Report: Knicks To Hire Utah Jazz Walt Perrin As Assistant General Manager

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The New York Knicks will hire the Utah Jazz Walt Perrin as their assistant general manager according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.  Perrin served as the Vice President of Player Personnel with the Jazz since 2008. He began his NBA career as a scout with the Minnesota Timberwolves before the 1993 season.  Perrin sat down to discuss his career with KSL Sports in April.

Perrin has overseen the team’s scouting efforts both in the United States and abroad. He also conducts the team’s pre-draft workouts with potential draft picks. The long time scout is based out of Chicago but spends most of his time on the road. Perrin would return to Utah leading up to the annual NBA draft.

The Knicks have overhauled their front office over the last several months.

Sources: The Knicks are finalizing hiring Jazz VP of Player Personnel Walt Perrin as assistant general manager as they reshuffle front office under Leon Rose. Perrin is a well-respected executive who has worked in Jazz organization for 19 years.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 18, 2020

In March, the team hired former player agent Leon Rose to take over as team president. Scott Perry replaced former Knicks general manager Steve Mills in February.

Perrin provided the team with a breadth of connections throughout the basketball world in their scouting. However, the team saw those connections increase dramatically when they hired Justin Zanik as assistant general manager in 2012.

Zanik and Vice President of Basketball Operations Dennis Lindsey helped push the team towards a more modern scouting approach. Perrin brought a more traditional approach to the job within the organization.

Knicks Perrin Helped Find Jazz Donovan Mitchell

The move draws the Knicks connections one step closer to Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell. In addition to Perrin, the Knicks president Rose was the president of the CAA agency which represents the Jazz guard.

Meanwhile, Perrin oversaw the unlikely workout that helped land Mitchell in Utah. Leading up to the draft Mitchell was expected to be drafted well ahead of the team’s selection.

Lindsey reportedly threatened to fire anyone who mentioned the quality of Mitchell’s workout.

In light of the recent drama between Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, the NBA is keeping an eye whether either player will become available.

I talked to @Krisplashed from the @NYDailyNews about the Knicks & Nets potential pursuit of Donovan Mitchell. https://t.co/Y0J585ZdXZ

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) April 16, 2020

In April, Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News suggested either the Knicks or Brooklyn Nets should pursue Mitchell. Mitchell’s relationship with fellow Jazz All-Star Rudy Gobert hit a rough patch after both players tested positive for COVID-19.