Manhattan’s skyline rose in the background Wednesday when Leon Rose made his first public statement as president of the Knicks.
Although Rose talked about Zoom in a controlled environment as Mike Breen’s guest on MSG Network, it was a positive segment and signified the former superagen received this new call.
While Rose’s wife and son set their virtual background, Rose’s presidency has not become smoke and mirror.
Thursday will mark the four-month mark Rose runs the Knicks and he is growing up in a job after his previous life as a top agent at the Creative Artists Agency.
The Cherry Hill, N.J., product has built a wide and diverse front office even while keeping Scott Perry as GM / safety net. Rose is conducting a patient training search with Tom Thibodeau as the main candidate, but he is guarding the opportunity to destroy intelligence from 10 other candidates – five without NBA head training experience.
Call this film “Rose’s Eleven.” Prez just wants to hear as much as possible “philosophy” and “mindset”. There are no competitors other than Chicago, who are also excluded from restarting Orlando, for candidates. And the Bulls did not bring back Thibodeau.
Leon Rose (right) sits with Scott Perry.Corey Sipkin
Wearing a blue Knicks polo shirt, Rose said, “For me personally, this is educational. I need to make sure we go through this process by giving a point to each ‘I’ and crossing every ‘T’ to make the right decision. ‘
Knicks owner James Dolan bet on Rose, avoiding the pursuit of league executives who proved Masai Ujiri, even if it was when he became a free agent after the 2020-21 season.
Mainly, Dolan added Rose because of his player connections and training. Dolan is still reeling from Rose’s 2010 move to align LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. The hope is that Rose will attract tent-free agents – something that former president Steve Mills failed to do.
League executives believe Rose has done well in surrounding herself with a strong advisory team. Dolan, despite experiencing an economic crisis due to a pandemic, again showed a willingness to spend money to help Rose.
“Leon doesn’t think he’s the smartest person in the room,” said an executive. “He surrounds himself with smart people.”
It began by stealing Cleveland’s hat teacher and Dan Gilbert’s right-hand owner, Brock Aller. That continued with throwing money at one of the most respected NBA college scouts at Walter Perrin of Utah, making him a GM assistant. Newcomer Frank Zanin, GM assistant scouting pro, was also respected.
Officially adding Rose’s old crony, William Wesley had to help change the Knicks image that Dolan realized needed to be improved.
Over the past 13 years, Wesley has been a CAA consultant and is working with Thibodeau, who will have a solid support system if and when he is employed in the mid to late July.
“This business is built on relationships and the way you treat people,” Rose said. “It was built on Wes’s characteristics. Incorporating someone with that character and character into our organization is something that will benefit us greatly.
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“We will work as hard as we can to show people this is where you want to be,” Rose added. “We have the biggest city in the world, the iconic arena. We just need to create a culture that people want to be a part of. ‘
During the transactional window caused by the pandemic last week, Rose peeked at the type of player he was looking for. Rose got rid of former rookie Allonzo Trier, talented but selfish in court. It’s time for “Iso Zo” to leave.
In Rose’s first acquisition, the Knicks will see Jared Harper, an un-designed Auburn product that has untapped potential as a point of judgment guard, and former Net Theo Pinson, a presence in the locker room.
“Obvious talent is always very important,” Rose said. “Beyond talent, we look at character. We are looking at who that person is and we see how it fits. One of the things I always believe as an agent is that I represent the client and the client represents me. Decisions are made based on who we are involved with.”
While Rose regretted not getting the chance to evaluate more of her players when the Knicks season ends March 11, she will benefit from a draft that was pushed into October 15.
“From a positive perspective we will have more time,” Rose said. “We are preparing as if we were compiling June 25.”
Rose offers interesting nuggets about his transition from agent to president – an indication he is less about the ego than Phil Jackson and Mills.
“This is funny,” Rose said. “We rely on our relationship with NBA scouts. Here I sit on the other side of the fence relying on the same people but within our organization. “
As an agent, Rose Knicks transactions don’t generate many hits. Rose engineered the Eddy Curry trade in 2005 which backfired. Blockbuster Carmelo Anthony 2011 will always be guessed. In 2013, Rose pushed his client Andrea Bargnani as a spacer for Anthony. Knicks also cheated in that regard.
That was in the past. In four months, Rose has an average hitting orange and a rising blue.
