The San Antonio Spurs have hired former New York Knicks president and general manager Scott Layden as an assistant GM, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Layden had been an assistant coach with the Jazz, and replaces Dennis Lindsey, who left the Spurs to become Utah’s GM last month.

Front-office jobs with the Spurs are considered golden in the NBA, largely because of the chance to work under GM RC Buford and president-coach Gregg Popovich. In recent years, Spurs assistant GMs – including Lindsey, Danny Ferry, Sam Presti and Dell Demps – have taken a fast-track to becoming top executives elsewhere.

Layden had a well-regarded run as the Jazz GM, before embarking on a tumultuous 4½-year stay in New York in 1999. As Jazz GM from 1992-99, Layden’s draft picks and deals played a significant part in the organization’s two trips to the NBA Finals and three straight 60-victory seasons.

One of Layden’s primary responsibilities will be administering the Spurs’ scouting department.

Houston Rockets VP of Player Personnel Gersson Rosas had also been a serious candidate for the Spurs job, league sources said.

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