Hello David Griffin, can you talk?
Update: 10:10pm
The Knicks have made contact with David Griffin, per ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.
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
It appears the Knicks are doing their due diligence and wasting no time.
It may not take long for the New York Knicks to find a replacement for Phil Jackson.
There’s a growing buzz that former Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin has caught the attention of the Knicks.
A league source told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that Jerry West – who once tried to hire ex-Cavaliers Gm David Griffin in Memphis – planned to reach out to Leiweke, who like West has former ties to the Los Angeles Lakers from his time working for AEG, to endorse Griffin as candidate to replace Jackson.
Griffin has long coveted a big job like the Knicks and considers all of his experience in two-plus decades in the league was an apprenticeship for such a challenge. – Ramona Shelburne of ESPN
The Leiweke, mentioned by Shelburne, would be Tim Leiweke of the Oak Hill Group. Leiweke, along with Knicks general manager Steve Mills, are running day-to-day operations of the team on an interim basis. Leiweke will have strong input on who the next team president will be.
David Griffin Is Available and Ready To Mingle
The Knicks need stability and, for the sake of everyone’s sanity, someone who knows what they’re doing. Griffin brings credibility to the table. Unlike Jackson, he has front office experience.
The Knicks could get Griffin without having to worry about compensation, he’s a front-office free agent. The same can’t be said for Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri, who’s very much under contract. The Knicks would almost certainly have to give up draft picks to get him. That’s not ideal, no matter how much respect they have for him.
During his time in Cleveland, Griffin was instrumental in transforming the Cavaliers from contenders to a championship-level franchise. Cleveland went to the NBA Finals in each of the last three seasons with Griffin as their GM. They won the championship in the 2015-16 season, the team’s first ever title.
Griffin’s departure from the Cavaliers also didn’t go over well with LeBron James, according to reports. James stepped up for Griffin, that’s a strong indication of the level of respect he’s earned.
If no one appreciated you Griff I did, and hopefully all the people of Cleveland! Thanks for what u did for the team for 3 yrs! We got us 1🏆
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 20, 2017
It can’t hurt to pickup the phone and see just how interested Griffin is in the position. This would be the big-market gig he reportedly has been looking for. It would also likely come with a significant pay raise, which he couldn’t secure in Cleveland.
The Knicks can’t afford to get this next hire wrong. Griffin’s available and ready to mingle.
