Knicks Rumors: Masai Ujiri Targeted as New President After Steve Mills Firing

The New York Knicks are reportedly set to target Toronto Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri to replace team president Steve Mills, who was reportedly fired Tuesday.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the update.

The Knicks have been strongly linked to Ujiri for months even though he's under contract with the Raptors through the 2020-21 NBA season.

In December, SNY's Ian Begley reported after the team fired head coach David Fizdale that key organizational figures had become "obsessed" and "enamored" with the 2013 NBA Executive of the Year.

"They look at him as the chosen one," an NBA executive told Marc Berman of the New York Post later in December.

The 49-year-old England native, who grew up in Nigeria, received his most national notoriety for helping build the Toronto roster that won the 2019 NBA title. It was a process highlighted by a blockbuster trade with the San Antonio Spurs to acquire Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.

Although Leonard left during the offseason to join the Los Angeles Clippers, the Raptors have managed to remain highly competitive, ranking second in the Eastern Conference with a 36-14 record.

Leaving Toronto for a Knicks organization that's been stuck in a perpetual rebuild would come with ample risk, but it can't be ruled out.

Bleacher Report's Howard Beck reported "influential voices in the NBA have strongly advised Ujiri not to take the job" if offered by the Knicks.

"Sources also say Ujiri would be intrigued by the challenge of fixing the Knicks, the chance to build something from scratch and, not insignificantly, by the opportunity to elevate his Giants of Africa philanthropy by working in the New York market," Beck wrote.

Begley noted another candidate for the Knicks is Austin Brown, a player agent with the Creative Artists Agency who counts the New Orleans Pelicans' Zion Williamson and Golden State Warriors' D'Angelo Russell among his clients.

Whether it's Ujiri, Brown or another executive, the next president of the Knicks will inherit a roster with a few promising young players like RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson but little else. The road back to championship contention is one with numerous hurdles.