[BallBeenLifeParticipant]

From a drafting standpoint I think so.. Just look at his history. In his first year as GM back in 07 he drafted Durant (which was a no brainer at #2) and then traded Ray Allen for the rights to Jeff Green. In 2008 he drafted Westbrook which today seems like a no brainer too, but at that time a lot of people thought being picked #4 was a stretch. Then that following year they grab Harden at #3 in the 2010 draft.  

But it’s not just those top picks that mold my opinion. Even when they don’t have the luxury of being in the top 5 they still find great prospects. Such as Ibaka & Reggie Jackson both at pick #24 in the 2008 & 2011 draft. Perry Jones at #28 (even though he hasn’t panned out yet, or is with them anymore he still has/had a sky high ceiling), Steven Adams (#12) and Mitch McGary (#21) have both shown that they can be key contributors.

And now with rookie PG Cameron Payne added to the mix I think he can be the next prospect that can be added to the list of smart draft choices for Presti.

I’m not saying he’s perfect! He did draft Eric Bledsoe then traded him to the Clippers. And the Harden trade still may not sit well with OKC fans but his hands were tied in that situation with him wanting a max contract that they simply couldn’t afford. 

So with all that said, let me know your thoughts! And who you guys think the best GM in the NBA is today? 

 

[DrivingDownTheStreetinmy64]

Micheal Jordan is the best Gm for bypassing talent

[DrivingDownTheStreetinmy64]

Micheal Jordan is the best Gm for bypassing talent

[DukeDaSquadParticipant]

 Not sure what’s his name or if it’s always been the same person but the warriors gm has done a good job also

[DukeDaSquadParticipant]

 Not sure what’s his name or if it’s always been the same person but the warriors gm has done a good job also

[XYRYXParticipant]

I think from a draft point of view he clearly belongs to the top tier GMs in the league but as a Thunder fan I’m not so sure about he free agency moves. He failed to implement veterans to me a but too much. Perkins and Collison have been the two veterans for some time or for a long time see Collison but he tried to put Fisher, Butler or even didn’t have any use for someone like Nate when they traded Green to the Celtics. The Thunder never had a true backup for KD until today and someone like David West could have been a missing piece for this team. 

Don’t get me wrong I still think Presti is one of the best and maybe the most loyal GM in the league but I am missing veteran leadership a little bit. Maybe this doesn’t really matter now since the core is entering his prime and they still have a lot of talent with Adams, Payne or even Waiters but I was hoping they add a starting caliber veteran for years to get them over the hump. 

[XYRYXParticipant]

I think from a draft point of view he clearly belongs to the top tier GMs in the league but as a Thunder fan I’m not so sure about he free agency moves. He failed to implement veterans to me a but too much. Perkins and Collison have been the two veterans for some time or for a long time see Collison but he tried to put Fisher, Butler or even didn’t have any use for someone like Nate when they traded Green to the Celtics. The Thunder never had a true backup for KD until today and someone like David West could have been a missing piece for this team. 

Don’t get me wrong I still think Presti is one of the best and maybe the most loyal GM in the league but I am missing veteran leadership a little bit. Maybe this doesn’t really matter now since the core is entering his prime and they still have a lot of talent with Adams, Payne or even Waiters but I was hoping they add a starting caliber veteran for years to get them over the hump. 

[WinterSoldierParticipant]

 I agree he is a great GM for drafting because of his intelligence and analytical mind. The weakness I think he has is his social skills he is not able to schmooze the players or other GM’s. Which is why he is great at drafting and numbers but poor at free agency and getting the veteran core that could have won them championships. 

[WinterSoldierParticipant]

 I agree he is a great GM for drafting because of his intelligence and analytical mind. The weakness I think he has is his social skills he is not able to schmooze the players or other GM’s. Which is why he is great at drafting and numbers but poor at free agency and getting the veteran core that could have won them championships. 

[Andrew1984Participant]

 Presti needs a championship before he can be considered the best GM. 

[Andrew1984Participant]

 Presti needs a championship before he can be considered the best GM. 

[BallBeenLifeParticipant]

 So you’re not gonna put into consideration how he drafted 3 MVP caliber players within 3 years? No other GM can say that. Let’s be real here..  

[BallBeenLifeParticipant]

 So you’re not gonna put into consideration how he drafted 3 MVP caliber players within 3 years? No other GM can say that. Let’s be real here..  

[T Rex]

Let’s hold off and let Waiters and Bennett develop before we start making wild claims.

 

 

[T Rex]

Let’s hold off and let Waiters and Bennett develop before we start making wild claims.

 

 

[NBAjunkie81Participant]

 Like you said, many of his picks seem like "No Brainers" NOW – but w/ the benefit of hindsight, Drafting

  Westbrook & Harden took stones…. And after watching the way a 38 y/o Tim Duncan utterly Dominated

  the 2014 NBA Finals w/ his rim protection at the Defensive end & his efficient production at the

  offensive end & then you think about how OKC just destroyed the Spurs in games 3 & 4 in the Western

  Conference Finals when the injured Serge Ibaka returned after missing games 1 & 2 to play at about 65%

  -you can really make an argument that if 100% healthy, OKC wins that 2014 Conference Finals & then

  wrecks Miami for the Ring,,, And if that happens and Durant & Ibaka are 100% healthy in 2014 / 15”

  that they could have won that Title as well (no disrespect to Golden State or the Spurs just speculating)…

  OKC has gathered an incredible roster of talent… Still, parting ways w/ Harden was Incredibly foolish,

  especially when we know the Salary cap is going to Mushroom to obscene levels…  

 I imagine that OKC would be a modern day dynasty (or something close to that) – to have THREE

  MVP caliber players & a Defensive All Star – All the same age & Acquired thru the Draft so they grew 

  in that organization in this time period is as rare as hitting the Lottery… As an NBA fan, I really wish

  they would have kept Harden b/c I think we ALL want to see "Super Teams" especially Organically

  grown "Super Teams" – For example, I believe we ALL think about "What if" when discussing Penny

  Hardaway’s health crisis & Shaq leaving the Magic for the Lakers, b/c Shaq & Penny were the same age

  (more or less) whereas Kobe was 7 years younger than Shaq, as All Time Great as that Lakers Dynasty

  was, I think we All wish we could have seen Shaq & Penny’s Magic battle Jordan & Pippen’s Bulls for

  the Best team of the Late 90’s….OKC would have accomplished amazing things & they still might but it’s

  something we’ll always remember – Especially if K.D. or Westbrook leave thru Free Agency over the

  next 2 summers…We’ll be talking about Harden & OKC for 20+ years….

  But thx for posting the question b/c it is a Fascinating topic…& I agree w/ some of the others that Presti’s

  team has to win a Ring, but minus that – just looking at that 2012 OKC roster is Remarkable!

 

[NBAjunkie81Participant]

 Like you said, many of his picks seem like "No Brainers" NOW – but w/ the benefit of hindsight, Drafting

  Westbrook & Harden took stones…. And after watching the way a 38 y/o Tim Duncan utterly Dominated

  the 2014 NBA Finals w/ his rim protection at the Defensive end & his efficient production at the

  offensive end & then you think about how OKC just destroyed the Spurs in games 3 & 4 in the Western

  Conference Finals when the injured Serge Ibaka returned after missing games 1 & 2 to play at about 65%

  -you can really make an argument that if 100% healthy, OKC wins that 2014 Conference Finals & then

  wrecks Miami for the Ring,,, And if that happens and Durant & Ibaka are 100% healthy in 2014 / 15”

  that they could have won that Title as well (no disrespect to Golden State or the Spurs just speculating)…

  OKC has gathered an incredible roster of talent… Still, parting ways w/ Harden was Incredibly foolish,

  especially when we know the Salary cap is going to Mushroom to obscene levels…  

 I imagine that OKC would be a modern day dynasty (or something close to that) – to have THREE

  MVP caliber players & a Defensive All Star – All the same age & Acquired thru the Draft so they grew 

  in that organization in this time period is as rare as hitting the Lottery… As an NBA fan, I really wish

  they would have kept Harden b/c I think we ALL want to see "Super Teams" especially Organically

  grown "Super Teams" – For example, I believe we ALL think about "What if" when discussing Penny

  Hardaway’s health crisis & Shaq leaving the Magic for the Lakers, b/c Shaq & Penny were the same age

  (more or less) whereas Kobe was 7 years younger than Shaq, as All Time Great as that Lakers Dynasty

  was, I think we All wish we could have seen Shaq & Penny’s Magic battle Jordan & Pippen’s Bulls for

  the Best team of the Late 90’s….OKC would have accomplished amazing things & they still might but it’s

  something we’ll always remember – Especially if K.D. or Westbrook leave thru Free Agency over the

  next 2 summers…We’ll be talking about Harden & OKC for 20+ years….

  But thx for posting the question b/c it is a Fascinating topic…& I agree w/ some of the others that Presti’s

  team has to win a Ring, but minus that – just looking at that 2012 OKC roster is Remarkable!

 

[VRod305Participant]

Sam Hinkie, no one is close. Then LeBron.

[VRod305Participant]

Sam Hinkie, no one is close. Then LeBron.

[PulseGlazerParticipant]

 There’s a lot more to being a GM than drafting.  Presti is quite good at drafting, but he’s now paying Kanter and co = to what he would have had to pay Harden.  That’s some bad decision making.

[PulseGlazerParticipant]

 There’s a lot more to being a GM than drafting.  Presti is quite good at drafting, but he’s now paying Kanter and co = to what he would have had to pay Harden.  That’s some bad decision making.

[Robb_CParticipant]

 RC Buford and its not even close..

 

[Robb_CParticipant]

 RC Buford and its not even close..

 

[barbabodomParticipant]

 how Buford´s name took so long to be mentioned in this thread!?

[barbabodomParticipant]

 how Buford´s name took so long to be mentioned in this thread!?

[Robb_CParticipant]

 The great thing about RC Buford is that he loves to drink, which means he most likely assembled the spurs drunk off his ass, making him the drunken kung fu master of NBA gms

[ZachAttackParticipant]

 I just barely refreshed and saw that picture. I was like WTF?

 

[ZachAttackParticipant]

 I just barely refreshed and saw that picture. I was like WTF?

 

[Robb_CParticipant]

 The great thing about RC Buford is that he loves to drink, which means he most likely assembled the spurs drunk off his ass, making him the drunken kung fu master of NBA gms

[IlladelphParticipant]

 Donnie Walsh – Very good managing cap space, and pretty good team builder.  Well-liked, and highly respected guy.  If I had an NBA team, I would try to hire him.  Sam Presti is a good choice though.  I don’t think that there is any clear cut leader for the best GM award though.

Love the comments about Buford.  Too true.  He has done an awesome job.  Didn’t know about the drinking though.

[IlladelphParticipant]

 Donnie Walsh – Very good managing cap space, and pretty good team builder.  Well-liked, and highly respected guy.  If I had an NBA team, I would try to hire him.  Sam Presti is a good choice though.  I don’t think that there is any clear cut leader for the best GM award though.

Love the comments about Buford.  Too true.  He has done an awesome job.  Didn’t know about the drinking though.

[PurpleMonkeyDishwasherParticipant]

 It doesn’t look good on his resume that he traded Harden… if not for that mistake he would’ve had my vote.

[PurpleMonkeyDishwasherParticipant]

 It doesn’t look good on his resume that he traded Harden… if not for that mistake he would’ve had my vote.

[ExumInfernoParticipant]

 James Harden out and really only Steven Adams in for OKC takes him out of best GM ranking.

Getting Jeff Green ahead of J Noah, not the best idea.

Keeping Coach Brooks too long, take some points off Presti for that.

He got Tyson Chandler in a steal, a trade for Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox, but Presti then voided the trade because Chandler was supposedly injured.  That was a bad move.

Gets no credit for picking Durant, everyone would have.  Ibaka and Harden were great picks.  Westbrook was certainly very good, although Kevin Love was the next pick that year.

As others said, if OKC win a title soon the Presti can be thought of as one of the best GMs right now.  If Durant leaves, then Presti will be gone soon after.

 

 

 

 

 

[ExumInfernoParticipant]

 James Harden out and really only Steven Adams in for OKC takes him out of best GM ranking.

Getting Jeff Green ahead of J Noah, not the best idea.

Keeping Coach Brooks too long, take some points off Presti for that.

He got Tyson Chandler in a steal, a trade for Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox, but Presti then voided the trade because Chandler was supposedly injured.  That was a bad move.

Gets no credit for picking Durant, everyone would have.  Ibaka and Harden were great picks.  Westbrook was certainly very good, although Kevin Love was the next pick that year.

As others said, if OKC win a title soon the Presti can be thought of as one of the best GMs right now.  If Durant leaves, then Presti will be gone soon after.

 

 

 

 

 

[Robb_CParticipant]

I think Ernie Grunfeld is a very underrated GM, the Wizards were completely in disarray when he took over, horrible contracts and they had no cap space.. The Wizards were a complete mess and now hes turned them into a very profitable franchise.. Also most do not know this but he actually hired Tom Thibodeau as his next head coach, he hired Thibodeau as an asst under Eddie Jordan as insurance if Eddie Jordan didnt work out.. When Eddie Jordan was fired, Thibodeau actually agreed to take over the Wizards but a week later backed out and left.

[Robb_CParticipant]

I think Ernie Grunfeld is a very underrated GM, the Wizards were completely in disarray when he took over, horrible contracts and they had no cap space.. The Wizards were a complete mess and now hes turned them into a very profitable franchise.. Also most do not know this but he actually hired Tom Thibodeau as his next head coach, he hired Thibodeau as an asst under Eddie Jordan as insurance if Eddie Jordan didnt work out.. When Eddie Jordan was fired, Thibodeau actually agreed to take over the Wizards but a week later backed out and left.

[Robb_CParticipant]

 Excuse me, Thibodeau took the asst job from the wizards and backed out.. Not the Head Coaching job. He was going to be Eddie Jordans replacement as Head Coach the following year and everyone in the Wizards organization knew this.. Thibodeau didnt take the gig knowing it would be a bad work environment knowing he was replacing the lame duck coach while being on his staff

[Robb_CParticipant]

 Excuse me, Thibodeau took the asst job from the wizards and backed out.. Not the Head Coaching job. He was going to be Eddie Jordans replacement as Head Coach the following year and everyone in the Wizards organization knew this.. Thibodeau didnt take the gig knowing it would be a bad work environment knowing he was replacing the lame duck coach while being on his staff

[HitsterParticipant]

 Ric Burford was the immediate name who sprang to mind when I read the topic so another +1 to Robb C. Daryl Morey and Sam Presti are two of the best young GMs in the NBA who spring to mind. Bob Myers looks a very shrewd guy at GSW, John Hammond has made some decent moves to put a Bucks roster together.

Kevin Pritchard used to get a lot of love back in his Portland days and his draft day moves were always fun to watch. We have yet to see him make any killer moves for the Pacers though.

 

 

 

[HitsterParticipant]

 Ric Burford was the immediate name who sprang to mind when I read the topic so another +1 to Robb C. Daryl Morey and Sam Presti are two of the best young GMs in the NBA who spring to mind. Bob Myers looks a very shrewd guy at GSW, John Hammond has made some decent moves to put a Bucks roster together.

Kevin Pritchard used to get a lot of love back in his Portland days and his draft day moves were always fun to watch. We have yet to see him make any killer moves for the Pacers though.

 

 

 

[HitsterParticipant]

 Ric Burford was the immediate name who sprang to mind when I read the topic so another +1 to Robb C. Daryl Morey and Sam Presti are two of the best young GMs in the NBA who spring to mind. Bob Myers looks a very shrewd guy at GSW, John Hammond has made some decent moves to put a Bucks roster together.

Kevin Pritchard used to get a lot of love back in his Portland days and his draft day moves were always fun to watch. We have yet to see him make any killer moves for the Pacers though.

 

 

 

[HitsterParticipant]

 Ric Burford was the immediate name who sprang to mind when I read the topic so another +1 to Robb C. Daryl Morey and Sam Presti are two of the best young GMs in the NBA who spring to mind. Bob Myers looks a very shrewd guy at GSW, John Hammond has made some decent moves to put a Bucks roster together.

Kevin Pritchard used to get a lot of love back in his Portland days and his draft day moves were always fun to watch. We have yet to see him make any killer moves for the Pacers though.

 

 

 

[PulseGlazerParticipant]

 I agree it’s RC, but Riley needs some love. Even if he doesn’t officially have the title, it’s his plan and his moves.  The team is always interesting and has been competitive in a lot of different forms for as long as Riley has been there.

[PulseGlazerParticipant]

 I agree it’s RC, but Riley needs some love. Even if he doesn’t officially have the title, it’s his plan and his moves.  The team is always interesting and has been competitive in a lot of different forms for as long as Riley has been there.

[HitsterParticipant]

A lot of the guys mentioned hold various titles and as Pulse Glazer pointsout Pat Riley has made some good moves since he went solely into the Front Office.

I’d be interested to know just who has the final say on trades/draft deals for a lot of NBA teams. Take Kevin Pritchard at the Pacers, he is the GM but Larry Bird is the Team President and Donnie Walsh is a Consultant so is a decision such as trading Roy Hibbert reached on consensus. Does Larry Bird instruct KP to make moves or delegate it to him etc?

[HitsterParticipant]

A lot of the guys mentioned hold various titles and as Pulse Glazer pointsout Pat Riley has made some good moves since he went solely into the Front Office.

I’d be interested to know just who has the final say on trades/draft deals for a lot of NBA teams. Take Kevin Pritchard at the Pacers, he is the GM but Larry Bird is the Team President and Donnie Walsh is a Consultant so is a decision such as trading Roy Hibbert reached on consensus. Does Larry Bird instruct KP to make moves or delegate it to him etc?

[T Rex]

 Danny Ainge owns this thread. And he loves not drinking as much as other GMs enjoy drinking.

Mormon Maven.

People still have no idea how valuable the Nets unprotected first rounders are going to be over the next 3 years, and people have no idea how good the Celtics already are.

All these draft picks are set to skyrocket in value, just like Mark Cuban said. 

Reggie Jackson and Kantor getting these huge contracts, when you can draft similar or better talent in the top 20 every year, for like 2 million dollars a year salary, as opposed to 15-20.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[T Rex]

 Danny Ainge owns this thread. And he loves not drinking as much as other GMs enjoy drinking.

Mormon Maven.

People still have no idea how valuable the Nets unprotected first rounders are going to be over the next 3 years, and people have no idea how good the Celtics already are.

All these draft picks are set to skyrocket in value, just like Mark Cuban said. 

Reggie Jackson and Kantor getting these huge contracts, when you can draft similar or better talent in the top 20 every year, for like 2 million dollars a year salary, as opposed to 15-20.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Author]

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