Rumors

"And the way it went down and the way they handled business was crazy, bro," Rivers revealed. "They brought me to a dark room, it was Leon [Rose], Worldwide Wes [Knicks executive vice president and senior basketball advisor William Wesley], and Thibs. They're all three sitting there in the dark, with like a little light, it's like an interrogation-type thing. 'Hey man, we're gonna move you, we just got Derrick here. Until we find the right spot with you, you don't have to travel with the team anymore.'"

athlonsports.com

The New York Knicks are striking out with all their current NBA head coach targets right now, so they may have to turn to a former one. Ex-Knicks head coach Mike Woodson is considered to be a “wild card” for the job, Ian Begley of SportsNet New York reported Wednesday during an appearance on the “Knicks Film School” podcast. Begley says that the Knicks will likely “at least have a conversation” with Woodson and notes that Woodson has good relationships with Knicks owner James Dolan, president Leon Rose, and executive William Wesley.

Larry Brown Sports

Tim MacMahon: But the other thing is, the Knicks have been a dysfunctional franchise forever. And the first opponent that a Knicks head coach has to defeat is the Knicks. That's just the simple fact of the matter. That—and by the way, I didn't—well, I didn't make that line up. I'm borrowing it from people who know. But it is, and there are cliques in the Knicks management, in the front office. Let's just—listen, Thibs and Worldwide Wes are both Leon Rose guys, but they are not each other's guys, and that's been a thing for a while now. That's just the way it is. There have been people in that front office who have been wanting to run Thibs out of there for a couple of years now, at least. And they finally did.

YouTube

Ian Begley: Patrick Ewing among those on hand for Jalen Brunson event at MSG. NYK owner James Dolan, president Leon Rose, top executive William Wesley, head coach Tom Thibodeau also here pic.x.com/2i7fkgbwas

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Magic Johnson: Mikal Bridges traded to the Knicks. Wow, hats off to Leon Rose and William Wesley aka World Wide Wes! This trade changes the landscape in the Eastern Conference. Now, the Knicks will challenge the Celtics for first place in the East while putting pressure on the Sixers and Bucks

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One thing has not changed, however: The Knicks now, as ever, are in a perpetual hunt for another glitzy star—and Dolan, as ever, expects one. “That is factual,” said a source with ties to the Garden. The Rose-Wesley team “promised him stars,” the source said. “He didn’t hire them for their (experience) running a basketball team.” Had the Knicks faltered on the court the past two years, the person added, “You’d have seen the old Knicks that you’ve seen the last 24 years—some heads would have rolled.”

The Ringer

Ian Begley: Shake Milton has known Knicks Executive VP William Wesley for a long time. “He’s there anytime I need him. Whether it’s to talk, do whatever. He’s always there.” Milton said Wesley factored in to his decision to sign with Knicks after agreeing to buyout with Detroit: pic.twitter.com/yG8dypGYwy

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The meeting, which was first reported by the New York Post, is a potentially significant development. Before the sit-down, Paul had been reluctant to do business with the Knicks, who are obviously led by Rose and executive vice president William Wesley. Rose was a top agent at CAA before he took over the Knicks and Wesley was a consultant for the agency before he joined Rose in New York. Before meeting with Rose on Friday, Paul had met with Wesley to discuss issues between them and the Knicks. Now that the Klutch-Knicks Cold War has come to a close, New York can again be viewed as a potential destination for Klutch clients.

SportsNet New York

On Tuesday, The Athletic’s Shams Charania noted that the Knicks will always have interest in Karl-Anthony Towns. That’s true today, just as it was true on the day Knicks team president Leon Rose took over. Rose is Towns’ former agent. He and Knicks executive vice president William Wesley are close with Towns and his family. Knicks senior vice president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas ran the Timberwolves during Towns’ tenure.

SportsNet New York

Moving Dejounte Murray would be a seismic shift for Atlanta. And it would surely require several first-round picks and young, ascending players. The Knicks can put that kind of package together. But for New York, there is an additional hurdle in a potential Murray trade. Murray is represented by Rich Paul and Klutch Sports Group. The New York Daily News reported in 2022 that Klutch opposed a trade of client Zach LaVine to the Knicks. That dynamic is still present today. I’m told that Paul remains reluctant to do business with the Knicks, who are led by team president Leon Rose and executive vice president William Wesley. Rose and Wesley were both top agents at CAA before they took over the Knicks.

SportsNet New York

Whatever the reasons are, there is a potential path forward for both the Knicks and Klutch. I'm told that Klutch would consider changing its current stance if there is an in-person meeting between Paul and the Knicks, presumably including Rose and Wesley. Until and unless the two sides meet in person, the Klutch-Knicks Cold War will remain in place.

SportsNet New York

The Knicks checked in on Karl-Anthony Towns earlier this season, but they never made an offer for the three-time All-Star, league sources tell The Athletic. The Knicks’ new senior vice president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas overlapped with Towns from 2019 to 2021 when Rosas ran the Timberwolves. Towns is also a client of CAA, where Knicks president Leon Rose once ran the basketball division. Executive vice president of basketball operations William Wesley followed Rose from CAA to the Knicks, as well.

The Athletic

However, New York has not made a serious run at Towns in recent years, league sources said. Meanwhile, the Wolves sit atop the Western Conference at 16-4 and are hardly looking for a way out of their core.

The Athletic

Adam Zagoria: Knicks exec William ‘Worldwide Wes’ Wesley is Courtside at MSG checking out the college talent ⁦@UConnMBB⁩ big man Donovan Clingan is expected in next year’s draft

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