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NBA Rumors: Knicks want Masai Ujiri as Phil Jackson replacement

By David Rouben

Dec 21, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks general manager Phil Jackson watches during the third quarter against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden. The Magic defeated the Knicks 107-99. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks general manager Phil Jackson watches during the third quarter against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden. The Magic defeated the Knicks 107-99. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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With Phil Jackson believed to be leaving the Knicks, the club is counting on Raptors GM Masai Ujiri to save their franchise.

Phil Jackson was meant to save the New York Knicks franchise, but instead he has simply prolonged their suffering. The players have looked clueless in their attempt to run the triangle offense, and outside of drafting Kristaps Porzingis, the man hasn’t made a move that indicates change is going to come. As a result, it is widely speculated that Phil will either resign or be fired before the end of his contract, but James Dolan has refused to indicate whether he’s on the hot seat.

If the Knicks were to get rid of him, they are already looking at a potential long-term replacement in current Toronto Raptors GM Masai Ujiri, this according to the New York Daily News. Masai was brought in as the Raptors GM at the start of the 2013-14 season, and when he traded Rudy Gay to the Kings, it looked like the team was ready to go into rebuild mode. Instead, they got a solid bench unit led by Patrick Patterson in return and since that trade have made the playoffs for three straight seasons, setting a franchise record in wins in each successive season.

It’s no surprise that the Knicks are targeting Masai, as he is one of the best basketball minds out there right now. Surely, they would want him to work his magic and save a team from going into a tear-down the way he did with the Raptors. However, they may simply be targeting him in an attempt to make up for all the times he committed highway robbery on them.

First, he handicapped the team by dealing them Carmelo Anthony back when he was managing the Denver Nuggets, then he traded Andrea Bargnani for this year’s first-round pick, which could be as high as eighth overall, and then there was that time where Kyle Lowry should’ve been in a Knick uniform.

However, there’s hardly any strong evidence that would support Ujiri leaving a good situation in Toronto, especially when he’s swapping them out for the Knicks, especially given that he’s technically a part-owner of that team by now.

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