HoopsHype.com Rumors

There will be widespread interest and the list could run the gamut from a top past candidate like Milwaukee assistant GM Jeff Weltman to people with local ties like Tony Ronzone (USA Basketball scouting director and Dallas player personnel director), Eddie Johnson (Suns analyst) and David Griffin (Cleveland vice president of basketball operations) to experienced, out-of-work GMs like David Morway (Indiana fame) and Mark Warkentien (Denver). Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Mark Warkentien, Jeff Weltman, David Griffin, Tony Ronzone, David Morway, Eddie Johnson 

Adrian Wojnarowski: For Suns GM job - dysfunctional franchise, cheap owner - an easy name among those who'd get more out of less: Knicks exec Mark Warkentien. Twitter

New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Mark Warkentien 

The Knicks - and specifically, Knicks executive Mark Warkentien - have been selling him hard on sticking around and it sounds as if that's JR's desire. Their relationship is key, as Warkentien and Smith were together in Denver together and there's a high trust level. Still, Smith will be tempted by more $$ elsewhere, so we shall see. Sulia

New York Knicks, Free Agency, Mark Warkentien, JR Smith 

Mark Warkentien, whose consulting deal was extended this season, is represented by Creative Artists Agency -- the same powerhouse that orchestrated the Anthony trade. Warkentien, the Nuggets GM when Anthony was there, also is said to have Dolan's ear, according to a league source. This could be troubling news for D'Antoni, who is known to be regarded by Warkentien as a roster-specific coach -- perfect with personnel that suit his style, and not the ideal fit otherwise. CBSSports.com

New York Knicks, Mark Warkentien, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

New York Knicks director of player personnel Mark Warkentien met with Atlanta Hawks free-agent guard Jamal Crawford on Sunday in Seattle, a league source told Yahoo! Sports. Yahoo! Sports

New York Knicks, Free Agency, Mark Warkentien, Jamal Crawford 

Alan Hahn: Meanwhile, as in the Fix, hearing #Knicks more content to keep Grunwald/Warkentien hierarchy in place and groom Allan Houston. Twitter

New York Knicks, Mark Warkentien, Allan Houston, Glen Grunwald 

Speaking of searches....all remains quiet in the hunt for Donnie Walsh's successor. As we've reported here and in the pages of Newsday several times, the candidates appear to be in-house lieutenants Glen Grunwald and Mark Warkentien and 76ers GM Ed Stefanski, with the latter getting some interest from the Toronto Raptors. Newsday

New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Mark Warkentien, Donnie Walsh, Ed Stefanski, Glen Grunwald 

Donnie Walsh's successor - actually, successors is more like it - may not even have to change offices. The team of Scott O'Neil, Glen Grunwald and Mark Warkentien, all of whom are already employed by the Knicks, are the front-runners to run the basketball operation, the Daily News has learned. New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Mark Warkentien, Donnie Walsh, Glen Grunwald 

The sources said Dolan's search is expected to include current members of Walsh's basketball operations staff, such as Glen Grunwald, Mark Warkentien, John Gabriel and Allan Houston , along with the few experienced executives available. The sources said MSG Sports president Scott O'Neil, a highly regarded and valued executive who is focused on business operations for the Garden, will not be in the mix to run the Knicks. Newsday

New York Knicks, Mark Warkentien, Allan Houston, Glen Grunwald 

Among the top candidates expected to be interviewed are former Portland general manager Kevin Pritchard, Mark Warkentien, the former Denver GM who is working for the Knicks on an interim basis to help with the draft, former Hornets GM Jeff Bower, who used to coach at Marist College, Knicks assistant GM Allan Houston, former Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry and former Nets president Kiki Vandeweghe. New York Post

New York Knicks, Mark Warkentien, Kiki Vandeweghe, Kevin Pritchard, Danny Ferry, Allan Houston, Jeff Bower 

Walsh will remain for the rest of his contract, which expires on June 30, and then serve as a consultant for the 2011-12 season. Glen Grunwald, the senior vice president of basketball operations, was named the team's interim general manager while the franchise conducts a search for a new president and general manager. A few likely candidates include former Portland Trail Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard , former New Orleans Hornets GM Jeff Bower , former Golden State GM Chris Mullin and former Denver Nuggets GM Mark Warkentien, who is currently on the Knicks' staff as director of pro player personnel. Newsday

New York Knicks, Mark Warkentien, Kevin Pritchard, Jeff Bower, Chris Mullin, Glen Grunwald 

Alan Hahn: Candidates to replace Walsh likely to include: Mark Warkentien, Kevin Pritchard and Ed Stefanski. Twitter

New York Knicks, Mark Warkentien, Kevin Pritchard, Donnie Walsh, Ed Stefanski 

The sudden and surprising decision by the Trail Blazers (read: owner Paul Allen) to dump GM Rich Cho leaves the position open for several candidates. Will Mark Warkentien, the former Nuggets GM who is currently working for the Knicks as Director, Pro Player Personnel, be on the list? Meanwhile, if Warkentien departs, would the Knicks consider Cho? Newsday

New York Knicks, Mark Warkentien, Donnie Walsh, Rich Cho 

And there's been speculation for weeks the Garden could look to John Calipari and Mark Warkentien as the next leaders of the franchise. Both Calipari and Warkentien, who was at last night's game, are represented by CAA, which handles Carmelo Anthony's and Chris Paul's affairs. "I don't know nothing about that," Walsh said. "Some of it is promotion by people who want to get in the press." New York Post

New York Knicks, Mark Warkentien, Coaching, Donnie Walsh, John Calipari 

The bigger question is, who would be that successor? Allan Houston, the assistant GM, may make a good front man one day and recently- hired Mark Warkentien has the proven ability to handle the behind-the-scenes work. But you have to believe Houston and Warkentien would prefer to have Walsh around to oversee and advise, if anything just to figure out what do to with all these people -- Glen Grunwald, John Gabriel, Misho Ostarcevic, Jamie Mathews, Mark Hughes and, of course, Rodney Heard -- in the front office. Newsday

New York Knicks, Mark Warkentien, Allan Houston, Donnie Walsh, Rodney Heard 

Frank Isola: A Knicks source confirms that Mark Warkentien's deal runs thru this year's NBA Draft. Also, the hiring was made by Dolan...the plot thickens Twitter

New York Knicks, Mark Warkentien, James Dolan 

Explain this to me: the Nuggets fired Mark Warkentein as their general manager last summer. They thought the team's front office structure was in desperate need of streamlining. The Knicks hired Warkentein as their pro personnel director last week. Nothing has changed the Nuggets' opinion of Warkentein from last year. So, why, exactly, is his hiring by New York supposed to facilitate a trade of Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks? Yes, CAA represents Warkentein now, and CAA represents Anthony. But what does that have to do with the Nuggets--who still have to sign off on any trade? NBA.com

Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Trade, Mark Warkentien, Carmelo Anthony 

The New York Knicks have hired veteran league executive Mark Warkentien as director of pro player personnel. Team president Donnie Walsh announced the move Saturday in a statement, saying Warkentien will work with him on preparing for the NBA draft, scouting assignments and personnel moves. Warkentien was most recently vice president of basketball operations for Denver, winning NBA executive of the year honors following the 2008-09 season. The Nuggets let his contract expire when they restructured their front office in the summer of 2010. USA Today

New York Knicks, Mark Warkentien, Donnie Walsh 

The team is expected to officially announce on Saturday the hiring of former Nuggets GM Mark Warkentien as a consultant. Warkentien, who was the 2009 NBA Executive of the Year, has had a longtime relationship Walsh, who had him on his short list of potential candidates to fill a general manager position. Newsday

New York Knicks, Mark Warkentien 

MSG president Scott O'Neil, not team president Donnie Walsh, was the one to push James Dolan into hiring former Nuggets general manager Mark Warkentien, The Post has learned. The official announcement on Warkentien's hire is likely to come today. Despite his fancy title, O'Neil is not part of basketball operations and is supposed to run the marketing end of the franchise. But, according to an NBA source, O'Neil pushed for Warkentien's hire because he feels it is important for the Knicks to do business with CAA, the agency that represents potential free agents Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul. New York Post

New York Knicks, Mark Warkentien, Donnie Walsh, James Dolan