Meet Your New VP of Basketball Operations
by Ben Golliver on May 18, 2009 3:42 PM PDT
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PrintThe official press release from the team.
PENN NAMED VICE PRESIDENT OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS
PORTLAND, Ore. - Tom Penn, the Trail Blazers assistant general manager for the past two seasons, has been promoted to Vice President of Basketball Operations, General Manager Kevin Pritchard announced today.
Penn joined the Trail Blazers in 2007 after a seven-year stint with the Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies, where he served as assistant general manager/legal counsel.
"I am absolutely thrilled and grateful to have the opportunity to continue to work with Mr. Allen, Kevin Pritchard, Larry Miller and the entire Trail Blazers organization," Penn said. "We are blessed with a dynamic, talented team, terrific basketball and coaching staffs and a first-class organization. We will do all that we can to improve our team and build toward our ultimate goal of an NBA championship."
Penn, tapped by the Trail Blazers for his extensive knowledge of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and salary cap, will continue to work with Pritchard on managing day-to-day aspects of the team's basketball operations, including contract negotiations, talent evaluation, personnel acquisition and player/agent relations.
"When we talk about team chemistry, it extends to our staff and the role everyone plays in creating a winning culture here," Pritchard said. "Tom has had a huge hand in our success, and I'm pleased that he will remain and continue to help us build this franchise."
Penn, 41, worked as a criminal defense attorney after completing studies at the University of Notre Dame and University of Illinois law school. He later worked as a player agent, gathering his first NBA experience as a member of the acquisition team during Michael Heisley's pursuit of the Vancouver Grizzlies.
Penn and wife Melissa are the parents of two children.
I know it's semantics but it seems a little weird to have the Vice President of Basketball Operations reporting to the General Manager, right? Can we get KP a new job title, like "Conquistador" or "Vice President - Other Vice President Management" or "Assistant to the Regional Manager" or "Vice President - p0wning"or some such?
-- Ben (benjamin.golliver@gmail.com)
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Methinks “VP of Basketball Operations” is code for “Title in name only that gives Paul Allen an excuse to give a huge pay raise.”
draft rodrigue beaubois
by Cablinasian on May 18, 2009 3:46 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Methinks "VP of Basketball Operations" is code for "No you can’t have him, Timberpuppies, so back off!!"
"Whatever...I heard Bayless uses a pillowcase as a wallet." --TiH
by prezofdeath on May 18, 2009 11:24 PM PDT up reply actions
I vote for the title "Supremo and Deity of Universal Operations" for Kevin Pritchard...
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
KP should be promoted to....
…Paul Allen Jr
"You're welcome friend
I love you."
- Tom "Dragline" inHawaii
by 92wastheyear on May 18, 2009 3:55 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
third power?
"Whatever...I heard Bayless uses a pillowcase as a wallet." --TiH
by prezofdeath on May 18, 2009 11:25 PM PDT up reply actions
Last week's office was the best in sometime
mostly because of the Assistant to the Regional Manager’s new bff.
wanderlust
Different than brevit promotion
In the military where you get the title and job but not the pay grade.
by southern oregon on May 18, 2009 4:05 PM PDT reply actions
Was there...
an actual VP of Basketball Operations before today? If there was I had never heard
of him. Nice job, Tommy. Glad to have you back. It feels like you never left.
not for the blazers but that’s a common title around the league.
by Ben Golliver on May 18, 2009 4:15 PM PDT up reply actions
Didn't we have it in a previous administration?
In fact ….wasn’t that KPs title before he was GM?
"You're welcome friend
I love you."
- Tom "Dragline" inHawaii
by 92wastheyear on May 18, 2009 4:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Sorry I was wrong
Director of Player Personel
"You're welcome friend
I love you."
- Tom "Dragline" inHawaii
by 92wastheyear on May 18, 2009 4:51 PM PDT up reply actions
kp was previously “assistant gm” and before that “director of player personnel” and of course “interim head coach” … i am looking to see if i can find any previous vp basketball ops….
by Ben Golliver on May 18, 2009 4:52 PM PDT up reply actions
Thanks Ben
I discovered my wrongness too
"You're welcome friend
I love you."
- Tom "Dragline" inHawaii
by 92wastheyear on May 18, 2009 4:52 PM PDT up reply actions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Portland_Trail_Blazers_executives
bucky buckwalter is the answer, as he often is.
by Ben Golliver on May 18, 2009 4:55 PM PDT up reply actions
Good ol' Bucky
"You're welcome friend
I love you."
- Tom "Dragline" inHawaii
by 92wastheyear on May 18, 2009 5:21 PM PDT up reply actions
I thought he was the bee's knees
Seth Greenberg too. And Mr. Greenberg is making out OK in VA. – Elgin
VENTURA: It's drowning. It gives you the complete sensation that you are drowning. It is no good, because you -- I'll put it to you this way, you give me a waterboard, Dick Cheney and one hour, and I'll have him confess to the Sharon Tate murders.
Very smart move
love the office reference. Rec
Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Edwin Jackson(Eurostash)
KP's new title once he lands us Rubio is his old one but gets a new meaning: Grand Mufti (GM)
Or maybe:
- Supreme ruler of everyone on staff who professionally touches a basketball
- Señor Swagger
- Center Court Czar
Or on a more serious note maybe Senior Vice President and GM. If a company like Microsoft and even hip young companies can have Senior Vice Presidents, so can the Trail Blazers.
what KP's bringing to his performance review
by spikex on May 18, 2009 5:38 PM PDT up reply actions 5 recs
bwaahhahaha
"Whatever...I heard Bayless uses a pillowcase as a wallet." --TiH
by prezofdeath on May 18, 2009 11:27 PM PDT up reply actions
I think he worked PA for few $'s more
In a good way
by southern oregon on May 18, 2009 4:18 PM PDT up reply actions
Blazers also did a "full-court press". Ben would be proud.
http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/wolves/2009/05/18/penns-agent-explains/
"Honestly, Tom decided his heart still was in Portland," LeGarie said. "It was a comfort factor more than anything. Portland was his comfort zone.Tom has developed a unique relationship in Portland and it kept tugging at his heart strings. Ultimately, that resonated with him. They have a good team there that he helped create and they have some unfinished business there."
He wants a ring for his hard work
(and so he can go somewhere and be ‘the man’ (it is just an expression, don’t attack me please Sophia))
by Sabonis4Ever on May 18, 2009 4:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Let's be frank -- the "GM" job for Team Suit was actually nothing more than Capologist with fancy business cards. Stuck with McHale as coach and Hoiberg pulling the player personnel strings... NO THANKS!!!
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
I don't see anybody going over to the other side of the Roy/Foye trade willingly
by Sabonis4Ever on May 18, 2009 7:54 PM PDT up reply actions
Maybe he should have waited until after the draft lottery to see if they move up to 1 or 2
Mike D’Antoni would have advised him to that. But likely they wanted an answer now, since reportedly he should have been presented tomorrow.
I was very tempted to say on Canius Hoopus
“Even if the Wolves win the number one pick. Penn will have still made the correct choice by a mile.”
But I don’t wanna pile on. (If they won the number one pick though they would forget about Penn in a heatbeat)
by Sabonis4Ever on May 18, 2009 8:26 PM PDT up reply actions
KP's title:
Grandmaster
"It all depends on where his growth will come and we think his growth will come within us" -- Kevin Pritchard on Jerryd Bayless
Actually the Kevin Pritchard title is obvious:
President of Basketball Operations
"What's so interesting is that this team took on a dynamic that was very special. I don't think we as a group, in terms of management, coaches and players, realize what we did as a young team. We broke all the metrics. We broke all the molds. Our challenge is can we continue to do that. As young of a team with 54 wins, no issues off the court, phenomenal chemistry." - Kevin Pritchard
Now that Mike Golub is gone
he could also be Executive VP.
"What's so interesting is that this team took on a dynamic that was very special. I don't think we as a group, in terms of management, coaches and players, realize what we did as a young team. We broke all the metrics. We broke all the molds. Our challenge is can we continue to do that. As young of a team with 54 wins, no issues off the court, phenomenal chemistry." - Kevin Pritchard
Congratulations to Tom Penn
You gave us all a scare! I do hope there are some performance bonuses in your new contract. We pay $60-90 per year to players and the guys that choose and fit the pieces together should be amply recognized.
"What's so interesting is that this team took on a dynamic that was very special. I don't think we as a group, in terms of management, coaches and players, realize what we did as a young team. We broke all the metrics. We broke all the molds. Our challenge is can we continue to do that. As young of a team with 54 wins, no issues off the court, phenomenal chemistry." - Kevin Pritchard
Or 2KP
"We Believe" - Rudy Fernandez
by TheGreatMon on May 19, 2009 1:44 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Pritchard's title is K.P.
King of Presidents. aka KIng Pin.
Baron, Sultan, or Caliph will do fine.
Any time Detroit scores more than 100 points and holds the other team below 100 points they almost always win. -Doug Collins
by TappedPotential on May 18, 2009 8:47 PM PDT reply actions
Excellent news
I have no doubt Tom Penn will be running a team sooner than later, I just hope that today means he leaves Portland with a ring on his finger.
I believe in Greg Oden. To all the haters - get down with the program or stay off the wagon for all time. #52
Thank you TP2
I was really going to be sad to lose you. It’s epic to have you back…even though you never really left.
"Whatever...I heard Bayless uses a pillowcase as a wallet." --TiH
Blazers announce a new title in the blazer heiarchy
Simply known as “Pritch”, or, alternatively, “The Pritch”.
"We Believe" - Rudy Fernandez
What's the difference between GM and President of Basketball Operations?
Sounds redundant to me, but TP probably wouldn’t have taken the job if it was. Unless they are just paying him to keep him out of the division rival’s office.
Ben – next time you get KP on the horn, see if you can get a job description out of him.
Yellow Mamba FTW!
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