Ferry Tales
by Dave on Jun 29, 2010 11:43 PM PDT
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PrintThe hottest name being floated in Portland's search for a new GM right now is former Cleveland exec Danny Ferry. About a third of the mailbag questions sitting in my box right now are about him, most having come in the last three days. What kind of fire might be smoldering beneath all this smoke?
Several things recommend Ferry. He was a heady player from the Duke system. He cut his teeth in management with San Antonio. Combined that's a top-line pedigree. The guy knows the game, he knows winning, he knows what a good organization looks like.
The party line around Blazers HQ says they want somebody well-versed in the art of the deal. Building through the draft is important but this team has gone past the stage of making major leaps on Draft Day. They need to create their opportunities instead of shuffling around in a league-wide line for them. They need to retain their current core and find spare parts on the cheap as well. Ferry has experience in all of these areas. Both Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili re-signed with the Spurs on his watch. Coach Gregg Popovich extended as well. He overturned the Cavaliers' roster early in his tenure, signing Larry Hughes, Donyell Marshall, and Damon Jones. A couple years later he really started wheeling and dealing, turning Hughes into Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West. In succeeding years he got Mo Williams, Shaquille O'Neal, Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon, and finally Antawn Jamison. Rumors had some of these acquisitions coming from sources above Ferry in the Cleveland food chain but regardless of rationale, the GM still had to do the legwork to get them done. As he's grown from one of the bright young minds of the league into a semi-seasoned executive Ferry has shown that he can get you players.
The biggest critique I have of Danny Ferry's work is that I've liked so few of the players he actually brought in. Of all the names mentioned in the paragraph above (save the obvious San Antonio extensions) only Moon, West, and maybe Shaq hold even vague titillation. The rest induce as many groans and worries as cheers. It's like having a friend who is good at putting the moves on but he has awful taste in women. King James masked many of those moves in Cleveland. He's going to make players look better just by the attention he receives on the floor. No matter what Ferry did it was LeBron and everybody else. Portland's roster is interconnected, interdependent. Throw an ugly wrench in the gears and the machine will break down. The players are young enough to lose confidence in such a situation as well, perhaps causing secondary damage beyond the measure of the actual move. This organization will require a delicate hand as well as a firm and competent one. Is Ferry that guy?
Danny Ferry might not be the best GM in the league right now but he's likely the best GM available right now, a critical distinction from Portland's point of view. Were the Blazers to sign him I'd feel excitement tinged with worry. I'm not entirely sure that the worry is completely Ferry-induced. The bar here is high and any GM will be challenged to meet it. But I'd worry about Ferry doing so nonetheless. Acquiring him seems like a good move but not a no-brainer.
That's my take. What's yours? Would you be happy with Danny Ferry at the helm? Reflect below.
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
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I'm not opposed to him....
i would just like to know a couple other names who we are interested in enough to interview, not names of possible guys who’s name is “out there” because of their agents.
I'd be...cautiously optimistic.
I know Ferry can produce results, but would Nate and PA be able to get into his ear enough to be able to ensure quality guys on and off the court come to Portland?
THANK YOU KEVIN PRITCHARD
Blazers fan since '91
"We are the black void. We are the red steel. We are the white sword. With ball in hand shall we reap the sins of this NBA and cleanse it in the fires of destruction. We are the Trail Blazers. The end has come!"
by rise_stand_resist on Jun 29, 2010 11:50 PM PDT reply actions
This.
If he can talk Nate into sticking around and maybe get a good assistant to back him up, maybe Terry Porter since he kind of coaches like Nate does (stresses halfcourt defense which is why he was out of Phoenix so quickly) then I say we can handle Ferry in charge
THANK YOU KEVIN PRITCHARD
Blazers fan since '91
"We are the black void. We are the red steel. We are the white sword. With ball in hand shall we reap the sins of this NBA and cleanse it in the fires of destruction. We are the Trail Blazers. The end has come!"
by rise_stand_resist on Jun 29, 2010 11:52 PM PDT up reply actions
Neither Nate McMillan nor Terry Porter are sharp defensive coaches.
Porter, by the way, was fired in both Milwaukee and Phoenix due to incompetence.
If you want a really sharp defensive-minded coach, then go target someone who preaches staunch man-to-man defense. Unlike McMillan or Porter — with the former being a guy who relies too much on switching off of picks (i.e., SOS pressure defense) and the latter being a guy who relies too much on the Dick Bennett style of half-court trapping (i.e., packline defense) that works only in college — a guy like Jeff Van Gundy knows how to coach a pro-style man-to-man defense.
Seriously, McMillan and Porter don’t know how to coach defense at the NBA level.
by AK1984 on Jun 30, 2010 12:30 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
That's makes no sense
We always hear what a great defensive minded coach he is, and he coached the USA Olympic team’s defense.
Therefore ergo ipso facto, quid pro quo, et tu AK, he is obviously a great defensive coach.
It’s science.
Mortimer
#52
by Mortimer on Jun 30, 2010 12:58 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Did you maybe fall asleep in science class sometime? Or were sick?
It was prolly covered that day.
M—
#52
by Mortimer on Jun 30, 2010 12:59 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
His sonic teams sucked on D
Defense that is…
by Sabonis4Ever on Jun 30, 2010 1:01 AM PDT up reply actions
Then why does every national broadcast say how good a defensive coach he is?!
You’re calling them all liars? Or perhaps not willing to study up on the reality of the statement?
YEAH RIGHT that’s impossible ya fat dummy, so grow up and learn something about the real world.
Nate is a great defensive coach because he was a great defensive player. Natch.
Morty
#52
by Mortimer on Jun 30, 2010 1:04 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I like when new members think he is just a huge jerk
He is of course…but they don’t know he is a kidding jerk.
by Sabonis4Ever on Jun 30, 2010 2:06 AM PDT up reply actions
Nate is a great defensive coach because he was a great defensive player
Do as I did, not as I say?
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Which exposes a major logical fallacy in the average mind
just because you did doesn’t mean you can teach. I see it at every level of sports (I competed up to Division 1, NCAA in baseball). Former players, particularly standouts, get all kinds of automatic respect for “knowing” the game.
Most have no idea how to distill “skill” into its fundamental parts and communicate those parts in such a manner that the “skill” becomes rapidly assimilated by the student.
It’s why you see so much variance in “development”. Many of those that have the student’s attention aren’t super knowledgeable – those that are knowledgeable don’t have “cred” because they weren’t players, etc. etc.
Even though I competed at the top military level in basketball (non-academic) and could shoot the 3 like a true white hope, I still went to others to teach my kids basketball because I respected knowledge more than experience.
Nate doesn’t have any special insight to basketball strategy. He does, however, understand personal accountability. He knows that by maximizing effort, minimizing mistakes and making jumpers, you can trump a poorly executed strategy – no matter how advanced that strategy.
by blacknoiseNW on Jun 30, 2010 8:38 AM PDT up reply actions
He knows that by maximizing effort, minimizing mistakes and making jumpers, you can trump a poorly executed strategy – no matter how advanced that strategy.
Don’t forget having a couple of big/active guys who can rebound a sizable percentage of those missed jumpers.
This Peter Principle re: good player =/= great coach has been noted for decades. But I’d put Nate into the category of “scrappy player” who will succeed where a star like Drexler fails, because of their work ethic and how McMillian had to maximize his abilities to make it and stay in the NBA as a player.
I’ve long suggested that Nate needed to surround himself with innovative assistants like Thibodeau and let them do more of the Xs and Os. It doesn’t appear that he wants to change his system, though, and after 5 years at Seattle he was ready to leave (even though he was “Mr. Sonic”) when the front office and fans/media suggested that he make some adjustments. So why should we be surprised if he doesn’t last much longer in PDX, especially for an owner like Paul?
Still, Tthe Blazers might get off to a great start, win 60+ games and reach the finals and save their coach’s job. The talent is there, despite Nate’s simple system. I wasn’t a big fan of Rick Adelman in 1990-92 either, because I felt his team lacked BBIQ and he and Wetzel/Schalow were outcoached (even though Mike Dunleavy was the head coach of the L*kers in 1991—horrors!)
But look at Rick now, Blazer fans think he’s a genius and would love to have him back (in Rick’s case I think he’s improved a lot, though I wouldn’t project Adelman’s growth curve on Nate…more time doesn’t automatically equate to better coaching) because sometimes it takes getting fired a few times before a coach starts to learn from his past mistakes. Nate hasn’t been fired yet, really, so he probably feels justified that his system is OK, since his Blazer team has improved from 21 wins to 50+ in 4 years.
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I missed you. Your levity is much-needed around here these days.
"One of the bright spots of the young season has been rookie point guard Jonny Flynn, whose name sounds like he should be the lead character in a Broadway Musical. "What are you doing here, Jonny Flynn?" "Why I'm here to court trouble, and woo a girl, and build the most fantastical contraption the world has ever seen!" -- Dave, Game 7 Blazers versus Timberwolves preview
"It was bad reffing...but not rip apart the fabric of time bad." -- The Arkitect, Game 79 Blazers versus Mavericks Post-Game Thread
by BlazersOrBust on Jun 30, 2010 7:00 PM PDT up reply actions
FYI, I'm back to my promise to rec every single one of your comments
but, really, I’m only going to do it if they’re funny.
I'm a really really ridiculously good looking orange mocha frappaccino drinking manhammer sandwich
by hobobob on Jun 30, 2010 9:32 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Not nice to bait me like that....
trying to be positive here.
"You be realistic," Oden said. "I’m going to stay happy. All right?"
Nate?
Do we want Nate extended beyond one year? I’m not sure I do, frankly. I sensed some disconnect between he and Dean this year, especially when Nate missed that road trip with his injury, and now Nate’s entire staff is being replaced by people like Bernie Bickerstaff. As perplexing as KP’s firing, really.
by travis13 on Jun 30, 2010 12:30 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Nate should be evaluated after this coming season
and not extended again during this offseason. If the team finally advances to the WCF, then he can write his own ticket next summer. Who knows? He may even choose to leave Portland for a better offer elsewhere
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
cautiously optimistic
I’m still waiting for the first person who turns that around and claims to be pessimistic, but also devil-may-care
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
tominhawaii may qualify
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I would much prefer a young up and comer though.
Miller and Allen are looking for an established exec, this time around. Ferry (etc) can hire a guy to quantify the numbers, if he needs to
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I could totally get on board
with a Ferry/Griffin team-up. Probably a pipe dream, though.
That's my hope too.
Young stats guy ftw.
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
the future is 3-5 years with Paul Allen
for just about every GM he’s hired this side of Bob Whitsitt
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I don't know any more about the guy than what you said.
but, “best available” is all we can hope for right now – and we do need someone pretty quick…
"You be realistic," Oden said. "I’m going to stay happy. All right?"
Can we make a BE deal?
Please, let us not suggest that getting Ferry is the key to getting LeBron. It has nothing to do with him, OK? Thanks. I’m glad we all had this chat.
Back to the post…
I honestly don’t know that much about him. He does have good experience, and I’m not familiar with any moves he made that were terrible. I’ll say this, though. While I like KP, I wasn’t really bothered by his firing. I don’t think having a fresh set of eyes on the team is a bad thing.
Still on the Rex bandwagon.
by dan_the_man on Jun 29, 2010 11:58 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Absolutely, the decision on hiring him should have nothing to do with LeBron.
It does raise the question, though, would that be of ANY value in that direction ?
"You be realistic," Oden said. "I’m going to stay happy. All right?"
the theories i heard about ferry leaving cleveland:
1 didn’t like meddling owner and wanted more control
2 lebron was not happy with his results and owner pushed him out to appease the king.
so it doesn’t seem like portland is a good fit for him and it will not help at all with lebron
"I told somebody to stop crying," Pendergraph said after the game. "Actually, I told them all to stop crying."
thanks, that pretty much answers my question, I don't follow other teams...
so in the unlikely (apparently) event we hire him, the odds go down on getting LeBron…..from 2%, 0.02%, unless LeBron is actually smart and goal focused enough to recognize the golden opportunity Portland could be – no counting on that.
"You be realistic," Oden said. "I’m going to stay happy. All right?"
He reportedly resigned because of the owner's interference ..
.. as I mentioned in another post. To me this is a positive.
As other’s have said I feel “cautiously optimistic” (rise_stand_resist) and “excitement tinged with worry” (Dave). I should point out that I would probably feel the same way even if KP was here this summer. This seems to be a crucial time in the future of the Blazers.
I can look past this, but for some maybe a negative is that Ferry looks like John Canzano. :)
by jayfisher on Jun 30, 2010 12:02 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Danny Ferry’s issues with the owner was one of the reasons why he resigned from the Cavs. I can’t look at this as a positive at all. What’s going to happen when Ferry and Allen don’t see eye to eye about something?
Logical descriptions of complex worlds contain within themselves the seeds of their own limitation. A world that was simple enough to be fully known would be too simple to contain conscious observers who might know it.
by Sexual Tyrannosaurus on Jun 30, 2010 12:09 AM PDT up reply actions
It would be a positive
if he gets Paul to give him assurances of autonomy as a condition of taking the job.
Disclaimer: everything I know about basketball I learned on Blazersedge.
I tend to agree with paulo
It’s good if Ferry and PA have a clear understanding about the job ahead of time. PA will never be “out of the loop,” because of course any good GM will still communicate and listen to the owner’s opinions, and still has to ask the owner to approve decisions. But there is a big difference between a GM having to ask the owner for approval to spend extra money and the owner telling a GM what to do in player and personel decisions.
But more important than the GM-PA relationship is that they do have a direct relationship, circumventing having to go through a secondary level of out-of-town Vulcan management.
more important than the GM-PA relationship is that they do have a direct relationship, circumventing having to go through a secondary level
Right. If Ferry is smart he’ll get it in writing that he doesn’t have to communicate to Bert Kolde or the “hat man” unless he initiates it
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Hire Him Paul
as Paul himself says “get it done”
On game day, I leave the turkey alone because it is some chemicals in that thing. Nate Mcmillian 11/26/09
I too feel cautiously optimistic
Remember watching Danny play at Duke and thought was he would be a pretty good NBA player – but he never played at the level many thought he would.
I haven’t been overly impressed with the players that were brought into Cleveland the past few years – as far as talent goes. KP and his staff did a much better job of bringing in quality players, which is why they could win 50 games despite all the injuries last year.
Wish we weren’t looking for a new GM, but it is what it is.
My biggest thing with Ferry is
I got no idea what SORT of GM he is.
He made a lot of moves, but they could easily be explained as desperation moves of a sort, to keep Lebron happy day to day and immediately. But did he like all of the moves? Was he pressured by the owner(s)? Lebron himself?
Is he a guy who believes in stats and quants and whatnot? Is he old school? Character first? He came up with the Spurs, same as KP, but what is Danny Ferry about as far as contructing a team?
No idea. For an experienced GM he really seems like an unknown quantity.
I’d rather have him over a super tired retread like Bickerstaff or Rick Sund or something.
Mortimer
#52
by Mortimer on Jun 30, 2010 12:12 AM PDT reply actions 3 recs
Man, that was your dullest post yet
I don’t even know you any more.
I'm a really really ridiculously good looking orange mocha frappaccino drinking manhammer sandwich
by hobobob on Jun 30, 2010 9:54 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Looks like he's the kind of GM who switches agents
I was curious about this stuff too, so I started to do some reading and immediately got sidetracked — Ferry just left Warren LeGarie’s agency and signed up with another agent, Lonnie Cooper.
Haha
If the beef between PA and LeGarie is true, it means we only can hire from half of the already-small GM and coaching pool?
M—
#52
And why would that cause any problems?
Nothing more fun than petty power struggles that have nothing to do with the play on the court.
Oh Corvid!
Morty
#52
It doesn't appear to really matter
They have two “analytic” men as their heads of scouting. Their “in the field” scouts seem to have reasonable eyes for talent (the intangible parts) The GM is the organizer and or coordinator of all this .( The link between coach and Vulcan…whoa!)…
This organization has an unusual hierarchy that always seems to be jocking for position and often looses sight of what’s in the best interest of the Blazers. Still searching for a Gm with free agency less than 24 hrs away, is in a scale that runs from confounding to deranged.
I guess we know nothing for sure and I do not know a lot about Ferry either. But it probably doesn’t matter as long as we don’t get a complete jerk.
When all the dust settles, I’m sure we will find that PA is more of a root owner than most thought. I have heard he has trumped some player decisions in the draft with his own personal choices. Nate has sent a message (of sorts,) that if you get him the players he demands he will produce. He believes in his system and will live or die by it.
The Seattle connection is so very strong here that you might start to think the future of this team will be in that city. (just an off the wall comment but I am getting a little defensive about it)
I guess what I’m saying is the chain of team building really starts at the bottom and works it’s way up…1.Good Players that are fundamentally sound and can function as a team 2. A coaching staff that can utilize and organize the players skills and talent. 3. A scouting team that can generate a player pool 4. A GM that coordinates getting all the working pieces together, but has limited power to “free lance” his own agendas.5. The executive branch that does all the executing (in more ways than one)
[Good defense "releases" your offense]
Jamison/Ferry
How was Jamison a bad pickup? He’s been a team guy everywhere he’s played, and he’s one of the smartest players in the game. How does someone come into the LeBron James and Mike Brown crap show (ugh, that offense) and find a way to put that team over the top? Good luck, Antawn, Amare, Bosh, whomever landed there.
I put a lot of these acquisitions on the culture of LeBron James. It felt like that team, for at least two years, was in flux because the entire organization was willing to do and spend anything (money or players) to win and keep LeBron in town. Pathetic, really, and I think the Cavs will be a stronger organization without that drama moving forward. Ferry obviously had a role in all of this, but it’s tough to say how he’ll perform in Portland, which, although Paul Allen has created a managerial mess, is really a much, much different team that has been looking long-term for the past few years. Cleveland was in Win Now Mode, and it was a crap show for it. I don’t hold it against Ferry.
Jamison has some WEAK "D,"...which is part of the reason why his great stats are accompanied by years on bad teams...
…he’s also got an albatross of a contract…way overpaid…and he’s on the downhill…I was looking at the Cavs roster/salaries going forward the next several years…
…with the mindset of “If I’m LBJ, is their any way I can imagine the CAVS putting good pieces around me to win a title in the next 4 years…”
…and Antawn’s contract was one of the worst of the bunch on that team…crippling…
…and I think getting shredded by KG in this years playoffs helps prove it…
…there is a reason teams like the WIZ give up on guys like Antawn for nothing…there’s not a lot of competition on the market for overpaid, old, poor defenders…
…not saying Ferry is the worst in the world, but definitely some questionable moves
Sam Presti was my pipedream followed by a more realistic shot at Mark Warkentin. But I guess we can settle for plan C. We do have Andre Miller.
"You know, when you are in the game, you hear 20,000 people behind you, you don't feel anything."
- Nicolas Batum on playing through his shoulder injury during the 2010 playoffs.
Hughes
That Hughes signing was atrocious. That was a huge misstep that likely cost the cavs a championship. 10 mil a year locked up on garbage for 5 years really hampers the output. Had he got somebody decent with that cash he could have kept him or flipped him for someone a lot more productive then Ben Wallace and his 8 rebounds and 2 points.
Tell me Ferry wasn't GM when Hughes was signed?!!?
I thought that was before his time…
…if he signed that…that, in my mind was one of the WORST GM moves of all time…it put that team back years…
…please tell me Ferry wasn’t the GM who did that???? Cuz I cannot have that guy on the PDX team as G.M.!!!
He was the GM
But somewhat in his defense, he had been a GM for about 6 weeks when that happened.
Not that it’s an excuse, but I like to think that people like that learn from their mistakes.
Add to that, while it was definitely too large of a contract, they were trying to outbid the Wizards in a restricted free agent signing. For a player that had looked for the last two years like a dynamic ball handler that would be the perfect fit next to LBJ. His last two seasons, he had averaged 22 ppg / 6.3 rpg / 4.7 apg / 2.9 spg and 18.8 / 5.3 / 2.4 / 1.6. He had played more than 60 games in each of the four previous seasons. In the five years since signing that contract, he has only played that many games twice.
The contract may have been too large for Hughes, but with what they expected from him, it seems to me that this was a clear case of the owner being willing to spend that to find a player that would compiment James well. Not sure the size of that contract was Ferry’s fault.
The way I see it is, Portland tried to WAY overpay for Hedo last summer and didn’t get him. Then they tried to put together a “toxic” offer sheet for Millsap and were thwarted. In the end they settled for Andre Miller. In reality, he was probably the best fit of the bunch, especially since the trade for Camby happened later. But that doesn’t change the fact that Portland was trying to overpay for guys like Hedo and Millsap to get them here. Even with Lebron, Cleveland has also had to overpay for free agents. That’s the way it often is in small markets. Would we have all called for KP’s head if he had signed Hedo or Millsap last summer?
by Rodney Gustafson on Jun 30, 2010 8:39 AM PDT up reply actions
If Hedo played in PDX like he did in TOR
Then, yes, we’d call for his head.
However, I’m confident that Hedo would have put a little more heart into it with the Blazers.
I'm a really really ridiculously good looking orange mocha frappaccino drinking manhammer sandwich
It was more than just Ben Wallace.
Delonte West is a baller.
by Nick Van Excellent on Jun 30, 2010 7:34 AM PDT up reply actions
In KP we trust
“Danny Ferry might not be the best GM in the league right now but he’s likely the best GM available right now, a critical distinction from Portland’s point of view.”
I think KP is the best GM available right now.
by Amused13 on Jun 30, 2010 2:03 AM PDT reply actions 3 recs
So the hottest name is a GM with a decidedly iffy record as player evaluator
but with an ability to close deals? Perhaps expecting him to rely on incumbent talent evaluators and systems to identify targets, but make the calls to acquire them? In other words, become another Steve Patterson?
But we have Born, Buchanan, and Filipi, as well as the coaches
to do evaluations. My sense of his Cleveland tenure was that LBJ and Gilbert told Ferry who they wanted, and Ferry went out and got them for as cheap as he could. And he did a pretty good job at it.
Seems like a bad idea to hire Ferry
because Portland has similiar issues to Cleveland.
Issues that Ferry was unable to solve with the Cavaliers.
Namely, the error of building a team around one player. And softness. I think these two things might be connected, as a dominant young star is going to be expected to lead before they are ready to lead.
Tricky problem. My guess is the solution is to create a system and an environment where no one player is more important than the team. In both Portland and Cleveland, the team identity and toughness seems to suffer from a lack of this.
So why bring in someone who failed to solve the problem that now confronts us?
"The only 'Advanced Metric' that matters is what you see with your eyes." -Timbo, Nov., 2009.
different situation
I agree that Ferry’s time with the Cavs raises questions, as you and others have pointed out. And I am not totally sold on him either. But the Blazers are not built around one player. They have one player who clearly the focal point, but so does almost every other team. As we saw this last year, if you take Roy off the team, the Blazers are still a tough out. Remove James and you have a laughable squad.
So I think the issues going forward are somewhat different. The Blazers want to add a piece (or pieces), and they have to keep Roy’s game in mind while doing so, but it is different than Cleveland.
In my overly-optimistic moments, I like to think that we do not yet have a “problem,” but a range of opportunities to get better. This isn’t to say that doing nothing or doing the wrong thing won’t create a problem sooner or later (that is the pessimist coming out). Whether Ferry can seize the opportunity or create a problem is, of course, an open question … but, honestly, it is one that will face any GM that takes over and one that even KP had not definitively answered yet. There are not many GMs in league (available or not) that have proven they can take a team loaded with potential to the next (championship) level.
by unemployedreflection on Jun 30, 2010 7:54 AM PDT up reply actions
There are not many GMs in league (available or not) that have proven they can take a team loaded with potential to the next (championship) level
It’s interesting that Paul and the Vulcans keep going back to the San Antonio “well” for their execs. The Spurs were a “small market” team that won 4 titles. That’s a pretty good model to follow if you’re Portland
So, if a new exec or coach doesn’t have past Sonic or Spurs ties, evidently he’s going to have a tough time breaking into the Blazer’s circle
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
so we learned during the Pac-10 expansion talks
I used to have a roommate from Tyler who was a Spur’s fan, so I know whereof I speak re: river walk city
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Still, the Big Twelve Conference is a regionalize market rather than a localized market ...
like the San Antonio Spurs. There’s a huge difference, too, and also let it be known that in the Junk Drawer I was one of the few people who debunked the proposed Pacific-16 Conference that never came to fruition.
good for you
I think the Big 12 and the Big 10 are way too redundant, anyway. They should have to call themsleves “Texas Hold ’em” and “The Dirty Dozen”
no more “big” names, these old traditions must be trampled by the thundering herd
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
the reception of andre miller,
sergio and rudy’s difficulties on the team, the role of the small forward in the offense, the reluctance to involve G Oden in the offense, all of these constraints are because of Brandon Roy.
"The only 'Advanced Metric' that matters is what you see with your eyes." -Timbo, Nov., 2009.
No game plan
This situation comes down to taking what you can get – not what you want. One of the realities of getting rid of KP was the question as to whether or not the Blazers had a game plan in place when the decision was made, or was it merely an emotional reaction that wasn’t clearly thought through. One would’ve hoped that the Blazers had done their homework prior to making such a decision. As things stand – it now appears that they didn’t do it. You don’t trade in your car unless you’ve got your eye on a better one – but that’s what the Blazers did. Ferry made a lot of deals – but anyone can make deals. The issue is, were they good deals – and did they make the team all that much better? From where I sit, I’m not impressed with those deals. To be fair, however, Cleveland had no stockpile of talent that was particularly impressive when they picked up James. You don’t, after all, get the #1 pick if you have a decent team with a winning record. And then, once James was on board, he was good enough with or without deals to take the Cav’s pretty much out of the lottery. Ferry, as a result, did not have much to trade or to deal with and that as much as anything, might have handicapped him. In coming to the Blazers, he’ll have a higher level of talent to trade. And that, assuming any common sense at all, will get a higher level of talent back for the Blazers.
I would agree with this
Ferry failed to convert 5 seasons of LeBron into a title (7 total). In constructing a team, he surrounded LeBron with a coach who got thoroughly outcoached time and again, especially in the lone finals appearance when LeBron willed the team past the Pistons only to run into Popovich and the Spurs. Though I don’t fully agree that Ferry had not much to work with. He had an owner willing to spend money just like Allen to get it done, a super-duper-star who produced pretty much from week 1, and a roster situation that wasn’t all that bad. At least not worse than what Nash/Patterson and KP started out with 7 seasons ago.
2003-04 roster when LeBron came on included: Carlos Boozer, Ilgauskas, Ricky Davis, Kapono, Mihm, Miles, Ollie, Bremer, Diop, McInnis, etc. That’s not amazing, but it’s something to work with. Coach: Paul Silas. Lost Boozer in 2004 free agency.
2005: Dan Gilbert takes over ownership. Ferry comes on board. Coach Brown comes on board (3 weeks before Ferry, so not his initial pick. But he never switched). Signs Larry Hughes and Donyell Marshal to huge 4/5-year contracts. Extends Z to five year contract. Trades Jiri Welsch for a second round pick (think Rudy). Signs Damon Jones to a 4-year contract, who turns out to be a terrible ball hog/chucker. One of my least favorite players ever. Mark Warkentien quits as director of player personnel. Signs a number of other free agents for training camp and waives them, the most useful maybe Kelenna Azubuike. Instead retains Sasha Pavlovic.
2006: Good deals, acquires Flip Murray from Sonics for 500k in cash and Mike Wilks. Picks Daniel Gibson and Shannon Brown late in draft. Re-signs LeBron to max deal (but only 3 years plus 1 year player option), the deal he comes off now. Waives Stephen Graham, who was useful. Re-signs Drew Gooden to 3-year 23 million deal. Loses Flip Murray and Dajuan Wagner as free agents.
2007: Re-signs Varejao and Pavlovic, especially Sasha to a pretty overpriced one. Loses Shannon Brown in free agency after declining team option.
2008: Makes the big three-team trade to acquire Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West, 2009 second round pick (#46-Daniel Green) at the deadline. Gives up Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Cedric Simmons, Ira Newble, Donyell Marshall. Drafts J.J. Hickson and acquires rights to Sasha Kaun, who might both one day be valuable. Re-signs Daniel Gibson to a five year deal.
Great deal: Acquires Mo Williams (overpaid by the Bucks) for the useless Damon Jones and Joe Smith, who even eventually re-signs. Re-signs Delonte West.
2009: Tries out a number of players on short term contracts who don’t stick. Fails to get something out of the injured insured contract of Eric Snow. Takes Christian Eyenga in draft. Giant fail, since at that time Eyenga played for the farm team of Joventut (Rudy’s team), and it was clear to everybody that Eyenga is two years away from being two years away of playing in the NBA. He still is. LeBron gets no additional help. Trades the expiring contracts of Wallace and Sasha for Shaq’s expiring contract. Signs Anthony Parker. Re-signs Anderson Varejao to a six year $50 million deal. Signs Jamario Moon. Signs Leon Power (while injured). Signs a number of d-leaguers.
2010: Again he game-planned the roster for a matchup with Orlando: Bringing in Shaq to camp in the lane a la Ben Wallace. That matchup never came. To have any chance at re-signing LeBron, the owner fires the coach and GM and takes over negotiations directly.
All in all a mixed bag. Not bad, not great. Meh.
by Norsktroll on Jun 30, 2010 6:17 AM PDT up reply actions 4 recs
Thanks
Nice breakdown. You’re right, it’s not amazing. But it is better than my abstract recollection of his time there.
by unemployedreflection on Jun 30, 2010 7:59 AM PDT up reply actions
One thing that I actually LIKE
is that he’s not afraid to trade guys that are popular, or that he likes, if he thinks that he’s getting a piece that will make the team a better product. That’s the one area I think KP sorely lacked, and while I don’t want the next GM to gut the roster, I also don’t want him to be afraid to trade a popular player.
by Rodney Gustafson on Jun 30, 2010 8:46 AM PDT up reply actions
So, you're glad Martell is gone?
Webster (popular) for Babitt (unknown). Hope you’re happy with the prospect of more of this type of deal. Personally, I like cheering for good guys who I “know.” I’d rather cheer for the people than the uniforms, at least if they are decent citizens who are reasonably talented. It would be fine with me if we were routinely competitive w/o the drama, impulsiveness and disloyalty. I’m OK without a championship. It wasn’t a life changing event in 1977 and it won’t be next time. Think Utah.
Great summary
All in all a mixed bag. Not bad, not great. Meh.
The Delonte West/Ben Wallace trade followed by the Mo Williams trade was genius. People forget how much that transformed the Cavs, who went from a 50 win team to a 66 win team the next season. Delonte was severely underrated as a top shelf role player/defender (and probably still is due to the off court issues), and Big Ben was arguably the second most valuable guy on a 66 win team. Mo has his limitations, but he’s a great fit with Lebron – he just can’t be your second best player without a clear third option if you want to advance in the playoffs.
You have to view those moves in the context of what Ferry was working with at the time, too – he turned Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, etc. (neither of whom are worth a midlevel deal) into the right role players to transform a 50 win team into the best regular season squad in the league.
Ferry’s other moves, of course, were an unmitigated disaster. There’s no middle ground with this guy. Shaq was absolutely atrocious from the beginning. He gutted one of the best defensive teams in the league and added very little. Big Ben was better at just about everything other than scoring 12 points a game, and the difference in the other areas was worth far more than 12 points.
The only way to make the Shaq trade worse, of course, was to couple him with the worst defensive power forward in the league, Jamison, who made KG of this year look like KG circa 2006. Wide open 7 foot jumpers will do that. I can’t even explain to those of you who didn’t watch the Cavs play much how dreadful this pairing was. They NEVER should have seen the court together, EVER. It was so painfully obvious all the time.
Basically, as a Cavs fan, I don’t know what to make of the guy. He created his own mess by signing Hughes and Gooden, started to fix it by trading for Mo, Delonte, and Wallace, undid some of that good by trading Wallace for Shaq, and then cemented the downfall this season by pairing Shaq with Jamison and creating the worst defensive frontcourt in the league.
All in all, I would look elsewhere. He’s not an advanced stats guy. No advanced stats guy trades for Shaq and Jamison. He’s a gut feel/simplistic guy. Those guys don’t succeed in today’s NBA without LOADS of luck. Ferry received loads of luck, and succeeded a little bit.
The guy I would target is OKC’s assistant GM. I forget his name but dude is brilliant. Guys like that are playing chess, and I’m not sure Ferry’s even playing checkers – maybe more like tic-tac-toe.
Q: Is Greg favoring his knee?
Frye: He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors.
by KP Corleone on Jun 30, 2010 9:22 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
People forget how much that transformed the Cavs, who went from a 50 win team to a 66 win team the next season
This is the next “stage” for the Blazers, and it’s not an easy one to pull off
but regardless of the regular season win totals, I want to see the new GM assemble (or keep together, in the case of Przybilla) a playoff-hardened roster that can advance to the finals. Ferry did the former just fine, but his teams struggled against superior playoff rosters, even though they had the most-talented BB player on the planet
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Thanks Corleone
Hmm, this part stands out to me—
All in all, I would look elsewhere. He’s not an advanced stats guy. No advanced stats guy trades for Shaq and Jamison. He’s a gut feel/simplistic guy. Those guys don’t succeed in today’s NBA without LOADS of luck. Ferry received loads of luck, and succeeded a little bit.
If he isn’t a stat dude himself or doesn’t believe in it and conducts his GMship in the old school way… ugh. Don’t like that. You need the combo of gut and feel and using the eyes ALONG WITH the numbers to reveal the hidden truths.
Not sure what to think of Ferry, but that part you mention is the most negative thing I can think of.
Mortimer
#52
The Blazers will take anybody with experience. They have left themselves with a situation that presents mediocrity. They are so short in this hiring that they probably can’t offer much incentive and will not get a magical GM that could make a difference. However, Born and Buchanan are analytic people and if they are here to stay. then I would think it is less important for your GM to be in the same mold. The best decisions usually get made out of diversity and qualified gut instincts might have their place.(not saying Ferry has good qualifications for either)
A case could be made by comparing this to the Dallas Mavericks. A team that is heavily laden with analytic people, with Mark Cuban at the forefront. They never seem to make it over the top. Coincidence maybe, but never-the less noted. Also, Houston with the man Daryl Morey,(credited with bringing analytics to the NBA via GM) has also been an “also ran” for some time.
Another case may be Boston, also deeply into statistical analysis, but it was Danny Ainge that pulled out the gut instincts and signed proven players, that gave his team new life and…a championship.
What I guess I am saying is (IMO) you need a balance of sorts and not always agreement in the ranks. Stat lines can be read by anyone, but reading a player’s characteristics and analyzing his skills and team fit can only be done with a knowledgeable and sometimes instinctive basketball background.
We simply need a tough minded GM that is willing to make the hard decisions and use all the tools available. This should include both statistical info and gut feelings. The intangibles are the links between stats and gut feelings. Sometimes a player that presents the intangibles should be the choice over a statistical impressive player. Especially if your looking at a particular role player, such as a defensive specialist.
I look at the Blazers and I see a team that is statistically sound, but also a team that loses energy from a system that tends to turn down it’s level. Good defense always turns that up a notch. Easy hoops from turnovers and fast transition also turn it up. I know this is rather a simplistic view, but IMO the Blazers are simply a few pounds of energy away from success. I’m hoping we can get some “charged particles” to amp this up some.
I am not sure how this team is measuring it’s success and whether they think a new approach is in order? But I do believe It is very constricted, and perhaps too conservative of thinking, to put all your eggs in one basket (so-to-speak) .
I don’t thumb my nose at analytics and realize they do play an important role in team building in many organizations, but I also understand that they cannot guarantee success. High probability confined into an individual player stat line,is what it is. But basketball is a team sport and “all the other things” will have to happen before it actually transforms into success.
[Good defense "releases" your offense]
Ilgauskas' foot injury problems set the Cavs back, too.
by MiledAnimal on Jun 30, 2010 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions
You're right! That was all the way back in '98-'01.
[Let’s see, how do I salvage this the Blazersedge way… ahh, yes.]
Technically, my statement is 100% accurate when taken out of context.
by MiledAnimal on Jun 30, 2010 3:22 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Well, I am somewhat heartened
Is Ferry’s only knock that he’s bad at player evaluation?
Well, that’s a good thing, actually. Apparently, Blazers have good talent evaluators headed up by Born and Buchannan. If Ferry will come in and just allow himself to be told who the good and undervalued players are, no problem. If instead he came in insisting that his instinct and experience were better at evaluating players than the Blazer system, then that would mean problems.
You say Ferry, while not good at evaluating is good at the deal? Even better: somehow, some way, these contracts of Batum and Oden have to work with LMA and BRoy. That’s a lot of dealing. Looking over Storyteller’s cap article gives me a sinking feeling that it will be very, very hard to keep all four. My guess is that—if Portland is successful with this particular set of players—they’ll need a deal-specialist.
Maybe the plan is that B + B can replace what KP was good at (with Larry M picking up the duties of ambassador of the franchise to the public—yippee) while they bring in a GM that had something KP didn’t.
I sure don’t want a repeat of last year’s negotiations over contracts.
Buck Williams for the hall of fame
but a big part of the reason why he did this
was to prevent James from walking away, next week
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
James would have walked away if Ferry had not given big cap eating contracts to Donyell, Larry, Drew,...?
I don’t think so Tim
Ferry and the Cavs kept trying to find the winning mix
they’ve mortgaged their future in hopes that LeBron would stick around. If he leaves for Miami or Chi-town there’s going to be a lot of finger-pointing in C-town. Ask yourself this, what else could Danny have done? There was a deadline and everybody knew that this day would come for years, or at least since it became clear that James wasn’t going to sign an extension
I hope Ferry isn’t the next Blazer GM, but I certainly can understand why he did what he did to try and convince LBJ to stay
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Indeed... I don't like overpaying at all
But in general, I took Dave’s post saying that Ferry “can get players” to imply a negotiator and guy who can close deals.
That’s the sunny side of the equation for me. I actually preferred KP.
Buck Williams for the hall of fame
Born and Buchanan were just extended
that’s a signal from the Blazers that the new GM doesn’t “need” to bring in his own scouts
assistant GM? Sure, that will be Danny’s choice (if he’s hired)
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Trader Dan...
Paul Allen loves to tinker with his toys…
Ditching Marty for pennies on the dollar really was the last straw for me…
"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
If I had a dollar for every BE "last straw" post
I’d buy the team from Mr. Allen. :)
by Rodney Gustafson on Jun 30, 2010 8:47 AM PDT up reply actions
Is this some form of advanced sarcasm?
I know it’s fun to live in La-La Land where we sit back and idly fantasize about how to spend somebody else’s money, but that transaction traded a disappointing player for a highly regarded prospect while saving the Blazers an awful lot of money. I’m sure you know this which is why the remark surprises me. Pennies on the dollar? Pop onto some non-Blazers-oriented message boards and you’ll find that pretty much everybody feels that the Blazers got over on David Kahn with that one.
"I take the little gummy bear Flintstones vitamins…I try not to eat the lady. I try not to eat the man. Just give me the car. I try to find the car. Yea, worst case scenario, I eat the lady." - Ron Artest, 2009
Pennies on the dollar?
Martell Webster for the number 16 pick AND cap space is pennies on the dollar? That’s an amazing thing to say. What do you think Marty was worth? A top five pick? I would say Kahn is the only GM in the league who would’ve given the Blazers a top twenty pick for Webster.
Q: Is Greg favoring his knee?
Frye: He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors.
by KP Corleone on Jun 30, 2010 11:27 AM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, I don't know...
Ferry doesn’t excite me. And the first time I heard his name as a candidate I immediately thought of all the moves he’s made for Cleveland that brought in marginal talents. Was he making moves for the sake of making moves? Trying to save his job by doing something? Did he get the best that was available at the time?
I don’t know about Ferry… I’m more geeked at the thought of the guy from Phoenix.
Man were the blue skies of yesterday something or what? I miss those days.
Being insistent when you're wrong is just really, really annoying.
by you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows on Jun 30, 2010 7:38 AM PDT reply actions
Does anyone remember
when Marcus Camby tried to punch out Danny Ferry but Jeff Van Gundy jumped in the way to stop him?
Could this be an issue?
REC!
Wouldn’t it be FANTASTIC if JVG replaced Nate next summer? At the press conference announcing it, the three of these guys could re-enact it just for kicks and giggles!!!!
by Rodney Gustafson on Jun 30, 2010 8:49 AM PDT up reply actions
yeah, I posted a link to a NY article last night
JVG got accidentally head-butted by Marcus when he threw a roundhouse at Ferry but Danny ducked
(reminds me of how Doug Collins took the worst of Dawkin’s punch when Bobby Gross ducked, back in ’77)
JVG was telling the media that Camby was too soft, and so Marcus overreacted to Ferry’s cheap shot to “prove” his manhood. It’s ironic that the head coach received the worst head wound of the altercation, after he had admonished his player to show more “toughness”
I wonder if there’s any residual bad blood between Ferry and Camby? Nobody seems to like Dukies unless they’re a Blue Devil themselves
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I don't get the logic in this post.
All it talks about is who Ferry got. I mean I think the bigger thing to look at is who Ferry had to give up to get those players. I mean you can criticize him for getting Jamison and question the fit but when you look at what the Cavs gave up it seems like a no brainer.
Not interested
Dave summed it up exactly when he compared Ferry to the guy who sleeps with lots of ugly girls, I fear seeing guys like Batum leave for lesser players to fill “needs.” I have no idea what the Blazer’s have left in the tank, but I’d like to hire from within if possible. Didn’t Pritchard have some moon faced intern carefully stowing away little tidbits for just this moment. Someone who would do “what Pritch would do” but give Paul Allen all the credit and for cheap. Stick around for five years and have some quiet but effective fine tuning off seasons while this team that we have so much hope for matures and competes with the Lakers and Lebrons. I don’t want anyone but Pritchard or someone who trained him or trained under him. I know there are some big brains still left on the farm. He’s gone, move on, but not too far. I worry about our psyche no matter who takes the job. Snafu really doesn’t cover the happenings in the Blazer front office.
I don’t want anyone but Pritchard or someone who trained him or trained under him.
Not a good idea, and here’s why.
If you left Chad and Mike to their own devices, they would scout the draft and add 2-3 rookies every June (even if they have to trade a mid-level salary like Webster to move up) The Blazer’s window corresponds to the health of Roy’s knees (i.e. it won’t last forever) What the Blazer need is a GM who can add playoff-experienced veteran role players to the roster (or a PG like Tony Parker, who is a former final’s MVP)
When looking for FAs this summer, the first question that should be asked is this “has this player consistently stepped his game up in the post season?” If the the answer is no or meh, then move on to the next candidate. Talent is already on the roster, what they’re still lacking are players who have been past round 1 on numerous occasions and not disappeared
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I think the presumption that the BB's are only involved in rookie scouting is incorrect
by blacknoiseNW on Jun 30, 2010 11:20 AM PDT up reply actions
well. as I understand it
Chad does the college scouting and Mike supervises the NBA scouting
but the reason the front office hiring a GM is to make the deals and sign the (big-name) FAs. I’m sure Mike will have input (along with Nate) on the NBA players to be acquired in the coming months, but he’s not going to be pulling any triggers or reporting directly to Paul
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Moderately enthusiastic
As other here have detailed in more eloquence and detail than I, I think Ferry’s tenure in Cleveland carries massive caveats because of the situation he was in with LeBron. I think he did as well as anybody could in bringing in complementary players. He’s brought back-to-back 60-win seasons to Cleveland, and I think it’s very easy to criticize the caliber of the talent he brought in when viewed through those magic Hindsight Goggles. The pieces with which he surrounded LeBron were obviously sufficient to put that team into championship contention in a relatively short timespan.
I would also prefer to have someone with actual GM experience. Not an assistant, not a director, but someone who has sat in the chair for several seasons and experienced failure and success in a pressure environment under the demands of a billionaire owner who wants to win now. To my mind, the list of candidates who fit that bill is relatively short. Ferry leads the list. End of story. Not a dream pick, but the best one available to us in short order.
"I take the little gummy bear Flintstones vitamins…I try not to eat the lady. I try not to eat the man. Just give me the car. I try to find the car. Yea, worst case scenario, I eat the lady." - Ron Artest, 2009
I would also prefer to have someone with actual GM experience
That’s what Miller said that Paul is looking for. In Ferry’s case I would hope that he learned from his experience in C-town and would not fall into the same roster/salary pitfalls a second time. I also hope that he’d assemble a roster similar to his mentor in San Antonio (Buford) and hire a coach (assuming Nate doesn’t last) who would employ a “one size fits all” system like Poppovich, which has been shown to be successful in May/June
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Forced Acceptance....
I guess I approach this like I approach every single GM change that has ever happened with The Blazers. That is ultimately, I’ll give the guy a chance. But I admit to having fears and I certainly wouldn’t say Ferry was a slam dunk choice.
“The biggest critique I have of Danny Ferry’s work is that I’ve liked so few of the players he actually brought in.”-Dave
Looking at his resume that is the most glaring reality. The majority of the names and moves are so generic as to be yawn inducing.
As a fan, I think I believe each franchise offers it’s own set of advantages, benefits, disadvantages and challenges. Maybe with our scouting staff and Paul Allens resources Ferry could make more happen?
In anycase, if he is to become the next GM? Like I have always done, I’ll watch and hope and evaluate each move or non-move.
I don’t think Ferry is a slam dunk choice. But The Blazers put themselves into this position. I think I’d meet the hiring of Ferry with a subconcious hope that I’m wrong about my fears.
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
Pulling a good GM out of the hat
is the stage we are now on. When your grasping into a questionable pool of available people, the likelihood of finding a difference maker is quite slim. Less than 24 hrs from free agency….,Plain and simple this is dumb way to a run a viable business. (however, Nate did say he wanted shooters and Ferry is a shooter)
[Good defense "releases" your offense]
I would recommend Donald Trump
Now that would make for great drama. I could see the mighty Don grilling the two Bs about why they think a player is worth getting.
And if you want somebody to stand up to PA…
you're fired
the Blazers already have a Trump, his name is Paul
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
unimpressed
ferry made moves, sure, but in my opinion not very good moves. i feel like this would be a step backwards…
Even if we want him, does he want us?
If I were an up-and-coming GM, after what’s happened recently I would stay as far away as possible from Paul Allen and the Vulcan wrecking crew.
"...the rumblings grew louder. Dribble. Dribble. Fake. Dribble. Fake. Shoot. ...a towering dark shadow too terrible to describe. In its hand it held a huge black globe and on its chest was written in cruel runes, 'Villanova.' 'Aiyee,' shouted Legolam. 'A ballhog!'"
Danny Ferry is a product of a system
that produced KP and has the same pedigree so to speak. I think he would be a good hire.
by three_point_hookshot on Jun 30, 2010 11:27 AM PDT reply actions
The GM-O-MATIC 2000 says....
So the way I see it, The Blazers need the following qualities in a GM.
Not necessarily in order of importance:
1. Knows how to interact with the media to advantage.
2. Well versed in deal making and contract negotiations.
3. Well connected with top N.B.A. talent.
4. Independent enough to stand up to Vulcan and Paul Allen and not just be a YES man.
5. History and experience with the N.B.A..
So I punch this all in to the GM-O-MATIC 2000….here comes the answer…according to the latest in computer technology the next Blazer GM should be….
WARREN LEGARIE!
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
by Krang on Jun 30, 2010 11:47 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Larry Miller
For stability. Larry will never get fired because he’ll always do what’s in the best interest of his job – which is to do everything the way PA wants it done.
Under PA/Vulcan command — Miller has shown that he’s adept at dodging career-ending landmines in his role as ‘President’, but we’d love to see how fleet of foot Larry would be in the role as GM.
Ferry seems so ‘East Coast’ to me. I want Miller to play the lead role of ‘GM Running Man’. It’d be entertaining! And isn’t that what professional sports is all about?
Treat people well because Karma can hit you at any second.
Bottom Line
Championships: 0
Where are the Cavs now: Oh Snap!!!!! Wtih Lebron gone this team is in the tank and could be for quite awhile.
which is why
they should hire KP and rebuild in two years with a roster full of potential talent.
"Better, not good, but better." - Herb Brooks
Ferry in San Antonio...
was no better than 4th in charge behind Popovich, Buford and Presti.
It wasn’t “his watch”. The title “director of basketball operations” can be deceiving. He was a staff member learning the ropes.
It's kind of ironic
a couple of weeks ago, when Ferry resigned and Bedgers were saying that the Blazers should just fire KP rather than keep letting him twist in the wind, I said something to the effect of “then who are they going to get to run the draft…Danny Ferry?”
sometimes life is like that
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Wasn't Danny looking for a GM job?
Portland only has an Owners Assistants Apprentice opening…not what Danny or any
other professional is looking for. Maybe the bulcans can get an Arab executive who speaks and reads only farsi, and so missed the fate of Portlands last true business professional.
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