Knicks hire longtime player agent Leon Rose as president

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks hired Leon Rose as their president Monday, hoping the longtime player agent can be just as successful as an executive.

Rose is taking over what has become one of the NBA’s worst franchises, headed toward its seventh straight season out of the playoffs. But teams such as Golden State and the Lakers have found success handing their basketball operations to an agent and the Knicks are hoping to do the same.

“Leon is one of the most respected executives in professional basketball, with decades of experience successfully working with NBA players and team management in all facets of the game,” Madison Square Garden executive chairman James Dolan said in a statement. “We are confident he brings the right combination of expertise and relationships to ensure the long-term success of our franchise.”

Rose, the former co-head of the basketball division at CAA Sports, replaces Steve Mills, who was fired early last month.