The New York Knicks could look north to Masai Ujiri to fix their long-running front office woes, and hopefully the franchise by extension.
The New York Knicks are well on their way to a seventh-straight season with a losing record and the firing of head coach David Fizdale could be the first of many moves coming to the organization.
With all that said, Toronto Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri is “intrigued by the challenge of fixing the Knicks,” sources told Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck.
Ian Begley of SNY added higher-ups at Madison Square Garden are “obsessed with” and “enamored by” the idea of hiring Ujiri.
The Knicks (4-19), of course, could use Masai Ujiri in their front office. The team has lost nine straight and assistant Mike Miller has stepped in as head coach on an interim basis. New York lost a heartbreaker in his debut.
Ujiri, meanwhile, won a championship ring with the Raptors last season and previously served as general manager of the Denver Nuggets. He has twice fleeced the Knicks in trades, orchestrating the infamous Carmelo Anthony blockbuster deal in 2011. In Toronto, Ujiri royally fleeced the Knicks by trading draft bust Andrea Bargnani for a first-round pick.
Ujiri would indeed be a great fit in New York, but it all starts with owner James Dolan. He must decide what to do with team president Steve Mills, who is the latest common denominator in the Knicks’ struggles. Ujiri would also ask for a large degree of autonomy, something Dolan has been hesitant to give in the past.
One way or another, the much-maligned Knicks need yet another makeover. Moreover, a proper basketball man needs to be in charge of the roster.
It’s really a matter of New York making Masai Ujiri the right offer, money-wise. Ujiri must also receive full autonomy or something close to it.
He is a recent champion, drafts well, and has a reputation that speaks for itself. Hopefully, Knicks management can land the big fish this offseason.
