Getty President Leon Rose of the New York Knicks looks on during the third quarter against the Miami Heat.
On September 23, New York Knicks President of Basketball Operations, Leon Rose, was interviewed by MSG Analyst Alan Hahn to discuss the current state of the ball club.
Though to many, the summer of 2022 was viewed as a bit of an upsetting period for the franchise, as they failed to acquire their highly-coveted star trade target, Donovan Mitchell, the executive said in the recent sit-down that he’s happy with the way things turned out.
“We went through that process (of trying to trade for Donovan Mitchell) and at the end of the day we made a decision to stay put,” Rose said. “And we’re thrilled with where we are. Taking a look at the summer, we feel great about what transpired.”
The 22-minute conversation focused on Rose and Hahn’s feelings about how things played out during the offseason and what the outlook for the Knicks seems to be heading into the 2022-23 regular season and beyond.
To close out the interview, Hahn allowed the team president to address the fans, to which he looked directly at the camera and gave a spiel discussing his excitement for the upcoming campaign and his gratitude for New York’s faithful followers.
“First of all, I just want to say thank you very much for your unwavering support. You guys are truly the greatest fans in the world,” Rose said. “I really think you’re going to love this team.
“You’re going to love rooting for this team. They’re a young, hungry group of guys. They’re going to work every day to try to get better. They’re going to bring it every night for you. They’re going to do everything in their power to make you proud.
“And I want you also to know that the lift that you give them is appreciated and felt every night. There’s nothing like the crowd at the Garden supporting the team. And I can’t wait to see all of you soon.”
This last bit was posted to the Knicks’ official Twitter account as a means to promote the recent talk while simultaneously trying to give the fanbase a positive message by the president himself.
And while there were certainly some who went about and left positive and receptive comments about Rose’s words, there were plenty more who were seemingly unamused.
Knicks Fans Blast Rose
A large portion of the New York Knicks fans who left comments viewed Leon Rose’s message as being nothing more than the same old song and dance they’ve been hearing for the better part of the last two decades.
@nyknicks So convincing…
Along with this, many fans were found blasting New York’s executive for his unwillingness to talk to the public and failed offseason pursuits, with some going as far as to call for his resignation.
@nyknicks Fire this bum
@nyknicks You failure
@nyknicks Take a press conference coward
@nyknicks Then take questions from the media!
@nyknicks Is this supposed to make me feel better about not trading for Donovan Mitchell? I don’t support this.
Leon Rose has not spoken to any New York Knicks-based media and reporters in over a year.
‘The Bar is Low’ for Knicks in 2022-23
After enduring their 17th playoff-less season since the turn of the century in 2021-22, there isn’t a ton of excitement revolving around the New York Knicks as we approach 2022-23.
And while to some this is a depleting reality, in a September 20 interview with Knicks Fans Brasil, Ian Begley of SNY stated that the team’s lowly status could end up being a positive for them, for having such low expectations means that anything better than last season could be seen as a positive.
“I think one thing that they have going for them is low expectations. They’re not burdened by everybody thinking that they’re going to make a big leap from last year. I think the bar is low and, so, to me that’s always a good thing for a young team that’s hungry and trying to prove itself,” Begley said.
“If the expectations are low you’re not going to be saddled by devastating reactions after every loss because people don’t expect that much.”
Begley would follow this up by suggesting that, with the minimal pressure New York will be facing coupled with their specific assortment of talents, they could realistically wind up being a legitimate play-in candidate come season’s end, stating that “36, 37, 38, 39 wins” could put them in the hunt.