Knicks Rumors: Leon Rose to Start New Job as President March 1

Agent Leon Rose is reportedly set to take over his new post as New York Knicks president March 1. 

Marc Stein of the New York Times reported the news. Rose has been tabbed for the job for weeks but was tying up loose ends at CAA, where he became one of the most prominent agents in basketball.

Rose, 59, is the agent to Joel Embiid, Devin Booker and Victor Oladipo, among others. He has likely spent the time since accepting the job working with his clients to find new representation.

The Knicks fired Steve Mills two days before the NBA trade deadline and quickly settled on Rose, who will be tasked with rebuilding one of the league's most moribund franchises. He'll inherit a team heading for its seventh straight losing season without having made much progress toward a return to prominence.

The Knicks traded the only star drafted during this rebuilding process, Kristaps Porzingis, last year to the Dallas Mavericks. Recent lottery picks Frank Ntilikina, Kevin Knox and RJ Barrett have each disappointed. Barrett is so far the best of the three, but Knicks fans have watched on as Zion Williamson and Ja Morant, the players taken ahead of Barrett, have blossomed into foundational superstars.

The Knicks are likely headed toward another top-five pick in June, but this is not a draft considered rife with star-level talent. With no paradigm-shifting free agents expected to move this summer—barring a change of heart from Anthony Davis—the Knicks are at least two more seasons from returning to legitimate playoff contention.

Given the constant upheaval in New York, this may be the biggest challenge of Rose's career.