Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |
Brock Aller, a former Cleveland Cavaliers executive, will be a high-ranking basketball official and the chief strategist for Knicks president Leon Rose, sources have told SNY. Details of Aller's title with the team are still being worked through.
A deal is expected to be completed within the next week or so.
Aller will help Rose navigate many different aspects of the job. Several league sources said Aller, Rose's first front office hire, will be one of the new Knick president's right-hand men.
He's expected to help Rose navigate the waters and strategize on how to build out the front office, coaching staff, and which player personnel moves to pursue. His responsibilities will not be limited to salary cap strategy, which is his forte.
"Brock is someone Leon is going to lean on," a league source said, emphasizing the importance of the hire.
Aller is highly respected in league circles. He was considered Dan Gilbert's close confidant and was instrumental in Cleveland's run to the 2016 NBA title. Known as a "capologist," Aller's savvy in that field led to key moves like Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith being traded from the Knicks to the Cavs in 2015.
Aller was a senior director of basketball operations in Cleveland. Gilbert has been effusive in his praise for Aller, calling him a salary cap "savant."
"Aller's probably one of the finer capologists in the league," Gilbert told Cleveland.com in a 2017 interview. "He knows more about cap than probably PricewaterhouseCoopers knows about the IRS code. He lives with the cap, with the collective bargaining agreement."
Aller's hire doesn't necessarily mean that Rose will fire someone who is currently in the front office. However, it's unclear if there are other imminent front office hires coming.
Scott Perry is currently serving as GM and executive Allan Houston is a candidate to remain with the organization under Rose in some capacity.
The New York Daily News first reported the Knicks' interest in Aller, while SiriusXM NBA Radio first reported a deal between the two was close.
