New York, NY

Hall of Fame point guard Isiah Thomas has received a job offer from the New York Knicks but he is reluctant to bite the bait.

According to a source close to Thomas, he is not ready to make his return to the NBA after giving college basketball coaching a shot with Florida International University.

Thomas was a former Knicks coach and president of basketball operations. His tenure was marked by bad player deals, string of losses and controversies, including a sexual harassment case filed by former executive Anucha Browne Sanders.

"There's this perception out there that Isiah is desperate to get back, but that's false. I think it will eventually happen but just not now," the source told the New York Daily News.

Currently, there are two basketball positions available in the Knicks organization -- a D-League coach and an assistant to coach Mike Woodson. Recently, the Knicks removed Scott O'Neil as Madison Square Garden president.

Rumors of Thomas returning to the Knicks circulated after he was spotted in a Manhattan hotel having breakfast with team owner James Dolan.

"They're friends. They talk all the time," the source added.

Two years ago, Dolan wanted to rehire Thomas as a consultant, but the NBA rejected the move because Thomas was coaching FIU at the time.

Despite that, Dolan still solicited advice from Thomas on basketball-related matters. It was reported that Thomas had a hand in the hiring of former college teammates and longtime friends, Woodson and Glen Grunwald, as the Knicks' head coach and general manager, respectively.

The source added that Thomas is determined to earn a master's degree in education from UC-Berkeley and to reconnect with his Chicago roots.

Thomas recently joined a "Stop the Violence" march in Chicago and is scheduled to attend a basketball tournament to promote peace in the city, together with Bulls center Joakim Noah and former Knick Quentin Richardson, on Sept. 22.

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