The two biggest front office moves in the NBA this offseason have been the Cleveland Cavaliers parting ways with general manager David Griffin and the New York Knicks‘ decision to part ways with Phil Jackson. According to a report by ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, these two stories are going to collide with one another sometime soon.
Shelburne reports that the Knicks and Griffin will meet as the franchise is looking for someone to replace Jackson.
Former Cavs GM David Griffin been in touch with the Knicks and will be among the franchise's initial interviews
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) June 30, 2017
Griffin joins Raptors president Masai Ujiri on the short list of names that have been connected to the job in New York. The circumstances around Griffin’s departure from Cleveland were odd — it’s not often that a GM who helped build a team that has made it to the Finals three years in a row just leaves because he can’t agree to a new deal with ownership — but he is arguably among the best general managers in the NBA.
Like Ujiri, he would be a really great higher for the Knicks. But while Ujiri’s current job could make hiring him difficult, Griffin isn’t attached to any team, meaning it’s plausible that it’d be easier to convince him to come to New York.
If Ujiri, Griffin, and the rest of the names the Knicks are currently targeting for this job turn them down, it would obviously be a massive blow for the franchise. That would be rough, but hey, if that happens there’s always John Calipari.
