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The media frequently criticizes the Knicks for poor front office decisions. Some media members are clamoring for more transparency. Stephen A. Smith said New York Knicks executive Leon Rose is "soft" for avoiding the press and public accountability. He also said Rose is scared to do interviews.
“It’s real soft the way that he’s running the Knicks right now, [he] scared of the media. You got to be the face of the franchise. You can’t be the second coming of Scott Layden.”
Scott Layden is often credited for crippling the Knicks in the early 2000s with poor decisions to keep his team contending.
Aside from the Layden comparison, Smith criticized Leon Rose for his lack of public appearances. Smith said there needs to be a face that the public will trust to make good decisions.
“You cannot be the face of the Knicks franchise, the leader of the Knicks franchise, and be scared to do interviews. … You don’t see him anywhere. He doesn’t embrace accountability from a public perspective. So we having nothing as New Yorkers to look at and say, ‘Right, I believe in him, I’m good’.”
The Donavon Mitchell trade talks
The New York Knicks may be in talks with the Utah Jazz to get Donovan Mitchell. However, Stephen A. said RJ Barrett's extension may complicate the discussions.
RJ Barrett offered a rookie extension worth up to $120 million. Stephen A. Smith thinks this may be a good move for New York Knicks if it doesn't prevent New York from acquiring Mitchell from Utah.
However, Smith also said Rose might be on the right track with these negotiations:
“From what I’ve been told, he’s doing the right thing with Donovan Mitchell.”
The New York Knicks may manage to extend Barrett and add Mitchell. These moves could change the public's perception of Leon Rose. With the addition of Jalen Brunson, the team could be much improved. Alternatively, fans could remember this offseason as another filled with poor front office decisions.
