I Need These Rumors Of The Knicks Potentially Going After Raptors GM Masai Ujiri To Be True
RealGM- The decision on who becomes the next head coach of the New York Knicks could become a power struggle between Phil Jackson and James Dolan. If Dolan makes a change at the top of the Knicks’ organization, Masai Ujiri is believed to be a potential successor. Ujiri worked on the Carmelo Anthony trade when he worked for the Denver Nuggets and communicated directly with Dolan. Ujiri also traded Andrea Bargnani to the Knicks and nearly also agreed upon a trade involving Kyle Lowry.
Ujiri was originally brought to Toronto by Tim Leiweke, former CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). Leiweke has since left Toronto and has started a business with Dolan’s business acquaintance Irving Azoff, who was influential in bringing Jackson to the Knicks. Ujiri is under contract for two more years so even if he wanted to leave Toronto there is no guarantee the Raptors would let him out of his deal.
Sign me up for this right now. While I hated the Knicks hiring Phil Jackson as president when it first happened, I will admit that I changed my mind after I was brainwashed during his press conference talking about bringing back the teamwork and chemistry of those early 70s Knicks teams. But now here we are, at the end of another shit factory of a season with rumors swirling that Phil wants to hire Kurt Rambis as the full time coach, which is almost an instantly fireable offense. At this rate, I feel like the Zen Master is just dying to get canned so he can go run the Lakers and canoodle the shit out of Jeanie Buss in the warm LA sun. All that’s left is for him to drag the Knicks’ two Larry O’Brien trophies from the back of his car like George Costanza.
As for Ujiri, I obviously love him like every other basketball fan. He has built playoff contenders in places like Denver and Toronto. Can you imagine what he could do with the resources of The Garden behind him? Sure, there is a 99.99999% chance that James Dolan would screw everything up. But just humor me here people. You know the Knicks trades that people always complain about? Like giving up too much for Melo who was about to be a free agent? Or this year’s first round pick for Andrea fucking Bargnani?!? Yup, Ujiri was the guy that fleeced us both times. Sure if he worked for the Knicks, he wouldn’t be able to take advantage of his favorite patsy. But I’m sure he can find some other sad, desperate franchise to pillage.
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Oh yeah, and he is feisty as FUCK. Any executive that acts like this to rile up a crowd can work for one of my teams any day. If this is what he can do with a bunch of Canadians, can you imagine what a bunch of angry New Yorkers, hungry for an NBA championship would be like? Hating the Nets and Paul Pierce is just as ingrained in Knicks fans as sadness is.
So now we wait to see what happens with Phil. The only downside to this is I’m pretty sure Dolan would give up wayyyyy too much in a trade to get Ujiri. The Raptors will probably ask for some picks, any valuable asset that the Knicks actually have, and probably a few free shows at Radio City. Hopefully Dolan will counter with a blank check, since I don’t have Cablevision and will never pay more than $50 for a Knicks ticket. So it doesn’t effect me. But beggars can’t be choosers. And whatever is like ten levels below a beggar is what it’s like being a Knicks fan under James Dolan. And yes, I am aware that if Phil Jackson gets fired, Isiah will definitely make a power play to get the role of president back. Fuck this franchise.