Knicks Rumors: Scott Perry should remain general manager
The New York Knicks are reportedly looking to replace general manager Scott Perry. Perry shouldn’t be dismissed this soon into his tenure.
The New York Knicks hired Scott Perry to become general manager in 2017. Over the course of the three years that have followed, the Knicks have seen their fair share of ups and downs—a more positive note than one would assume.
Unfortunately for Perry, the rumors are already swirling that newly-hired team president Leon Rose will look to find a new general manager.
This is standard practice in business, let alone the NBA. When a high-ranking position like team president is vacated and then filled by a fresh face, there’s a general expectation that further changes will be soon to follow.
According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News, Rose already has a replacement in mind for Perry: Philadelphia 76ers general manager Elton Brand.
"According to a league source, Elton Brand has been targeted by Rose as a candidate for Knicks GM. Brand, 41, is currently the Sixers GM and is under contract next season, complicating any designs of bringing him to New York. The source said Rose wanted to see if Brand was dismissed after the playoffs."
It’s worth noting that Brand is under contract through next season, but this news inevitably sparked intrigue in the Knicks community.
While the Knicks’ 21-45 record doesn’t inspire a sense of hope, there’s reason to believe Perry should remain as general manager. For one, the Knicks have gone 17-27 since parting with David Fizdale, which marks an improvement of 20.5 win percentage points.
Beyond the short-term success and failure, however, is how Perry has positioned the Knicks to make their mark in the long-term.
Stockpiling Assets
It’s difficult to find optimism in the Knicks community, but Perry has provided three significant reasons for it. That may be difficult to see when one considers that Fizdale didn’t pan out as head coach, but the pros are as prevalent as the cons—if not more so.
That all begins with the fact that Perry has done something that no Knicks general manager in recent memory has done: He’s stockpiled assets.
The Kristaps Porzingis trade continues to be a sore subject, but Perry at least managed to get pieces in exchange for the All-Star big man. Those assets include an unprotected 2021 first-round draft pick and a top-10 protected 2023 first-round pick.
Perry again added assets to the Knicks’ docket when he flipped a 30-year-old on a one-year deal, Marcus Morris, for both first and second-round draft picks.
One could argue that the picks acquired will end up in the 20s, being that they were acquired from the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers. That much is undeniable, but if the Knicks’ goal is to acquire a big name, draft picks have proven to be valued currency.
If New York manages to pull off the landscape-altering trade that it’s hoping to, Perry’s maneuvering will be the driving force behind the ability to do so.
Drafting Well
No general manager is going to strike gold on every selection they make at the NBA Draft. Not even Bob Myers, Sam Presti, or R.C. Buford can say they have, and the Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, and San Antonio Spurs are Draft royalty.
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What Perry has managed to do for the Knicks, however, is build a solid core of young players by drafting well across both rounds.
Perry’s signature first-round draft pick thus far has been shooting guard RJ Barrett. Barrett may not have made the immediate splash that Ja Morant or Zion Williamson were able to, but he’s quietly flashed signs of star potential
Over his past 28 appearances, Barrett has averaged 14.8 points per game and 18.4 points per 36 minutes while drastically increasing his shooting percentages.
Progress often comes in the form of small victories, and Barrett’s in-season progression qualifies as such.
The standout pick of the Perry era, however, is center Mitchell Robinson. While first-round draft pick Kevin Knox has struggled, Perry’s second-round steal has established himself as one of the NBA’s most enticing young players.
Robinson leads the NBA in true shooting percentage, ranks in the top 10 in blocks per game, and is already looking the part of a future Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
Perry also signed Allonzo Trier as an undrafted free agent, and landed G League standout Ignas Brazdeikis in the second round.
Patience may end up being a virtue after all.
Smart Contracts
The easiest assumption to make about Perry’s tenure is that the 2019 period of free agency was an abject failure for the Knicks. While it was certainly disappointing to miss out on the NBA’s marquee free agents, New York actually did something uncharacteristic.
Rather than panicking and handing out long-term contracts to questionable players in an attempt to appease a star-hungry fan base, the Knicks played it safe.
The most lucrative contract of the summer went to Julius Randle, which inevitably upset the masses. However, the third season of Randle’s contract guarantees just $4 million, meaning the Knicks can walk away at a minimal cost.
That type of forward-thinking has rarely been displayed by the franchise, and it’s a credit to Perry that such precautions were taken.
The previously alluded to Morris trade was a further display of Perry’s prowess. The Knicks played the long game, and the end result was the addition of draft picks and a relatively clear cap situation heading into a vaunted 2021 period of free agency.
As of today, only five players will be due guaranteed money in 2021: Randle, at just $4 million, and Barrett, Brazdeikis, Knox and Robinson on their rookie-scale club options.
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Having positioned the New York Knicks to make a splash through free agency, the NBA Draft, and the trade market, Scott Perry deserves to see this through.