Knicks Poised to Pick Leon Rose as President of Basketball Operations: Who Will Join Him?

A power player in the business, crossing over

The New York Knicks are said to be nearing a deal with Leon Rose, longtime agent at CAA, to run basketball operations for the team, according to multiple reports.

Leon Rose of CAA and Knicks are finalizing deal to make him club’s next team president, source confirms. William ‘World Wide Wes’ Wesley is under strong consideration to be part of Knicks organization under Rose, per SNY source. Wesley and Rose have strong relationship.

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) February 6, 2020

The decision to put Rose in charge reflects a trend across sports to take agents, who have experience with the top players, and utilize that familiarity to hopefully entice top players to sign.

It's a plan with some mixed results. In New York, the Mets haven't been power players in free agency despite the addition of Brodie Van Wagenen as general manager, though that has more to do with team ownership's financial problems than anything to do with Van Wagenen, in all likelihood.

The Knicks, though, do not have any financial restraints beyond the salary cap. That is no small thing, though. It means anyone who wants to sign with the Knicks won't make dramatically more money than they would elsewhere, especially when it involves the players who'd get the max anywhere — in other words, the true difference-makers the team needs.

So the larger question Rose will need to answer is the same one Donnie Walsh and Scott Perry and so many others have: what will be his level of autonomy, and can he use that autonomy to build a team that prospers and entices the many stars he's represented through the years to come join him?

As for the upcoming draft, if you're looking for some clues, LaMelo Ball is repped by CAA. 

Then again, Rose also repped Eddy Curry, and I wouldn't look for Curry to return to the Knicks.

Much, much more to come on this front.