Scott Perry retained as New York Knicks General Manager

The Leon Rose factor

A big reason why Scot Perry is still the New York Knicks General manager has to do with the arrival of new Team President Leon Rose. Retaining Perry smooths Rose’s transition into his new role. Marc Berman of the New York Post was a guest on Knicks Fan TV (a YouTube show & podcast) and reiterated that Rose needed someone with experience. He has never worked in an NBA front office before.

Because of Perry’s connections and his likeability around the league, he offers some assets that Rose needs, while he continues to get familiar with the inner-workings of the franchise. The COVID-19 pandemic also played a part.

Bad timing start a new GM

A new general manager entering the scene with this pandemic would have a difficult job. No one is working in the Knicks offices. It would be nearly impossible to get a full landscape of the organization. That’s in addition to learning how the organization conducts business.

The new man would be far behind scouting college players. March Madness didn’t happen, any NBA sponsored combines will likely be scrapped, and teams don’t have the luxury of bringing a prospective draft pick in for workouts and interviews.

It takes time to develop an understanding of the current roster construction. How the players fit with each other requires study and personal interaction. Without a team present, half of that is unfeasible.

Finally, there are other administrative tasks that an NBA general manager has on his plate. When added to the above challenges, it makes a transition during this time difficult.