with a knee injury, and Isiah Thomas certainly fit the bill, aging and banged up as he was. Zeke was coming off a season in which he played 79 games and was still an All-Star, averaging a respectable 17.6 ppg and 8.5 apg. Though he was sidelined by a strained right arch as the swap was being discussed, Thomas had put up 14.3 ppg and 9 apg in the 15 games he’d played, demonstrating that he remained a reliable floor general. Acquiring Isiah Thomas for Tony Campbell, Tim McCormick, and a 1994 first round pick would’ve been an absolute steal for the Knicks, and worth the gamble.

However, the deal didn’t happen. Thomas had a no-trade clause in his contract, and ultimately chose to veto the deal, turning down the opportunity join a contender. In fact, he even signed an extension with the Pistons in the wake of declining the trade! Unfortunately for Thomas, he suffered an Achilles injury with three games left in the season, and retired shortly afterwards. As for the Knicks, with Isiah Thomas off the table, they instead traded Tony Campbell and a 1997 first round pick to the Dallas Mavericks for veteran point guard Derek Harper. Harp was solid for New York in their run to the Finals, but they would fall to the Houston Rockets in seven games.

That brings us to the What If of Isiah Thomas joining the Knicks in 1994 instead of Derek Harper. Let it be known that unsurprisingly, Zeke himself has a few thoughts on the matter! As documented by then-Chicago Tribune writer and the author of The Jordan Rules, Sam Smith, as the Knicks were preparing for a showdown with the Bulls in March 1998, Thomas – an NBA on NBC analyst at the time – opined that if he’d agreed to be traded to New York in 1994, “we’d have won it”. Zeke reasoned that if he’d been there to provide veteran leadership in Game 7, he’d have instructed John Starks to stop shooting and get the ball to Patrick Ewing, or would’ve done so himself.

Of course, what else is he supposed to say; especially in 1998, still in his 30s and only four years removed from that What If? “Nah man, I was washed. I wouldn’t have been able to make a difference!” No all-time great is saying that unless they truly couldn’t go anymore, and even then, it’d likely be several years before they’d admit to it! To that point, Isiah Thomas could still go when the Knicks were looking to acquire him. Sure, his prime was unquestionably in the rear view mirror, but the Patrick Ewing-led Knicks didn’t need him to be a superstar. It’s not as though they didn’t come close to winning it all, and Zeke’s championship experience could’ve been what they needed.

Mind you, there’s a very good chance that had he joined the Knicks, Isiah Thomas wouldn’t be suiting up for them come the NBA Finals, but rather sporting a suit on the sidelines. Obviously, in considering all the possible outcomes of this What If, we have to picture a scenario where Thomas remains healthy throughout the 1994 postseason. At the same time, there’s also a strong possibility that he would’ve been hobbled and eventually forced out of action by injury. That’s not to say his Achilles injury was inevitable, and freak injuries can feasibly strike any player at any time. Once again though, Zeke was definitely ailing by 1994, so there’s no guarantee he’d be healthy.

It’s also worth noting that Thomas suffered a wrist injury in 1991 – specifically his right wrist, his shooting hand – which he’s since cited as the beginning of the end of his career. Indeed, his final two seasons were his worst shooting the ball, though in 1992 his percentages were about on par with his career numbers. In any case, there were clearly questions about Thomas’ health and durability by 1994, and that needs to be taken into consideration here. Furthermore, there’s the question of chemistry and consistency. If nothing else, Derek Harper was far less turnover prone that year. It’s possible that the Knicks don’t reach Game 7 with Zeke, or even make it to the Finals.

Let’s say that they do though, and he’s on the floor and relatively healthy in Game 7. It’s not unthinkable that it would’ve played out as he said. Granted, the Knicks already had great leadership in Pat Riley, who’d coached the Showtime Lakers to four titles, but it couldn’t have hurt to have had some extra leadership out on the floor. Yes, Harp was a capable veteran playmaker, but I’d suggest that Thomas would’ve had both the experience and clout to take charge, directing the offense towards Ewing and away from Starks’ abysmal shooting. And so, if the Knicks were to find themselves in the same scenario with Isiah Thomas on their roster, yes, they may have beaten Houston!

Beyond how the NBA Finals ultimately went down, Isiah Thomas being traded to the Knicks in 1994 would’ve resulted in some very interesting scenarios and subplots. He would’ve been joining the team that eliminated his Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 1992 Playoffs; his most recent postseason appearance. He’d also be playing for Pat Riley, who had been coaching the Lakers when the Pistons faced them in the Finals in 1988 and 1989. Assuming the brackets and first round results remain the same, in the second round Zeke would face an extremely familiar foe in the Chicago Bulls. That would’ve given him the chance for revenge on route to a third championship ring.

Adding Isiah Thomas to that Knicks-Bulls series is a very interesting What If! That matchup, and the 1994 season in general, has become a popular talking point when disparaging Michael Jordan’s legacy. That’s a topic for another day, but needless to say, there are many oversimplifications and inaccuracies in those arguments! On top of the series-saving game-winners for Chicago, it’s often rather conveniently forgotten that Harper was ejected in Game 3 and suspended for Game 4, both Bulls victories. If Thomas was in his place, even with the bad blood from the Bad Boy Pistons days, I think he’d have demonstrated poise and potentially helped the Knicks get a sweep.

The ripple effects on NBA history and the resulting narratives are what make What If scenarios so fun to ponder! Assuming the Knicks did win the 1994 title after trading for Isiah Thomas, it’s also interesting to wonder what would’ve happened next. Does he retire? The extension that Zeke signed with Detroit in the wake of vetoing the trade to New York was seemingly setting him up for a farewell tour in the 1995 season, before becoming a part-owner with a potential front office role. In the wake of his Achilles injury, both of those plans fell through, though he ended up in a similar role with the Toronto Raptors. Had he been healthy, 1994 may not have been his last year.

If his comments back in March 1998 are anything to go by, Thomas would’ve at least been open to playing another season in New York and possibly defending a title. He did admit that he wasn’t sure they could’ve beaten the Bulls with Michael Jordan, but did say “the war would have continued”. He also believed he could still play and start in the NBA in 1998. Again, it’s the kind of bluster that you expect from all-time greats whenever they’re asked about such possibilities, but given that Zeke was only 36 at the time, it wasn’t a totally outrageous claim. As far as this What If is concerned, it definitely seems that he might’ve played a lot longer if he didn’t injure his Achilles.

As I’ve previously noted when discussing NBA What Ifs, while they’re certainly fun and fascinating to think about, they don’t conclusively prove any particular imagined result. It doesn’t mean that we can’t wonder and argue in favour of certain outcomes, and of course, try to make them tangible in video games. With that in mind, the What If of Isiah Thomas going to the Knicks in 1994 is one that we can simulate using the Super Nintendo version of NBA Live 95! Just for fun, I figured that I would do that, and see what kind of results it yields. After all, reversing the Dominique Wilkins for Danny Manning trade breaks the game, so who knows what impact Zeke can have!

In order to be as accurate as possible, I wanted to make the deal in January. Since it’s impossible to properly reverse the Derek Harper-Tony Campbell swap owing to the inability to trade bench players, I had to give the Knicks Fat Lever as their starting point guard through December. I simulated through to January 3rd, which was around the time that the Zeke to New York rumours were swirling. Fortunately, an aging Fat Lever didn’t tank the Knicks, who were 15-11 when I stopped simulating games; close enough to the 18-8 that they were when they were looking to acquire Isiah Thomas. Meanwhile, the Pistons were 7-21, almost matching their 8-20 record at that point.

After trading Isiah Thomas to the Knicks for Fat Lever, I simulated through the rest of the season. New York ended up with a 61-21 record, besting their actual 1994 season mark by four wins (not to mention topping their 1993 total by one). The Mavericks meanwhile went 30-52 with Harper in their lineup from start to finish, well ahead of their actual 13-69 record that year. They still missed the Playoffs, which is what I wanted as I deliberately chose them so that the postseason would be automatically simulated after completing the regular season! Incidentally, the Pistons finished with a 10-72 record; arguably a little harsh, but I’d expect them to bottom out without Isiah.

Let it be known that NBA Live 95 for Super Nintendo doesn’t think that Isiah Thomas would’ve helped the Knicks win the championship in 1994! Instead, it had them fall to the Bulls – this time in the Eastern Conference Finals – in an unspecified number of games. Mind you, the actual champion Houston Rockets ended up succumbing to the Seattle Supersonics in the second round, and then the Sonics defeated the San Antonio Spurs to advance and beat the Bulls for the title. Chicago vs. Seattle with the Sonics winning isn’t an uncommon result when simulating seasons with the default or barely-modified rosters in NBA Live 95 SNES, so it wasn’t altogether surprising to see that.

While this What If may have resulted in further glory for Isiah Thomas, I think it’s for the best that he didn’t join the Knicks in 1994. Sure, he could’ve added another ring and maybe retired on top, but contrary to his claims in 1998, it’s also quite possible that the Rockets still prevail. With all the wear and tear on his body and the nagging injuries in his final season, there’s a chance that Zeke would’ve been severely limited or still ended up sidelined in New York. Instead of remaining among the ranks of all-time greats who spent their entire career with one team, he’d have a half-season with a different club, and possibly not even end up with another championship to show for it.

Then again, had Isiah Thomas been able to help the Knicks win a ring, it would’ve added to his legacy. He wasn’t bitterly demanding out of Detroit or ring-chasing, but rather was offered a chance to compete by a front office that knew their time at the top was over, and valued his contributions over the years. If he’d been the final piece of the championship puzzle for the Knicks, then even with his declining numbers, his final season would be held in high regard, and potentially been a storybook ending for him. As for the Knicks, they’d have broken a championship drought, though they’d also end up bearing the “well, MJ was retired” stigma that the Rockets (unfairly) did!

I’m sure Knicks fans would’ve still appreciated the championship despite that, but again, all things considered, I think history went down the way it was supposed to. No, it wasn’t a great final season for Isiah Thomas, playing on a lottery-bound team and suffering a career-ending injury. It doesn’t overshadow his accomplishments though, and no one can accuse him of ring-chasing; especially since he had the choice and decided to remain in Detroit. He’d later have his chance to pilot the Knicks to success as a coach and president of basketball operations. Unfortunately for Knicks fans, it didn’t work out nearly as well as it might have if they’d traded for him in 1994.