Even before NBA free agency begins Thursday night, the narrative around Leon Rose and the Knicks had flipped multiple times.
It went from heavy criticism on draft night when he traded out of the first round to optimism once reports circulated that the Knicks were positioned to sign free-agent point guard Jalen Brunson by unloading veterans Kemba Walker, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel. When it leaked that the Knicks were talking to the Spurs about a trade for All-Star Dejounte Murray, possibly to join Brunson and RJ Barrett in the Garden, there was even more hope about the offseason.
Then Murray wound up with the Hawks, and it emerged that Brunson will meet with the Mavericks and Heat in addition to the Knicks on Thursday, creating the proverbial buzzkill.
It was emblematic of Rose’s roller-coaster tenure as the Knicks’ president.
