New York Knicks rumors: team wants Raptors' Masai Ujiri should Phil Jackson leave
Phil Jackson has had a lot to do with the decision-making process for the New York Knicks. After all, he was hired by Jim Dolan in the hope of turning the franchise's fortune around. But the two are reportedly on a collision course and Jackson's future with the Knicks depends on who the team will hire as its next head coach.
According to Real GM, if Dolan gets his way, he wants a change in the Knicks' front office, with reports that he wants Toronto Raptors GM Masai Ujiri to succeed Jackson, should the latter decide to leave. This issue seems to be stemming out of Jackson's insistence and bid of officially naming interim coach Kurt Rambis as permanent head coach. But the power struggle looks to be deeper rooted, with several sources saying that the former Chicago Bulls champion coach wants more power and control over the team. Unfortunately for him, Dolan is and will always be the Knicks' shot caller.
Anyway, there are no expected movements at least for the next two seasons since Jackson is still in contract. But because this is the NBA we are talking about, a team can drastically make changes without warning.
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The interest in Ujiri is not really surprising, considering the kind of work he's done with the Raptors since signing a five-year deal to be next GM back in 2013. He also won the 2013 NBA Executive of the Year, becoming the only non-American to ever receive the award. He is considered one of the brightest minds in all of basketball and his success story can even be used as some kind of motivation for players. He started as an unpaid scout for the Orlando Magic and worked his way up.
The Knicks, with Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis leading, are going to be a good team sooner than later. It was Jackson who actually pushed hard to draft the Latvian big man when everyone else wasn't on board. But look at him now. Perhaps this time, Jackson knows at the back of his head that Rambis is the best fit for the struggling team.
