NBA's top 5 best and worst owners

How Dan Gilbert got on this list is ridiculous. All he did is draft Lebron James, anyone could do that

almost 3 years ago Charles Barkley McLovin 19 comments 0 recs |

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at least link the NBA part of that...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/basketball/nba/05/08/nba.owners/index.html

by Death Star Drive-By on May 12, 2009 1:50 PM PDT reply actions

hmm.. not sure if I agree

SI gives too much credit to owner’s that chance into good GMs, coaches, or players. Sure, the Blazers have had some rough years, but not all of that goes on Paul Allen who is willing to lose millions of dollars a year for a good team. Instead, Dan Gilbert gets on, who took way too long to build around the best player in the game. Larry Huges anyone?

Joel Freeland=Stud

by hightide on May 12, 2009 2:06 PM PDT reply actions

Dan Gilbert gets credit for being the only owner to have the balls to publicly protest the Darius Miles e-mail :)

Which is also part of why Paul Allen isn’t on the list. Not popular.

"Officiating has to be a science, not an art" - Rick Carlisle

by Norsktroll on May 12, 2009 2:35 PM PDT up reply actions

Who made the list?

Is it some writer’s opinion; or the result of some survey? I can see why Allen might not make the Top 5—the owners ahead of him have more recent postseason success. OTOH, I would think he’s in the Top 10.

And remember, kiddies—five years or so ago, someone did one of these features and concluded that Allen was the WORST owner in pro sports (or at least in the NBA). If anything, that proves that these sort of features weigh recent results more heavily—even during the depths of JailBlazerdom, I wouldn’t have traded Allen for a Heisley or a Sterling or a Dolan.

I have not yet begun to defile myself.

by EngineerScotty on May 12, 2009 2:47 PM PDT up reply actions

But whats on the owner and whats on the GM

Can any one really fault Paul Allen for letting Trader Bob lose millions of dollars for the chance of building a championship team? And if one of those teams did win, would Paul Allen taken any heat at all? Thats why judging the owners on championships and to some extent win totals is stupid.

What it should come down to is:
1. Is your owner willing to do what it takes to put together a championship team
2. Is the owner willing to get rid of mistakes (Isaiah Thomas)
3. Does he make good moves when it comes to the front office
4. Class.

Paul Allen has taken heat for trader bob, but one championship would have made most of that heat disappear and Allen fired him when he needed too. And while the team’s class sank, which wasn’t all Paul Allen’s fault, Allen has always been near courtside but not causing a ruckus. Paul Allen has really evolved and grown as an owner, while the whole time willing to lose millions of dollars and admit mistakes, what more could you ask for?

Joel Freeland=Stud

by hightide on May 12, 2009 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions

It is funny how much crap Trader Bob and the jailblazers got...

yet the Nuggets GM wins exec of the year. Not to completely put down Trader Bob he did bring in a botload of talent… albiet of questionable character.

by Escrote on May 12, 2009 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions

Trader Bob could have been a hero

If he brought home a championship. Which seems weird, if the ball bounces one way you’re the hero, and the other you are run out of town.

Joel Freeland=Stud

by hightide on May 12, 2009 5:05 PM PDT up reply actions

The article just overly states how dire the Cavs were when he bought the team

Saying they were a "lottery-doomed franchise is fairly absurd, considering they had the 13th pick in the lottery that year. It’d be like looking at the Blazers last year and calling them lottery doomed. Gilbert gets credit for being willing to pony up for the last couple years to fuel a run to convince LeBron to stick around, but that’s about it.

The Cavs were going to improve significantly with or without him. He also made the idiotic decision to give Larry Hughes a humongous deal, so it’s not like he’s been hitting home runs ever since he’s been there.

by Royster on May 12, 2009 9:49 PM PDT up reply actions

No Paul Allen?

I say shennanigans

by Escrote on May 12, 2009 2:24 PM PDT reply actions

Gilbert didn't draft LeBron

He bought the Cavs after King James was drafted.

Still, he does deserve some cred for building a team around LeBron; and getting rid of Paxson.

It took MJ seven years to win a title; if the Cavs win this year LeBron will do it in year 6.

I have not yet begun to defile myself.

by EngineerScotty on May 12, 2009 2:43 PM PDT reply actions

glen davis won his rookie year

"There are a few teams you have to watch out for in the fourth quarter."
"Yeah, but Portland definitely is not one of them."

-New Orleans Hornets broadcasters at the end of the third quarter with the Hornets leading 74-59. Portland later ends up winning 97-89.

"They don't mind him shooting that shot at all. Rudy Fernandez is not that great of a 3pt shooter."

-New Orleans Hornets broadcasters right after a Rudy Fernandez missed 3pter. Rudy Fernandez finished the game with three 3pters on six attempts.

by Tofu Anonymous on May 12, 2009 3:29 PM PDT up reply actions

He cried his way to a championship.

by dpnim on May 13, 2009 4:38 AM PDT up reply actions

Lebron would have to win 6 in a row to surpass MJ though :-)

Or if we wanna penalize MJ for taking two years off Lebron would need 6/8 to pass him, 6/9 to be tied with him.

by Zaig on May 12, 2009 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions

Hmm... if I... wonder if this works.

No NBA owner has done more with less. Pritchard maintains a fiscally responsible franchise that keeps its payroll in the middle of the pack with a cast of team-first, contract-second style players, led by an unwavering coach in Nate McMillan. The Blazers zeitgeist is one that values hard work, sacrifice and lack of ego, and everyone in the organization has bought into it, thanks in no small part to the cues of steady-as-a-rock franchise cornerstone Brandon Roy. Pritchard is also one of the few NBA owners who are extremely respected in their communities as the consummate class act. The result is a team that will win at least four championships and make the playoffs in X years of Pritchard’s Y as owner.

by dpnim on May 13, 2009 4:24 AM PDT reply actions

OOPS... Messed up. Dang.

No NBA owner has done more with less. Allen maintains a fiscally responsible franchise that keeps its payroll in the middle of the pack with a cast of team-first, contract-second style players, led by an unwavering coach in Nate McMillan. The Blazers zeitgeist is one that values hard work, sacrifice and lack of ego, and everyone in the organization has bought into it, thanks in no small part to the cues of steady-as-a-rock franchise cornerstone Brandon Roy. Allen is also one of the few NBA owners who are extremely respected in their communities as the consummate class act. The result is a team that will win at least four championships and make the playoffs in X years of Allen’s Y as owner.

by dpnim on May 13, 2009 4:25 AM PDT up reply actions

When we can just give a guy away

and then pay his “replacement” $30 million to never come near the team, I wouldn’t call that keeping the payroll down. We had the 5th highest cap figure in the league this year, and Paul Allen hasn’t exactly been a beacon of fiscal responsibility, especially compared to Holt.

by Royster on May 13, 2009 7:00 AM PDT up reply actions