AP source: Knicks fire team President Steve Mills

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks fired President Steve Mills on Tuesday, shaking up the front office just two days before the NBA trade deadline, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press.

General manager Scott Perry will take over control of the basketball operations, the person said, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made.

Mills’ firing is the second major change for the Knicks this season. They fired coach David Fizdale after just 22 games.

Mills’ firing was first reported by ESPN.

The Knicks are 15-36 this season, Mills’ third in charge after replacing Phil Jackson. They were 17-65 last season, tying the worst record in franchise history, but believed a big summer could lead to a quick improvement.

However, they couldn’t sign any of the top free agents despite having enough money to afford two of them, watching as Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving instead went to Brooklyn. Mills then pivoted to sign veteran players to short-term contracts, later insisting those were the players New York was targeting all along.

But instead the Knicks are headed for a seventh consecutive season with a losing record and no playoff appearance.

Now it will be up to Perry to decide if there’s any moves worth making for the Knicks before Thursday. Their big trade from last season appears to be a failure, as Kristaps Porzingis has helped spark a turnaround in Dallas after New York traded its former All-Star there on Jan. 31, 2019.