Without a new Front Office, the Nets will continue to suck

[BadKiki]

Mitch Kupchak, R.C. Buford, Danny Ainge, Joe Dumars have all won championships. I don't think any of the other current GM's have won.

On the other hand, young GMs Daryl Morey and Sam Presti have done very very well in Houston and OKC.

The question is with a new owner, new coach, new arena, all that cap room and draft picks, do you want to add a new GM immediately. I think the solution will be a short contract to Thorn and the hiring of some money ball type assistant. There's always capologist Bobby Marks, who unlike everyone else in the front office, has a deal through next season.

Are people buying in to the statistically inclined GMs? To my knowledge, they haven't actually won anything -- although, I gotta admit, the smoke and mirrors thing Houston has going on is pretty cool.

I'm not entirely sure what Presti has done. The anti-Billy Beane argument in baseball was always, "how good are they without Hudson, Mulder and Zito?" Well, how good is OKC without Durant?

Isn't that what it comes down to, in the end? What will the Nets accomplish if they don't draft John Wall and/or can't lure any marquee free agents? Whoever is in charge will need to create magic out of nothing once more if the Nets are going to contend.

[cpawfan]

Presti has consistently used all of his available assets to his advantage and made a series of trades that set up the next transaction. In baseball terms, Presti is like Boggs and Gwynn at the plate, very few bad at bats even if they don't hit many home runs.

Thorn on the other hand has sucked at everything other than the home run trade. In baseball terms, Thorn makes Rob Deer look like he hit for a high average.

[BadKiki]

Presti has consistently used all of his available assets to his advantage and made a series of trades that set up the next transaction. In baseball terms, Presti is like Boggs and Gwynn at the plate, very few bad at bats even if they don't hit many home runs.

Thorn on the other hand has sucked at everything other than the home run trade. In baseball terms, Thorn makes Rob Deer look like he hit for a high average.

To extend the baseball analogy, Boggs and Gwynn needed someone else to help them produce runs. Hitters in front of them had to get themselves into scoring position, and hitters behind them needed to bring them home. Presti has done a great job improving this team incrementally...but, we haven't seen him substantially shake his team's fortunes.

You're right, Presti has been one of the best -- if not the best -- in the league in terms of maximizing his assets. How many GMs wish they could say they pulled off the Maynor deal?

My question is this: can he make the move that catapults his team from the fringe of the playoffs to the top-4 in the West? Will he pull the trigger on a deal that gets them into the Championship mix from the four seed?

[cpawfan]

To extend the baseball analogy, Boggs and Gwynn needed someone else to help them produce runs. Hitters in front of them had to get themselves into scoring position, and hitters behind them needed to bring them home. Presti has done a great job improving this team incrementally...but, we haven't seen him substantially shake his team's fortunes.

You're right, Presti has been one of the best -- if not the best -- in the league in terms of maximizing his assets. How many GMs wish they could say they pulled off the Maynor deal?

My question is this: can he make the move that catapults his team from the fringe of the playoffs to the top-4 in the West? Will he pull the trigger on a deal that gets them into the Championship mix from the four seed?

It is about matching that championship window with Durant's development. His game and ability to dominate is really taking off this season. Now he needs to experience the playoffs.

If they don't make a trade by the deadline, the Thunder will have 10+ million in cap space to make a significant signing this summer and still be in position in the summer of 2011 to add more to the team. They could also use that space and their young assets to swing a trade.

He has everything lined up on that team to be a long term force in the West

[xpress]

why did they fire a good coach Lawrence Frank and bring in Kiki who is clueless as a coach and his big deal was getting worthless Yi and Bobby (even more overpaid and worthless) for Richard Jefferson so he has proven he is a terrible gm and we can all see how bad a coach he is - if the russian's first move is not to fire this guy I will have no faith that things will change with this team

[grandmazter3]

I wouldn't imagine to know what a multi-billionaire is thinking but I don't think one gets to be in that position by revealing what your going to do with your assets.

Prohky hasn't said a thing about the Nets basketball operations, all the info we have heard is from bored beat writers.

[danxcr`]

I wouldn't imagine to know what a multi-billionaire is thinking but I don't think one gets to be in that position by revealing what your going to do with your assets.

Prohky hasn't said a thing about the Nets basketball operations, all the info we have heard is from bored beat writers.

He isnt allowed to say anything until he is officially the owner. So he is just flying low and handling his Olympic team. And I would rather him take over near the off season to see how he really does. Kind of unfair for him to take over mid season of a 5-77 team :p

[GMJ]

volThron says he'll be back:

http://www.netsdaily.com/2010/4/19/1430 ... turn-coach

[Vuchato]

volThron says he'll be back:

http://www.netsdaily.com/2010/4/19/1430 ... rn-says-GO NETS!!!-return-coach

damn censors

also, this part scares me:

Of Vandeweghe, Thorn would only say he is back doing his general manager job.

[NetIncome]

The problem with OKC is this: too many good young players in a VERY small market. They will not able to keep most of them. Presti has done well so far, but there won't be enough money for them to sign Durant, Green, Westbrook, etc. The OKC ownership group's big money guy has run into financial trouble. Their local TV contract is mniscule and their ticket prices are not going to substantiate a big investment in player contracts.

[cpawfan]

That is why OKC has a much bigger picture model like the Spurs. Identify the core (Durant and Westbrook) that they will pay the big bucks and fill in the rest of the roster with cheap role players. The next step will be balancing the contracts so that there is constantly a decent chunk of money expiring each season.

[ly_yng]

That is why OKC has a much bigger picture model like the Spurs. Identify the core (Durant and Westbrook) that they will pay the big bucks and fill in the rest of the roster with cheap role players. The next step will be balancing the contracts so that there is constantly a decent chunk of money expiring each season.

That must be so hard for them. Not playing in a larger market. They really have it so much harder than everyone else. What with their small market and all.

If there were any justice in the world Donald Sterling would find a way to purchase that team.

[GrandKenyon6]

It will be one of the most depressing days in Nets history when Thorn signs that extension.

[danxcr`]

It will be one of the most depressing days in Nets history when Thorn signs that extension.

I for one am looking to see what Thorn can do without having his hands financially tied down.

[GrandKenyon6]

I am certainly looking forward to the ownership change, but the fact that Prokhorov is so intent on keeping Thorn around has me a lot less enthused. Maybe he's not going to be the savior we all hoped for.

[Netted]

I for one am looking to see what Thorn can do without having his hands financially tied down.

The problem is that there are executives that have done much better with the low draft picks, vet min and undrafted free agents than Thorn. That has nothing to do with having your hands financially tied. In the past 8 drafts he hasn't scored an NBA rotation player outside the top 11 picks, he hasn't found one d-league call up, and has only a small handful of decent free agent signings (Dooling, House and Hayes). The list of players he brings in that are out the league shortly thereafter is ridiculously long (Jabari Smith, Buford, Best, Storey, Mercer, Dickens, McInnis, Murray, John Thomas, Zimmerman). That is a GO NETS!!! of a drought.

He's still good at trades. I have hope, but my hope is that he replaces Kiki with a really good #2.

[GrandKenyon6]

His trades are over-rated.

[GrandKenyon6]

Is Thorn the one that hired Vandeweighe? What about Stefanski? If so, then he is just as bad at evaluating managerial talent as he is at basketball talent.

[Netted]

Is Thorn the one that hired Vandeweighe? What about Stefanski? If so, then he is just as bad at evaluating managerial talent as he is at basketball talent.

I agree, but hopefully we'll get lucky. It's not like he's had a lot of hires like he's had a lot of blown free agents and draft picks. Third times the charm... hopefully? There is some talent out there like Tom Penn from Portland and maybe even Pritchard will become available.

My bigger conern is that the "develop Russian executives" agenda will hurt us due to bypassing better qualified executives or create political issues within the front office.

[blkswizz]

Is Thorn the one that hired Vandeweighe? What about Stefanski? If so, then he is just as bad at evaluating managerial talent as he is at basketball talent.

For the record Rod Thorn did not hire Kiki, Kiki was hired by Bruce Rathner after " strong recommendations" by David Stern... As for Stefanski ... That's on Rod anyone remeber the Antonie Wright draft Stefanski called him " a young Alan Houston" lmao ohh the good old times!!