The New York Knicks had a big leadership position to fill in their front office after firing president Steve Mills in February. They were expected to target Masai Ujiri for the position, and a report said some of the top executives around the league had interest in the job.
Instead, the Knicks ended up hiring Leon Rose as team president, following the model of the Warriors and Lakers by going with a former player agent. Why did they got that direction?
In his weekly newsletter, the New York Times’ Marc Stein shared one of the reasons why Knicks owner James Dolan chose Rose.
From Stein:
Among the reasons Rose was chosen, I’m told, is that Dolan, had grown sick of people telling him he needed to pursue an experienced executive such as Toronto’s Masai Ujiri and turned to Rose instead after a decade of frequent business between the Knicks and Rose’s former employers at Creative Artists Agency.
Dolan acting defiantly? You don’t say. Who would have ever expected that from the Knicks owner? Bob Myers has done well in Golden State and Rob Pelinka has helped turn things around in Los Angeles. Maybe Dolan’s decision to go with Rose won’t turn out to be so bad.
