Report: Knicks to Hire Brock Aller As Chief Strategist
The New York Knicks' President of Basketball Operations has made his first hire: Brock Aller. Aller will join the Knicks' front office as a high-ranking basketball official, as first reported by Ian Begley for SNY. The team's initial interest in Aller was first reported by The New York Daily News. It is expected that a deal between the two sides will be in place within the next week. Aller's official title is still in progress - it will likely be reported along with his hiring by the team.
Aller worked for the Cavaliers as an executive specializing in knowledge of the NBA salary cap. These "capologists", as some know them by, are experts in the NBA's collective bargaining agreement and salary cap rules, and help the teams they work for use their salary cap efficiently.
It is expected that Brock Aller will be helping Leon Rose "navigate the waters" and develop strategy on how to piece together what will eventually be the teams' full front office, coaching staff, and roster. A league source said that Aller is somebody that is going to be leaned on by Rose as he attempts to learn the nuances of being a lead executive in the NBA. Rose will be bringing decades of experience as a premier agent with him to work in New York, but there is no guarantee that his ability to navigate the basketball world as an agent will translate to his new position as an executive.
Aller, when with the Cavaliers, was considered owner Dan Gilbert's close confidant and integral to the team's 2016 title run. His knowledge in the field led to moves such as the acquisitions of Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith from New York back in 2015.
It will be important for Rose to have someone, or numerous people, with experience in the NBA in his front office to help guide him through various situations which with he simply might not be familiar. Until Rose has several years of experience as an executive himself, he should not stray from hiring other executives to the team who are seasoned veterans in team management and strategy.
Rose's experience as a big-time agent will indubitably come to his aid in his quest to bring the New York Knicks back to the playoffs. However, experience (with a good resume to show for it) can never be a bad thing in the NBA.
