Knicks Announce Hiring Of Brock Aller, Walt Perrin, Frank Zanin
The New York Knicks announced the following hirings: Brock Aller, vice president, basketball and strategic planning; Walt Perrin, assistant general manager - college scouting and Frank Zanin, assistant general manager - pro scouting. The Knicks have also announced that general manager Scott Perry signed an extension for the 2020-21 season.
“We have assembled a diverse front office comprised of highly regarded and experienced basketball executives who have influenced some of the most successful players and organizations in the league,” Knicks President Leon Rose said. “These additions will complement the structure we already have in place and assist us in acquiring talent and developing strategies to build a team our fans can be proud of.”
Aller joins the Knicks after spending seven seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers in various roles. After four seasons as the team’s senior director, strategic planning, he was named senior director of basketball operations for the Cavaliers in July 2017. Aller played a key front office role in the Cavaliers 2016 NBA Championship run, which ended Cleveland’s major league championship drought after 52 years. Prior to his time in Cleveland, Aller spent nine years (2005-14) in Detroit working directly with Dan Gilbert and Cavaliers ownership as a liaison and advisor on business and basketball operations.
Perrin joins the Knicks after spending 19 seasons with the Utah Jazz, the last 12 years as vice president of player personnel. Perrin’s responsibilities included evaluating players on all levels and assisting the general manager with potential player acquisitions. Perrin assisted the Jazz in drafting All-Stars such as Gordon Hayward, Paul Millsap and Deron Williams. He also acquired All-Stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell in separate draft day trades with the Denver Nuggets. During Perrin’s tenure, Utah won three divisional titles and qualified for the playoffs nine times, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2006-07. Prior to joining the Jazz, Perrin spent time with the Detroit Pistons (1993-02) and Minnesota Timberwolves (1991-93) in various roles including assistant coach and director of scouting.
Zanin joins the Knicks after three years as a pro scout with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He previously served as the assistant general manager for the Brooklyn Nets (2013-16), where he began his tenure with the team as a pro personnel scout (2010-12) and then director of player procurement (2012-13). In his four seasons with Brooklyn/New Jersey the Nets qualified for the playoffs three times. Prior to joining the Nets, he spent nine seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers in a variety of roles including video intern (1999-00), video coordinator (2000-03), advance scout/assistant coach (2003-06) and pro personnel scout (2006-08). During his tenure with Philadelphia the 76ers made the playoffs six times including advancing to the NBA Finals in 2001.
