However, in Laimbeer's two seasons in New York, the Liberty did not make the playoffs. And on Tuesday, New York parted ways with Laimbeer and pulled the plug on what New York hoped would be "Trader Bill's" triumphant return to the WNBA. He had led the Detroit Shock to three WNBA titles (2003, '06, '08), then exited the league early in the 2009 season, the Shock's last in Detroit.

Laimbeer spent some time in the shark tank of NBA coaching before returning to the WNBA. It was supposed to be a successful merging: Laimbeer's history of success and edgy personality seemed like it might be the right fit for a Liberty franchise in the doldrums.

But after going 11-23 in 2013 and 15-19 this year, the Liberty didn't renew Laimbeer's contract. Now what?

Well, I asked the Liberty if anyone with the organization could address that very question on Tuesday. Turns out, they couldn't. Or weren't ready to. Or just didn't want to. Whatever, right?

Hey, the Lib fans don't need to hear right away what the game plan is going forward. They should still just be basking in joy about the end of the Liberty's three-year exile to Newark. They got back into refurbished Madison Square Garden this season, so surely they'll be docile and patient waiting however long or short it takes for the Liberty to figure out who takes the reins for 2015 and beyond.

Because if there's one thing New Yorkers are known for, it's patience.

I'm being sarcastic, of course, but in truth, Liberty fans have been much more patient than one might expect. New York's last appearance in the WNBA Finals was in 2002. The closest that the Liberty have come since to returning to the WNBA Finals was in 2008, when they lost the deciding Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals to Laimbeer's Shock. New York was swept by Atlanta in the 2010 East finals.

Then in the last four years -- the first two under coach John Whisenant -- the Liberty have gone a combined 60-76 and won just one playoff game. In Whisenant (Sacramento, 2005) and Laimbeer, the Liberty have tried coaches who won WNBA titles elsewhere.

So, again ... now what? Might former Liberty player Teresa Weatherspoon be tapped as the team's next coach? Do the Liberty plan on combining the job of coach/GM as they did with Whisenant and Laimbeer? Or return to the formula of having those be separate jobs? That was the case from the franchise's inception in 1997 through the 2010 season when Carol Blazejowski was the GM.

A Liberty spokesman said that no one from the organization was available to comment Tuesday. So all we have is the statement from Knicks' assistant general manager Allan Houston, thanking Laimbeer and saying the organization will "begin our search immediately to secure a general manager and coach to help us move forward and reach our ultimate goal of a WNBA championship."

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Future uncertain for New York Liberty