According to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News with the news of of Los Angeles that Rudy Tomjanovich is about to give up his position, Isiah Thomas may be a long shot to be the next head coach of the Lakers.

Thomas met with Bryant last summer when the All-Star was a free agent and Bryant is said to think highly of Thomas, who coached the Indiana Pacers for three seasons. And even though Magic Johnson has only a minor role in the Lakers front office, his strong relationship with Thomas could also play a factor. In recent weeks, Thomas has admitted that rebuilding the Knicks and winning in New York is a greater challenge than he anticipated.

With the Knicks struggling and now not expected to reach the playoffs, Isola says Thomas may feel the time is right to get out.

Thomas, who is on a scouting trip in Europe, was unavailable for comment yesterday.