NBA Rumors: Knicks' Brass In Dallas Scouting

NBA Insider Marc Stein had an interesting chance encounter in American Airlines Center in Dallas this morning. A bevy of New York Knicks' brass are on hand as the Dallas Mavericks get set to host the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of their first-round series.  

Just walked away from a pregame TV visit with Jalen Brunson and walked right into a good bit of the Knicks' braintrust: William Wesley and Allan Houston are here for Jazz at Mavs.

To scout Brunson? To scout Donovan Mitchell? Just to enjoy the very first first-round playoff game?

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 16, 2022

The chance meeting with Allan Houston and William Wesley left Stein wondering just why members of the Knicks' braintrust are all the way out in Dallas for a random Western Conference playoff game. He surmises that they're there perhaps to scout impending free agent Jalen Brunson of the Mavs, or Donovan Mitchell of the Jazz. 

The Knicks have been said to be hot on the trail of Brunson, who's already turned down the Mavs' extension offer. There are many ties between Bruson and New York. The Knicks' team president Leon Rose is Brunson's former agent, and Jalen's father, Rick Brunson, played for the Knicks. "They want him bad," said Knicks' beat writer Marc Berman. 

Mitchell has also been rumored to be a Knicks' target. Earlier this season, one Eastern Conference scout went so far as to say “(the Jazz are) a first-round exit from Donovan being in New York.”

Looks like there might be more on the line in this Jazz/Mavericks series than just a trip to the Western Conference Semi-Finals. 

Photo Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports