Odds Heavily Against Rich Kleiman as Next Knicks GM
- Sportsbooks are offering odds that Kevin Durant’s agent could become the next general manager of the New York Knicks
- The 41-year-old is a native New Yorker and lifelong Knicks fans
- Kleiman publicly expressed his interest in becoming the Knicks GM last season
Just how far will the Knicks go to sign Kevin Durant?
Would New York be willing to sack current general manger Scott Perry and replace him with Durant’s agent and business partner Rich Kleiman? The oddsmakers don’t think so, but that hasn’t stopped them from serving up the far-fetched scenario in an outrageous new prop.
According to sportsbooks, there is a 96% chance that Kleiman will not be the Knicks next general manager.
Will Rich Kleiman Be the Next General Manager of the New York Knicks?
| Will Rich Kleiman Be the GM of the New York Knicks for Game 1 of the 2019-20 NBA Season? | Odds (02/08/19) |
|---|---|
| Yes | +800 |
| No | -2500 |
Who is Rich Kleiman?
Kleiman is, quite simply, one of the most powerful men in the NBA. In addition to serving as Durant’s agent, the 41-year-old also oversees KD’s wide-ranging investment portfolio and is responsible for the day-to-day management of Thirty Five Media, a burgeoning media production company he co-founded with Durant in 2017.
Thirty Five Media has already produced a number of promising projects including the basketball-themed drama Swagger and the hard-hitting-documentary Q Ball.
Does Anyone Really Think Kleiman Could Be the Knicks’ Next GM?
Yes, Kleiman does. He tweeted about his aspirations to run the Knickerbockers around this time last year.
Imma run the Knicks one day
— Rich Kleiman (@richkleiman) February 21, 2018
That playful little tweet was largely forgotten until last week when the Knicks cleared the decks for two max free agents by trading Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks in a blockbuster deal. New York is now a legitimate landing spot for the four-time scoring champ if – and when – he chooses to opt out of his contract and become a free agent this summer.
Kleiman is a native New Yorker and there’s little doubt that he would love to take the reins of the franchise he grew up rooting for.
Is Kleiman the Knicks’ Man?
just because Kleiman wants to oversee the Knicks doesn’t mean the franchise will grant his wish. The oddmakers strongly believe Durant will not sign with the Knicks this summer. The 30-year-old recently reinforced that notion in a tense press conference in which he deliberately distanced himself from the Knicks.
Kevin Durant’s press conference, forcefully pushing back against the Knicks rumor and the media’s treatment of him pic.twitter.com/aqqbK7APh2
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 7, 2019
Bringing in Kleiman without his star client makes very little sense.
You won’t find much value in -2500 odds available, but betting against Kleiman is absolutely the right call.
Ryan worked as an Editor and resident Lead NBA and MLB Writer for SB from 2017-19. He has authored his own weekly columns for Fox Sports and AskMen, and has created successful campaigns for the WWE, the NHL, and the NFL. Ryan's critically acclaimed stories have been published in 20 books.
