Report: Knicks, David Griffin nearing talks for GM vacancy

The New York Knicks appear to have identified their top personnel target amid an ongoing front-office shake-up.

Following a series of conversations and a dinner meeting with executive Steve Mills, the Knicks are progressing toward a point where they will open contract talks with David Griffin regarding their general manager vacancy, according Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

Mills, currently the acting general manager, is reportedly expected to take over as team president following the departure of Phil Jackson. If hired as GM, Griffin would have the lead role in basketball operations, Wojnarowski and Shelburne add.

Griffin became available this offseason when he and the Cleveland Cavaliers made the surprise announcement that the two sides would part ways. Cleveland enjoyed the most successful stretch in team history during Griffin's three seasons at the helm, earning a trio of Eastern Conference titles and an NBA championship win over the Golden State Warriors in 2016.

Jackson's departure from New York on June 28 brought a merciful end to a disastrous front-office tenure. A series of questionable roster and management decisions resulted in the Knicks winning just 80 games in his three seasons, including a franchise-worst 17-65 mark in 2014-15.