This topic contains 12 replies, has 11 voices, and was last updated by Robb_CRobb_C Robb_C 7 years, 8 months ago.

  • Author
    Posts
  • #64726
    AvatarAvatar
    high floor
    Participant

    I’d like to start a series of posts that power ranks the NBA’s top front offices today, based upon some pretty basic criteria.. like overall talent acquisition, draft history/strategy, cap flexibility, and building a successful identity. In addition, a franchise’s willingness to spend at the ownership level will be factored in as well. One of my favorite things about the NBA aside from the product on the floor is the logic, guts, and the ability to execute a plan led by our favorite team’s GM’s and their peers. Let’s get to it.

    1.) GSW (Bob Myers): They assembled a 73 win team last year, and landed an all-time great player within his prime this free agency to boot.. all without getting into the luxury tax. And they are also just 1 year removed from a championship. I admit there is some recency bias picking the Warriors over the Spurs.. but we live in the moment.. and this moment GSW has possibly assembled the greatest team in history while also having a plan to realistically keep them together for years to come.

    2.) Spurs (RC Buford): They kept a generational superstar in Tim Duncan on their small market team for 19 straight years. They drafted perrenial All Stars outside the lottery at #15, #28 & #58. They signed the marquee 2015 free agent in Lamarcus Aldridge, and are 2 years removed from a championship.

    3.) Boston (Danny Ainge): Boston has done a masterful job collecting assets during their rebuild. Danny Ainge is patient, methodical, and almost always gets the better end of a trade he participates in. I’m comfortable with him at #3. 

    4.) Miami (Pat Riley): I know he was unable to retain Lebron James in 2014, and he lost 2 starters from a team that advanced last year in the playoffs.. but Pat Riley is too good to slip out of the top 4. If Chris Bosh is healthy next year I still feel that Miami can still be dangerous. I’m one of the few that agreed with his decision to let Wade walk, as he didn’t want to face a similar situation that LA experienced with Kobe, paying 20+ million a year to a declining superstar in the process. Riley always seems to have something up his sleeve, and he can really draft well too with recent selections of Justise Winslow & Josh Richardson.

    5.) Cavs (David Griffin): 2 reasons I don’t have him higher: The first, I feel that Lebron was coming back in 2014 regardless of who is in the Front Office. So I can’t give Griffin/Gilbert too much credit for that. Two, the Wiggins trade. Having a guy like Wiggins on a cap friendly contract would be extremely valuable to Cleveland right now. Overall, I really like some of the moves Griffin has made (Tristan Thompson’s contract doesen’t look quite AS BAD as it did last year with the rising cap) but overall I’m a fan of his moves & his team won the championship last year. Isn’t that what’s most important?

    Hope you guys enjoyed the list! I’ll follow up with more rankings shortly.  

    0
  • #1084479
    Robb_CRobb_C
    Robb_C
    Participant

     RC Buford is number 1.. Nobody is even close, Bob Myers has Jerry West in his ear.. Buford has been consistently one of the top GM for almost 20 years.. Id love to see Myers or anyone on this list do what RC Buford has done with a small market team.

    0
  • #1084480
    AvatarAvatar
    sweaterflex
    Participant

    I agree that RC Buford is #1. Davis Griffin did a good job, but he was more blessed by LeBron’s presence than anything else, I would probably put Sam Presti ahead of him. If OKC’s owner Clay Bennett wasn’t such a cheapskate OKC would have multiple rings by now. 

    0
    • #1084486
      AvatarAvatar
      Mopgrass
      Participant

       Yeah, LeBron choosing the Cavs made look good. I think that decision had nothing to do with the GM. Some other issues will come back to bite them: Tristan Thompson’s hold-out led to overpayment and J.R. Smith’s this year will cost them and it probably wouldn’t have gotten out of control with Smith (asking for 15) if they handled Tristan’s contract quicker. It’s hard to argue with results, but I’d give it to another GM. Championship was all LeBron (or maybe 50%). Half the teams would’ve won with him. 

      0
  • #1084495
    AvatarAvatar
    Choppy
    Participant

     I know its early in their tenure together, but I’d give at least an honourable mention to this front office tandem. Have they made a trade ever that they have lost? Getting rid of Josh Smith, letting Monroe walk, adding Jackson, Morris, Harris, drafting Johnson. Each move has made Detroit incrementally better, resulting in their first post season appearance in what feels like forever. 

    0
    • #1084501
      AvatarAvatar
      xJumpManx
      Participant

      SVG and Bower, I think have aquired a bunch of mediocre players that will lead the Pistons to maybe a a 4th seed with thast roster. Where is the closer who is the team leader. Trying build Orlando part 2 with Drummons as your Howard was doomed from the beginning.

      0
  • #1084509
    AvatarAvatar
    circumlocution75
    Participant

     happens behind closed doors. 

    With the NBA a team Must get the Super Star players by Any Means Necessary.

    It’s hard not to Rank Golden State’s GM #1 b/c just 4 years ago rge Warriors were a 23 win team. The Nucleus of the Warriors – a 70+ win Championship team is a #7 pick, a #11 pick & a #35 pick & they acquired the #35 pick by Using their Low Salary Cap as Offload for Distressed Debt — The Nets dumped Troy Murphy’s $13 Million contract in exchange for the Nets’ 2nd round pick in 2012 & that pick turned into Draymond Green. That is Amazing! & then to have the Foresight to Plant the Seeds to acquire Future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant is Amazing beyond Description!

    Obviously Buford is San Antonio has been Fantastic but stories of Tim Duncan’s Humility & Leadership were Legendary at Wake Forest B4 Duncan ever went to the NBA so it’s hard to give the GM credit for Duncan staying when that is clearly how he is Wired. But I do give Buford Lots of Credit for surrounding Duncan w/ a great coach & outstanding Teammates.

    Historically what Red Aurbach did to Land Larry Bird, Kevin McHale & Robert Parrish was Truly remarkable

    And what Dr. Jerry Buss did to acquire Kareem, then Magic & then James Worth are what Legands are made of or what the Lakers did to Orchestrate landing Both Shaq & Kobe in 1996

    Griffin got Lebron thru no effort on his own but he did do a Great job collecting the "Right" kind of Talent to suuround Lebron & create Incredib;e Chemistry

    I feel like Pat Riley gets too much Credit —- Miami 4 year Finals run from 2011 – 2014 never happens without Dwaye Wade Lobbying & Politicking & Selling the Idea…… Riley Lost Lebron b/c he failed to surround him w/ enough Talent & seemed totally Blindsided when Lebron was completely fed up in 2014……

    I give Danny Aigne Mad Props for building the 2008 "Big 3" Celtics & the Brooklyn Trade for the NETS pick fo rposition from 2016′, 17′ & 18′ was a Amster Stroke — but the Current Celtics team is No Where close to even Competing for a Ring let alone winning one….. I’m not criticizing C’s fans but 30 y/o Al Horford is Not a Star & 5’8” PG Isiah Thomas as the #1 option is just Not going to get it Done

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    0
    • #1084519
      AvatarAvatar
      OhCanada-
      Participant

       Riley is definitely top 5. This isn’t the 1st time he brought Wade a marquee player resulting in a Championship he also brought over Shaq. He’s a big player and he always seems to foil the perceived marquee teams plans. Even as an example on a smaller scale, how did he get Joe Johnson on a rental last year? The Heatles played in Miami, not Cleveland or Toronto. Even if Wade did a lot of lobbying Pat Riley deserves credit. Who do you think taught him how to do the lobbying? He was raised through Riley’s structure.

      Griffin is nothing special in my books. Signing guys like Dellavedova and the Jr. Smith/Shumpert trade were great but most of what he has was handed to him. He had to trade two 1st overall picks to get a star to Cleveland and Irving, Thompson were both drafted. Waiters didn’t work out. Love isn’t a great fit in comparison too a guy like Bosh. Lebron and Irving decided they want a ring this year that’s why Cleveland won.

      Other GM’s deserved consideration for his spot. Still think Phil Jackson needs to be up there. Can’t doubt the rings and he’s got plenty. As a coach/GM he has one for every finger plus two on the pinky! He must know something…I like the moves he made this year making a grim situation in NY bright.

        Sam Hinkie has been exiled but is a master asset collecter. His problem is not building assets it’s building communication and being able to gel with his players and organization. The players likely do not like being treated like movable assets that are all expendable provided they can bring him value.

       Morey always seems to attract talent and assets fielding competitive teams with a nice blend of vets and young talent.

       Masai Ujiri’s drafting is questionable  at times but he is great leader and very relatable to his players, a lot of what he has was built by Colengelo but he makes a lot of value trades like Rudy Gay for half of the Kings roster, Vasquez for a 1st round pick and Norm Powell, Bargnani for a top 10 pick (Poeltl) and two 2nd round picks, Salmons for Lou Williams and Nogueira. He also operates great with limited cap space some cheap signings Biyambo, Joseph, replacing Biyambo with Sullinger.

       

       

       

       

       

      0
  • #1084517
    AvatarAvatar
    Hitster
    Participant

     Ric Burford and Gregg Poppovich would be my number 1 front office.

    GSW are also excellent and with Jerry West as an advisor have a good person to sound out.

    I’d mention the Pacers too – Larry Bird and Kevin Pritchard have made some good moves in recent years and they pulled some nice draft day moves this year.

    Danny Ainge has done his job for a long time and is steadily building another very good team in Boston post his big 3 masterstroke.

    John Hammond at the Bucks has drafted solidly down the years bar Joe Alexander and managed to get the Greek Freak.

    Sam Presti has always made good moves to although he lost KD this summer.

    Dallas always seems to have a solid FO and I’d back them to rebuild successfully post Dirk.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    0
  • #1084528
    AvatarAvatar
    rich.homie.mitch
    Participant

    Surprised no one has mentioned the Blazers with Paul Allen and Neil Olshey. 

    0
  • #1084529
    AvatarAvatar
    Captain L
    Participant

     Dennis Lindsey with his Spurs back ground is doing well for the Jazz and they have had a very good off season so far.

    0
  • #1084530
    AvatarAvatar
    Captain L
    Participant

     Dennis Lindsey with his Spurs back ground is doing well for the Jazz and they have had a very good off season so far.

    0
  • #1084552
    Robb_CRobb_C
    Robb_C
    Participant

     Ive spoke witn a couple GMs around the league, but id love to talk/meet RC, hes one ofbthe kung fu masters of the front office game

    0

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login