NBA commissioner David Stern has worked behind the scenes to make sure that Donne Walsh remains the president of the Knicks, according to a source.

Three years ago, Stern lobbied owner James Dolan to hire Walsh to restore respectability to the franchise in the wake of the Isiah Thomas fiasco.

Last Friday, the New York Post reported that Dolan has hesitated on exercising the option on the fourth and final year of Walsh's contract because he still has Thomas on his radar. He has until April 30 to exercise Walsh's option.

In a rare occurrence, Stern released a statement on the day Walsh was hired as president, April 3, 2008.

The statement read, “In Donnie, the Knicks have secured the services of a seasoned basketball professional who is held in high regard throughout the league and to whom I have often turned for input on basketball matters over the years.”