Scott Layden
Encyclopedia
Scott Layden is an assistant coach who is currently in his second season with the Utah Jazz
. He is one of four assistants. Layden's objective as an assistant coach is to help Jazz players improve their basketball skills, prepare them for opponents with the use of scouting reports, and to coordinate the use of advance scouts. He is the son of former coach and general manager of the Jazz, Frank Layden
, and a graduate of Saint Francis University
in Loretto, Pennsylvania
.
out of Gonzaga University
with the 16th pick in the 1984 NBA Draft
: John Stockton
. The following year, he directed the draft again and selected Karl Malone
with the 13th pick. Stockton and Malone helped the Jazz make the playoffs 18 consecutive seasons, including two Western Conference Titles in 1997 and 1998
. From 1988-90 he was the team's director of player personnel & assistant coach, a position he held shortly before he gave up his seat as assistant coach to focus solely on being the director of player personnel. In 1992 he was given the position of director of basketball operations, where he stayed until his 1996 promotion to vice president of basketball operations. He left the organization in 1999 to replace interim general manager of the New York Knicks
Ed Tapscott
.
He also served a one year stint working as a guest commentator for NBA TV
in 2004.
executive vice president and general manager from 1999-2001, and the president and general manager of the organization from 2001-2003. The Knicks under Layden's watch (and of his successor Isiah Thomas
) were called the "Worst Franchise in Sports" by ESPN.com.
season of 1998-99
that saw the team make history by becoming the first #8 seed in a conference to reach the NBA Finals
. He replaced interim GM Ed Tapscott
, who had already used the team's selection in the 1999 NBA Draft
to take injured Frenchman Frédéric Weis
with the team's first round pick.
The new GM
of the Knicks made his first notable transaction when he signed controversial shooting guard
Latrell Sprewell
to a five-year, $61.9 million dollar contract extension that would keep him in a Knick uniform through the 2003-04 season, although he would later be traded. Sprewell was a highly touted basketball talent, but he ran into off court issues with his former organization the Golden State Warriors
when he was accused of strangling then head coach P. J. Carlesimo during a practice. Soon after becoming a member of the Knicks, Sprewell was involved in a motor vehicle accident that saw him, "drive his Mercedes-Benz
on a freeway from an exit lane".
Kurt Thomas
to a 3-year, $13M contract extension with a 1-year team option.
On September 20, the Knicks GM traded veteran, all-star
, and team captain center
Patrick Ewing
to the Seattle SuperSonics
in a four-team deal that saw back-up center Chris Dudley
and the Knicks 2001 first-round draft pick go to the Phoenix Suns
, in return for forwards Glen Rice
& Lazaro Borrell
, guard Vernon Maxwell
, centers Luc Longley
, Travis Knight
, Vladimir Stepania
, a 2001 first-round draft pick from the Los Angeles Lakers
, a 2002 first-round draft pick from the Seattle SuperSonics, and two 2001 second-round draft picks. Rice played in 75 games, averaging 12 points-per-game for New York before being traded to Houston
. Knight appeared in 126 games over three seasons, averaging less than 9 minutes per-game. Longley played in 25 games for the Knicks averaging 2 points and 2.6 rebounds, while Borrell, Maxwell, & Stepania never saw action for the team. Ewing's production had decreased due to age and chronic injury over the past few seasons, and team brass felt that a deal was in the best interest of the future of the organization.
On January 30, 2001, guard Erick Strickland
and a first and second-round draft pick from the Ewing trade was sent to the Vancouver Grizzlies
for back-up forward
/center
Othella Harrington
. Harrington would go to play in 237 games for New York while only starting in 77. Vancouver would take Jamaal Tinsley
with the 27th-pick in the draft acquired from New York.
February 22 saw guard Chris Childs
and the other first-round draft pick sent to the Toronto Raptors
in exchange for aging guards Mark Jackson
and Muggsy Bogues
. Bogues would never appear in a game for the Knicks, while Jackson would play less than two full seasons for the team that originally made him the 18th pick in the 1987 draft
.
, Layden used the team's two second round picks on Michael Wright of Arizona
(39th overall) and center Eric Chenowith of Kansas
(43rd overall). Neither player ever saw action in the NBA.
On July 23, Knicks shooting guard
Allan Houston
re-signed as a free agent to a 6-year, $100M guaranteed contract that would keep him in New York until the 2006-07 season, when he would be 35. The signing made Houston, who had never averaged 20-points-per-game in a season at that time, the highest-paid player in franchise history. This transaction put the team "well over $80 million in payroll this season [2001]." Houston retired after the 2004-05 season with chronic knee complications; there was roughly $40,000,000 left on his contract.
Less than a month later, on August 10, Glen Rice
was traded to the Houston Rockets
and guard Muggsy Bogues
to the Dallas Mavericks
as part of a three-team deal in exchange for guard Howard Eisley
from the Mavericks and forward Shandon Anderson
from the Rockets. On paper this trade looks merely like a swap of average NBA players, but this was not the case. Eisley would end up playing in 154 games for Knicks, providing adequate numbers at the point guard
position, but he was currently in the second year of a 7-year, $41 Million contract that he signed by Layden's former organization, the Utah Jazz
. At the same time, Anderson, another former member of the Jazz
was in the first year of a 6-year, $42 Million contract that he signed with the Rockets
, which extended through the 2006-07 season. Anderson played in 245 games for the knicks over four seasons before being waived due to poor performance; he averaged less than 3 rebounds and 8 points-per-game during his stay. In comparison to the contracts New York gave up, Bogues was in the second year of a 4-year $8 Million contract with the fourth year being a team option, and Rice was under contract for three more years and $27 Million. The trade proved to be a bad financial decision as the team was well over the salary cap limit.
Layden's next major move came after the unexpected resignation of head coach Jeff Van Gundy
on December 8. Don Chaney
was selected as an interim coach for the remainder of the 2001-02 season. After the team went 20-43 .317% under his command, he was given a contract extension for the following season.
with the 7th pick in the 2002 NBA draft
, he was immediately traded along with Marcus Camby
and Mark Jackson
to the Denver Nuggets
in return for power forward
Antonio McDyess
, the draft rights to guard Frank Williams
and a 2003 second-round draft pick. McDyess, a former #2 draft pick, was already limited to role-player status due to chronic injury; He played only 18 games for the Knicks. Williams was a disappointment from the beginning, his Knick career lasted 65 games with only three starts. On the other end of this transaction, Denver
received a solid NBA player in power forward
/center
Marcus Camby. Camby had averaged a double-double (at least 10 rebounds and 10 points per-game) over his last two seasons as a Knick and nearly 2 blocked shots
, along with being an integral part of New York's eastern conference title in 1999.
with the 9th-pick in the draft, Maciej Lampe
of Poland
with the 30th-pick, and Slavko Vraneš
of Serbia and Montenegro
with the 39th-pick. Sweetney was later traded by Layden's successor Isiah Thomas
as part of the deal with the Chicago Bulls
that saw the Knicks acquire center
Eddy Curry
. Lampe never played in a game for New York as he was later traded to the Phoenix Suns
, also by Thomas
as part of the deal that saw Stephon Marbury
come to the Knicks. Vraneš also never saw NBA action with New York, he was waived by the team after being tendered a 1-year minimum contract; currently his career spans one game with the Portland Trail Blazers
.
On July 23, 2003 Layden traded guard Latrell Sprewell
with two years remaining on his contract to the Minnesota Timberwolves
as part of a four-team trade that also included interactions with the 76ers
and Hawks
. In return, the Knicks acquired veteran forward Keith Van Horn
. Van Horn, an integral part of the New Jersey Nets
2002 eastern conference title, played in only 47 games for New York in just one season, averaging 16.4 points and 7.3 rebounds-per-game.
The last notable transaction that Layden made as general manager came on October 9, when he signed Dikembe Mutombo
to a 2-year contract.
Scott Layden was fired on December 22, 2003 by New York Knicks owner James Dolan.
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. He is one of four assistants. Layden's objective as an assistant coach is to help Jazz players improve their basketball skills, prepare them for opponents with the use of scouting reports, and to coordinate the use of advance scouts. He is the son of former coach and general manager of the Jazz, Frank Layden
Frank Layden
Frank Layden is a retired American basketball coach and executive of the NBA's Utah Jazz.-Coaching career:In additional to his coaching at the professional level, Layden is also a former head coach and player of his alma mater Niagara University's basketball team...
, and a graduate of Saint Francis University
Saint Francis University
Saint Francis University is a four-year, coeducational Catholic liberal arts university in Loretto, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1847 and conducted under the tradition of the Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular...
in Loretto, Pennsylvania
Loretto, Pennsylvania
Loretto is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is officially part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area as recognized by the US Census Bureau, but local sources list it as part of the Altoona, Pennsylvania area due to its proximity to...
.
Early career
He also held various coaching jobs for the Jazz during the 1980s and '90s when his father was the head coach for the team. in 1981-82 he worked as a talent scout/assistant coach; he was promoted to assistant coach prior to the 1982 season, a position he held until 1988. It was during this time that he is generally considered responsible for the selection of a relatively unknown collegiate point guardPoint guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
out of Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
with the 16th pick in the 1984 NBA Draft
1984 NBA Draft
The 1984 NBA Draft was the 38th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held at the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on June 19, 1984 before the 1984–85 season. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the USA Network. In this draft,...
: John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
. The following year, he directed the draft again and selected Karl Malone
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
with the 13th pick. Stockton and Malone helped the Jazz make the playoffs 18 consecutive seasons, including two Western Conference Titles in 1997 and 1998
1997-98 NBA season
The 1997–98 NBA season was the 52nd season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Chicago Bulls winning their third straight championship and sixth in the last eight years, beating the Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 in the 1998 NBA Finals...
. From 1988-90 he was the team's director of player personnel & assistant coach, a position he held shortly before he gave up his seat as assistant coach to focus solely on being the director of player personnel. In 1992 he was given the position of director of basketball operations, where he stayed until his 1996 promotion to vice president of basketball operations. He left the organization in 1999 to replace interim general manager of the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
Ed Tapscott
Ed Tapscott
Ed Tapscott is the former interim head coach of the NBA's Washington Wizards.-Coaching:Tapscott, a graduate of Tufts University and American University Washington College of Law, was an assistant to Gary Williams at American University in the 1970s while a law student, and took over head coaching...
.
He also served a one year stint working as a guest commentator for NBA TV
NBA TV
NBA TV is a television specialty channel that is dedicated to showcasing the sport of basketball in the United States. The network is financially backed by the National Basketball Association , which also uses NBA TV as a way of advertising their out of market package NBA League Pass, and partner...
in 2004.
General Manager of the New York Knicks
Layden was the New York KnicksNew York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
executive vice president and general manager from 1999-2001, and the president and general manager of the organization from 2001-2003. The Knicks under Layden's watch (and of his successor Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III , nicknamed "Zeke",is the men's basketball coach for the FIU Golden Panthers, and a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association from 1981 until 1994. He led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA...
) were called the "Worst Franchise in Sports" by ESPN.com.
The 1999-00 NBA Season - Team Record: 50-32
Layden took over as general manager of the Knicks after the strike-shortened, Cinderella-storyCinderella (sports)
In American and Canadian sports, a Cinderella or "Cinderella Story" refers to a team or player who advances much further in a tournament or career than originally anticipated. Cinderellas tend to gain much media and fan attention as they move closer to the championship game at the end of the...
season of 1998-99
1998-99 NBA season
The 1999 NBA season was the 53rd season of the National Basketball Association . Due to a lockout, the season did not start until February 5, 1999 after a new six year Collective Bargaining Agreement was reached between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association...
that saw the team make history by becoming the first #8 seed in a conference to reach the NBA Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
. He replaced interim GM Ed Tapscott
Ed Tapscott
Ed Tapscott is the former interim head coach of the NBA's Washington Wizards.-Coaching:Tapscott, a graduate of Tufts University and American University Washington College of Law, was an assistant to Gary Williams at American University in the 1970s while a law student, and took over head coaching...
, who had already used the team's selection in the 1999 NBA Draft
1999 NBA Draft
The 1999 NBA Draft was held on June 30, 1999 at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. It was the first draft in which four players from the same college were picked in the first round, with Elton Brand , Trajan Langdon , Corey Maggette and William Avery being selected out of Duke University...
to take injured Frenchman Frédéric Weis
Frédéric Weis
Frédéric Weis is a retired French professional basketball player.-Pro career:Weis has played for Unicaja Málaga and Iurbentia Bilbao of the Spanish ACB League, PAOK Thessaloniki in the Greek League, and Limoges in the French League...
with the team's first round pick.
The new GM
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of the Knicks made his first notable transaction when he signed controversial shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
Latrell Sprewell
Latrell Sprewell
Latrell Fontaine Sprewell is a former American professional basketball player. During his time as a professional, Sprewell was named to the NBA All-Star game during four seasons, and played for the Golden State Warriors, the New York Knicks, and the Minnesota Timberwolves...
to a five-year, $61.9 million dollar contract extension that would keep him in a Knick uniform through the 2003-04 season, although he would later be traded. Sprewell was a highly touted basketball talent, but he ran into off court issues with his former organization the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
when he was accused of strangling then head coach P. J. Carlesimo during a practice. Soon after becoming a member of the Knicks, Sprewell was involved in a motor vehicle accident that saw him, "drive his Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
on a freeway from an exit lane".
The 2000-01 NBA Season - Team Record: 48-34
August 01, 2000 saw Layden make his second big move when he re-signed free agent power forwardPower forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
Kurt Thomas
Kurt Thomas (basketball)
Kurt Vincent Thomas is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Chicago Bulls. Thomas is a 6'9", 230 lb. power forward/center known for his hard-nosed playing style and tough defense. Drafted by the Miami Heat in 1995, Thomas played college basketball at Texas...
to a 3-year, $13M contract extension with a 1-year team option.
On September 20, the Knicks GM traded veteran, all-star
National Basketball Association All-Star Game
The National Basketball Association staged its first All-Star Game in the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. From that year on, the game has matched the best players in the Eastern Conference with the best players in the Western Conference....
, and team captain center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing
Patrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle...
to the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
in a four-team deal that saw back-up center Chris Dudley
Chris Dudley
Christen Guilford "Chris" Dudley is a retired American basketball player who played 16 years and 886 games in the NBA for five different teams. A journeyman center, he was known primarily for his defensive skill as a rebounder and shot blocker...
and the Knicks 2001 first-round draft pick go to the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
, in return for forwards Glen Rice
Glen Rice
Glen Anthony Rice is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA. The 6'8" tall Rice was a three-time NBA All-Star guard/forward, ranking 11th in NBA history with 1,559 three-point field goals made during his 15-year career. As a player, Rice won an NCAA Men's Division...
& Lazaro Borrell
Lazaro Borrell
Lazaro Manuel Borrell Hernández, referred to as Lazaro Borrell , is a Cuban professional basketball player. He is a 6'8", 220 lb forward.He played with the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics during the 1999-2000 NBA season....
, guard Vernon Maxwell
Vernon Maxwell
Vernon Maxwell is a former American college and professional basketball player who was a shooting guard in the National Basketball Association for thirteen seasons from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. Maxwell played college basketball for the University of Florida, and led the Florida Gators...
, centers Luc Longley
Luc Longley
Lucien James "Luc" Longley is a retired Australian professional basketball player, who was the first Australian to play in the NBA, where he played for eleven seasons...
, Travis Knight
Travis Knight
Travis Knight is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the 1st round of the 1996 NBA Draft...
, Vladimir Stepania
Vladimir Stepania
Vladimir Stepania is a retired Georgian professional basketball player, in the center position.-Basketball career:...
, a 2001 first-round draft pick from the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, a 2002 first-round draft pick from the Seattle SuperSonics, and two 2001 second-round draft picks. Rice played in 75 games, averaging 12 points-per-game for New York before being traded to Houston
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
. Knight appeared in 126 games over three seasons, averaging less than 9 minutes per-game. Longley played in 25 games for the Knicks averaging 2 points and 2.6 rebounds, while Borrell, Maxwell, & Stepania never saw action for the team. Ewing's production had decreased due to age and chronic injury over the past few seasons, and team brass felt that a deal was in the best interest of the future of the organization.
On January 30, 2001, guard Erick Strickland
Erick Strickland
Demerick Montae Strickland is an American professional basketball player formerly in the NBA....
and a first and second-round draft pick from the Ewing trade was sent to the Vancouver Grizzlies
Vancouver Grizzlies
The Vancouver Grizzlies were a professional basketball team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They were part of the Midwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Toronto Raptors, as part of the NBA's...
for back-up forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
/center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
Othella Harrington
Othella Harrington
Othella Harrington is a retired American professional basketball player and current coach. After he finished his high school career at Murrah High School, he played in college at Georgetown University where he teamed with NBA superstar Allen Iverson...
. Harrington would go to play in 237 games for New York while only starting in 77. Vancouver would take Jamaal Tinsley
Jamaal Tinsley
Jamaal Lee Tinsley is an American professional basketball player. Tinsley was drafted out of Iowa State University by the Vancouver Grizzlies with the 27th pick of the 2001 NBA Draft, and was immediately dealt to the Atlanta Hawks, and then on to the Indiana Pacers on draft night...
with the 27th-pick in the draft acquired from New York.
February 22 saw guard Chris Childs
Chris Childs (basketball)
Chris Childs is a retired American professional basketball player, who played primarily at the guard position....
and the other first-round draft pick sent to the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
in exchange for aging guards Mark Jackson
Mark Jackson (basketball)
Mark A. Jackson is a retired American professional basketball player and the current head coach of the Golden State Warriors. He played point guard for the New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, and Houston Rockets in the NBA in a career...
and Muggsy Bogues
Muggsy Bogues
Tyrone Curtis "Muggsy" Bogues is a retired American professional basketball player and former head coach of the now-defunct Charlotte Sting of the Women's National Basketball Association . The shortest player ever to play in the NBA, the Bogues played point guard for four teams during his...
. Bogues would never appear in a game for the Knicks, while Jackson would play less than two full seasons for the team that originally made him the 18th pick in the 1987 draft
1987 NBA Draft
The 1987 Draft of the National Basketball Association was held on June 22, 1987 in New York City, New York.This draft is notable for the selection of two future members of the NBA 50 Greatest Players list, David Robinson and Scottie Pippen. Other notable selections include Reggie Miller, Kevin...
.
The 2001-02 NBA Season - Team Record: 30-52
With the Knicks no longer having a first round draft pick in the 2001 NBA Draft2001 NBA Draft
The 2001 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 2001 in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player drafted with the first overall pick...
, Layden used the team's two second round picks on Michael Wright of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
(39th overall) and center Eric Chenowith of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
(43rd overall). Neither player ever saw action in the NBA.
On July 23, Knicks shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
Allan Houston
Allan Houston
Allan Wade Houston is a retired American professional basketball player for the NBA, and currently the Assistant General Manager for the New York Knicks. He was one of the top 3-point shooters in the NBA until a knee injury forced him to retire...
re-signed as a free agent to a 6-year, $100M guaranteed contract that would keep him in New York until the 2006-07 season, when he would be 35. The signing made Houston, who had never averaged 20-points-per-game in a season at that time, the highest-paid player in franchise history. This transaction put the team "well over $80 million in payroll this season [2001]." Houston retired after the 2004-05 season with chronic knee complications; there was roughly $40,000,000 left on his contract.
Less than a month later, on August 10, Glen Rice
Glen Rice
Glen Anthony Rice is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA. The 6'8" tall Rice was a three-time NBA All-Star guard/forward, ranking 11th in NBA history with 1,559 three-point field goals made during his 15-year career. As a player, Rice won an NCAA Men's Division...
was traded to the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
and guard Muggsy Bogues
Muggsy Bogues
Tyrone Curtis "Muggsy" Bogues is a retired American professional basketball player and former head coach of the now-defunct Charlotte Sting of the Women's National Basketball Association . The shortest player ever to play in the NBA, the Bogues played point guard for four teams during his...
to the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
as part of a three-team deal in exchange for guard Howard Eisley
Howard Eisley
Howard Jonathan Eisley is a retired American professional basketball point guard and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association . Born in Detroit, Eisley played college basketball at Boston College and was drafted in 1994 by the Minnesota Timberwolves...
from the Mavericks and forward Shandon Anderson
Shandon Anderson
Shandon Rodriguez Anderson is an American former professional basketball forward and guard who played in the National Basketball Association from 1996 to 2006...
from the Rockets. On paper this trade looks merely like a swap of average NBA players, but this was not the case. Eisley would end up playing in 154 games for Knicks, providing adequate numbers at the point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
position, but he was currently in the second year of a 7-year, $41 Million contract that he signed by Layden's former organization, the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. At the same time, Anderson, another former member of the Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
was in the first year of a 6-year, $42 Million contract that he signed with the Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
, which extended through the 2006-07 season. Anderson played in 245 games for the knicks over four seasons before being waived due to poor performance; he averaged less than 3 rebounds and 8 points-per-game during his stay. In comparison to the contracts New York gave up, Bogues was in the second year of a 4-year $8 Million contract with the fourth year being a team option, and Rice was under contract for three more years and $27 Million. The trade proved to be a bad financial decision as the team was well over the salary cap limit.
Layden's next major move came after the unexpected resignation of head coach Jeff Van Gundy
Jeff Van Gundy
Jeffrey William "Jeff" Van Gundy is a former American basketball head coach. He coached most recently with the National Basketball Association's Houston Rockets...
on December 8. Don Chaney
Don Chaney
Donald Ray Chaney is an American former professional basketball player and coach, most notable for his long stints as a player on the Boston Celtics.-Career as a player:...
was selected as an interim coach for the remainder of the 2001-02 season. After the team went 20-43 .317% under his command, he was given a contract extension for the following season.
The 2002-03 NBA Season - Team Record: 37-45
The biggest move that Layden made during the 2002-03 season was completed on draft night. After selecting NenêNenê
Nenê is a Brazilian professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Denver Nuggets. His name at birth was Maybyner Rodney Hilário, but it was legally changed to Nenê in 2003.-Early life:...
with the 7th pick in the 2002 NBA draft
2002 NBA Draft
The 2002 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2002 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting 57 amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from non-North...
, he was immediately traded along with Marcus Camby
Marcus Camby
Marcus D. Camby is an American professional basketball player, who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year during the 2006–07 NBA season, leading the league in blocked shots per game...
and Mark Jackson
Mark Jackson (basketball)
Mark A. Jackson is a retired American professional basketball player and the current head coach of the Golden State Warriors. He played point guard for the New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, and Houston Rockets in the NBA in a career...
to the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
in return for power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
Antonio McDyess
Antonio McDyess
Antonio Keithflen McDyess is an American professional basketball player. McDyess is listed at 6'9" , 245 lb. and is a power forward/center. In 2009 he signed a 3-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs....
, the draft rights to guard Frank Williams
Frank Williams (basketball)
Frank Lowell Williams is a former American professional basketball player. As a point guard, Williams starred at both the high school and collegiate levels, and played briefly in the NBA....
and a 2003 second-round draft pick. McDyess, a former #2 draft pick, was already limited to role-player status due to chronic injury; He played only 18 games for the Knicks. Williams was a disappointment from the beginning, his Knick career lasted 65 games with only three starts. On the other end of this transaction, Denver
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
received a solid NBA player in power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
/center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
Marcus Camby. Camby had averaged a double-double (at least 10 rebounds and 10 points per-game) over his last two seasons as a Knick and nearly 2 blocked shots
Block (basketball)
In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot...
, along with being an integral part of New York's eastern conference title in 1999.
The 2003-04 NBA Season - Team Record: 10-18
Layden's last season as the GM for the Knicks started off with the selections of Mike Sweetney from GeorgetownGeorgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
with the 9th-pick in the draft, Maciej Lampe
Maciej Lampe
Maciej Bolesław Lampe is a Polish professional basketball player. He currently plays with Caja Laboral in Spain.-Professional career:Originally from Łódź, Poland, Lampe grew up in Stockholm, Sweden...
of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
with the 30th-pick, and Slavko Vraneš
Slavko Vraneš
Slavko Vraneš is a Montenegrin professional basketball player. At 2.30 m he is one of the tallest players in the world. He is a member of Sanaye Petroshimi BC in Iran....
of Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
with the 39th-pick. Sweetney was later traded by Layden's successor Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III , nicknamed "Zeke",is the men's basketball coach for the FIU Golden Panthers, and a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association from 1981 until 1994. He led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA...
as part of the deal with the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
that saw the Knicks acquire center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
Eddy Curry
Eddy Curry
Eddy Curry is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent. He was born in Harvey, Illinois...
. Lampe never played in a game for New York as he was later traded to the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
, also by Thomas
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III , nicknamed "Zeke",is the men's basketball coach for the FIU Golden Panthers, and a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association from 1981 until 1994. He led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA...
as part of the deal that saw Stephon Marbury
Stephon Marbury
Stephon Xavier Marbury is an American professional basketball player.The , point guard was selected out of the Georgia Institute of Technology by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 4th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly thereafter to the Minnesota Timberwolves.He was an NBA...
come to the Knicks. Vraneš also never saw NBA action with New York, he was waived by the team after being tendered a 1-year minimum contract; currently his career spans one game with the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
.
On July 23, 2003 Layden traded guard Latrell Sprewell
Latrell Sprewell
Latrell Fontaine Sprewell is a former American professional basketball player. During his time as a professional, Sprewell was named to the NBA All-Star game during four seasons, and played for the Golden State Warriors, the New York Knicks, and the Minnesota Timberwolves...
with two years remaining on his contract to the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
as part of a four-team trade that also included interactions with the 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
and Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
. In return, the Knicks acquired veteran forward Keith Van Horn
Keith Van Horn
Keith Adam Van Horn is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6-foot-10, 240-pound forward graduated from Diamond Bar High School in Diamond Bar, California and attended the University of Utah where he went on to be a consensus First Team All-American in 1997...
. Van Horn, an integral part of the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
2002 eastern conference title, played in only 47 games for New York in just one season, averaging 16.4 points and 7.3 rebounds-per-game.
The last notable transaction that Layden made as general manager came on October 9, when he signed Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
to a 2-year contract.
Scott Layden was fired on December 22, 2003 by New York Knicks owner James Dolan.
External links
- NBA.com Page for Scott Layden on nba.com