Significant Changes Announced to Knicks Front Office: Report

Getty James Dolan, Executive Chairman of Madison Square Garden, answers questions during the press conference to introduce Phil Jackson.

Over the years, the New York Knicks have seen a rather high turnover rate when it comes to their high-power roles. From the General Manager position to President of Basketball Operations, since the turn of the century fans have witnessed quite a number of individuals attached to pivotal positions with the ball club come and go.

And while this new regime with Leon Rose and company running the show has been working tirelessly to try and change the culture and overall perception of the franchise, recent reports indicate that the organization’s employee turnover is still reminiscent of a revolving door.

According to a September 9 article by Marc Berman of the New York Post, MSG Sports President and CEO Andrew Lustgarten will be stepping down at the end of the year.

Per a written statement by the front office executive, he will be parting ways with his role to “pursue other opportunities.”

Since MSG split ownership of the sports teams from arenas and the cable television network back in April of 2020, Lustgarten has been tasked with running the business side for both the Knicks and Rangers.

Berman would later go on to state in his article that the long-tenured employee will be joining the MSG Sports Board as a director come the end of the year.

Dolan Could Sell Knicks

In mid-August, fans saw some eye-catching rumors surface about the future of the Knicks franchise, as analyst Jonathan Boyar told host Scott Wapner on an August 15 episode of CNBC’s “Closing Bell” that James Dolan is “likely” to sell the Knicks and Rangers once Madison Square Garden Entertainment finishes construction on a Vegas concert venue at some point next year.

“Madison Square Garden Entertainment is currently about to finish a project in Las Vegas called The Sphere, and we think it’s likely that after that is done, James Dolan, who controls the company, will sell the teams,” Boyar said in reference to both the Knicks and Rangers.

Soon after this report surfaced, an MSG Spokesperson reached out to Heavy and combatted Boyar’s remarks, stating that they “have no plans to sell either of the teams.”

It’s anyone’s guess when it comes to figuring out which of these reports are true, but, rest assured, should the bit about Dolan’s plans of selling the club be accurate, Knicks fans would be absolutely elated.

Since Dolan took over as sole owner of the franchise back in 1999, New York has gone from being a consistent championship threat to a perennial lottery participant and finds itself sporting a 798-1096 overall record throughout this 25-year tenure, the worst in the league during this time frame.

Knicks Want To Make a Splash

All summer long, reports have been that the Knicks are looking to strike a blockbuster trade before the start of training camp, and, for the longest time, their sights were set on perennial All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell.

However, with the decision by his former employers, the Utah Jazz, to bypass New York and, instead, ship the 26-year-old to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the franchise is now looking to come up with another course of action before their October 19 tip-off date.

And while there are many routes the Knicks could choose to embark on, Marc Berman reported in a September 1 piece that, should they still be interested in making a splashy trade, they could look to target the OKC Thunder’s rising star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who, heading into the season, is viewed as being ‘likely’ to be shopped.