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So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

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  • #31
    Re: So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

    Pritchard is one of the top advanced stat guys around.

    Does this mean we're moving from an era where Bird is the top talent evaluator, to one where we are more stats-based?

    It's intriguing anyway.

    Comment


    • #32
      Re: So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

      I don't know why some people are confused. It's always been my understanding that Morway's a numbers guy, contracts and business side stuff, and Larry handles the talent. Just replace Larry with Pritchard.

      Comment


      • #33
        Re: So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

        as the second post in this thread mentiones, obviously Bird is stepping back is how i would phrase it

        Comment


        • #34
          Re: So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

          Originally posted by Heisenberg View Post
          I don't know why some people are confused. It's always been my understanding that Morway's a numbers guy, contracts and business side stuff, and Larry handles the talent. Just replace Larry with Pritchard.
          I agree with you, but Wells said Pritchard would work under Bird AND Morway. That could just mean for this "season" I suppose. I thought if we brought him in, it would be to take over for Larry and be above Morway.
          Passion. Pride. Patience. Pacers

          Comment


          • #35
            Re: So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

            Originally posted by pacer4ever View Post
            and knew Brandon Roy had a knee issue

            http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/in...omments-2.html

            Durant should have been the pick i mean it wasn't consensus for Oden i though they were gonna take Durant pre draft but they didnt . But if Oden was healthy i don't know how big the difference would be.
            I understand hanging the Roy issue on him. But to blame him for the Oden pick is not fair. There is not a GM in the league that would have taken Durant over Oden. Oden was looked at as a franchise saving Center while Durant had potential. Nobody saw Durant blowing up like he did. Nobody!

            Comment


            • #36
              Re: So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

              I'm happy to have Pritchard and his talent join the staff but I hope Bird continues to call the shots. Pritchard was agressive as a GM and I like that but I like Bird's patience to ensure we don't waste our hard earned cap space. I really hope Bird sticks around for several more years and this isn't a quick way out for him.
              Why do teams tank? Ask a Spurs fan.

              Comment


              • #37
                Re: So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

                Originally posted by Hicks View Post
                As my stream of consciousness continues: He also is the guy who picked Oden over Durant, and re-signed Brandon Roy's knees. And thought Travis Outlaw was the bee's knees.

                I will never fault him for re-signing Roy
                Last edited by Unclebuck; 07-08-2011, 10:54 AM.

                Comment


                • #38
                  Re: So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

                  I think as BRush said he was hired in January. Larry and Herb have been pretty proactive in making changes to the franchise. I think it absolutely has to be that Morway moves up to President and Pritchard comes in as GM the following year. This to me says that Bird will be done after this year. Also, I think it would create an ego battle if Pritchard comes in immediately and becomes president. Plus, I think Pirtchard wants to work, which gives him a good young team to take over. He really did well putting talent together in Portland, but I can guarantee that he will be a bit more prudent here with Larry, Herb, and Morway already here.

                  edit: Wow there were a lot of posts since I started typing. A lot of my points were already said.
                  Last edited by pacergod2; 07-08-2011, 10:54 AM.
                  "Your course, your path, is not going to be like mine," West says. "Everybody is not called to be a multimillionaire. Everybody's not called to be the president. Whatever your best work is, you do it. Do it well. … You cease your own greatness when you aspire to be someone else."

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    Re: So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

                    This is also the guy who was around for this embarrassment, too:

                    http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slu...ritchard011709

                    Adrian Wojnarowski
                    Yahoo!Sports

                    The bully-boy bluff ends now because the Portland Trail Blazers always were without the guts to file a lawsuit over Darius Miles. Their threatening email had been a desperate final act of a franchise awash in arrogance. Blazers officials hoped the threat of Paul Allen’s riches could scare the NBA. Mostly, it made everyone laugh.

                    For whatever hollow intimidation they used to try to stop the signing of Miles, Blazers officials understood this: They were the last people who would’ve wanted to go under oath about the behind-the-scenes machinations of Miles’ injury retirement. Only the Blazers would’ve been on trial. Only they would’ve had to answer the most uncomfortable of questions.

                    From leaked drug tests and public proclamations of private medical records to trashing Miles to rival executives and daring to claim him off waivers to stash him away on the inactive list, Portland’s front office acted in bad form and bad faith. Yes, the Jail Blazers lived again.

                    So sure, go ahead and sue the Memphis Grizzlies for signing a player to a 10-day contract who had 13 points in a quarter on LeBron James, then 10 points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes on the Utah Jazz. Miles played his 10th game of the season on Friday night, and this saga finally is over. His $18 million goes back on Portland’s salary cap, and the Blazers deserve the return of every cap-clogging cent.

                    It isn’t a matter of whether Miles can play in the NBA again, but how well and how long. If he’s just a 10-day contract player, well, he’s the best of those available on the market. When his deal ends Monday, several league executives told Yahoo! Sports they’ll contact his agent about signing him.

                    Memphis is expected to offer Miles a second 10-day contract, but there could be better opportunities for him.

                    “I’m pleased with the production Darius has had, especially considering that he’s been off the court for over a year and a half,” Miles’ agent, Jeff Wechsler said by phone on Saturday. “He’s shaken the rust off, and he’s been very productive in the games that he’s played.”

                    The irony of it all, of course, is that Miles has turned into an improbable teacher to the Blazers, giving them some lessons on professionalism and humility. Yes, he had been immature for most of his career. He had made terrible mistakes. Only now, he has grown up. After having him with the Celtics in the preseason, the Boston Celtics’ Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers believe it. So does more and more of the league now.

                    Through it all, Miles never wished ill will on Portland. His comeback never has been about costing them salary-cap space on his injury retirement case. Management wanted out of his $48 million contract in Portland and found a way. All along, Miles told the Blazers he would try to play again. He honored his word.

                    And the better he has looked, the worse it has reflected on Portland GM Kevin Pritchard. As much as anyone, this mess has exposed him. He wanted to be the star in the good times in Portland, wanted all the bouquets and bows for his work on the job. He started to believe his own clippings, his own mythology, and he thought he could get away with anything.

                    From the start, Pritchard stumbled into the one rabid NBA market where a general manager can aspire to celebrity. Portland declared Pritchard the Golden Boy, the Gambler, and played songs about him on the radio. Never once did he seem embarrassed. Never did he do much but furiously feed the rush to declare him a genius.

                    He bragged of draining three cell-phone batteries a day. He bought high-risk stocks, and he never laid up on a par-5. He loves those little details about himself getting into the papers. True? Who knows? It sure made for a fast-rising legend, though. He wanted everyone to believe that he worked harder and longer and smarter. Maybe he thought it all portrayed a confidence, but it mostly masked an insecurity.

                    He had taken the San Antonio Spurs’ computer scouting programs and made them bigger and better. “Kevin’s baby,” the local paper said the Blazers called it in their offices. Rip City wanted a hero to make the Jail Blazers go away, and Pritchard indulged himself in it all.

                    Portland owner Paul Allen gave Pritchard the biggest stack of chips to bring to the table, and Pritchard flaunted them to everyone. He stockpiled draft choices like Reagan did nuclear warheads, buying up millions of dollars worth of picks from cash-strapped teams over the past several seasons. He never has been afraid to rub that advantage into the faces of his peers. The Blazers still haven’t been to the playoffs under him, but any opposing GM on the wrong side of a deal with Portland is considered to have been Pritch-slapped.

                    It’s strange, but every transaction in Portland has been treated like a validation of Pritchard’s genius. Now, his apologists are blaming Paul Allen and president Larry Miller for the Miles mess, only it doesn’t work like that. Pritchard is the face of the franchise because he made it that way.

                    Pritchard has mismanaged the Miles situation from the beginning. Once the league doctor agreed that Miles’ knee injury was a career-ender, Pritchard’s dubious intentions came tumbling out of him.

                    “Two doctors said Darius had the worst microfracture injury they had ever seen,” he publicly said. “They would never have him play basketball, and the odds of having knee replacement surgery [are] high. I hear that, and as a general manager, I didn’t want it on my conscience – that I had a kid have to go through a knee replacement surgery.

                    “That’s a pretty major surgery. They saw [two bones] and replace [the knee]. It’s a bad deal.”

                    His conscience, huh? Those were words directed at the rest of the league, trying to tell every other team that Miles was too far gone for them to consider bringing back. He must have believed people were stupid. All around the NBA, it made everyone think: Pritchard sounds scared that Miles isn’t done at all. Why else would he be trying so hard to convince everyone otherwise?

                    Bad enough that Pritchard spoke out of turn on a player’s medical condition and possibly violated privacy laws, but it was clear that a campaign to frighten away potential teams was under way. From there, it went underground. If the Blazers couldn’t scare people on Miles’ knee, it wasn’t long, league executives say, until Portland turned to his character.

                    Pritchard has a great eye for talent, but that’s just the start of constructing a contender, a champion. The greats of his profession understand the humbling nature of the job – genius today, bum tomorrow – and mostly stay in the shadows, deflecting praise on coaches and players. Once you try to make yourself the star in the good times, you’re asking for trouble when they go bad. So now, his hubris has been Pritch-slapped into silence, and maybe in the long run, it’s the best thing that could’ve happened to the Blazers. Maybe they needed this sobering reminder of reality.

                    Portland loses cap space now, and it loses some respect. All that arrogance, all those threats and a 27-year-old that Kevin Pritchard and his posse had dismissed as character-free, as the last holdout of the Jail Blazers, taught them a lesson.

                    Yes, the Jail Blazers made a comeback this season.

                    Only this time, they wore suits.

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      Re: So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

                      This was the article written prior to his firing last year:

                      Adrian Wojnarowski
                      Yahoo!Sports

                      http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slu...lblazers032210

                      As executives of Vulcan Inc. discussed the pros and cons of firing Portland Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard last summer, the discussion found its way to this conclusion: Pritchard had proven to be a solid senior-level scout, but largely incapable of running the organization.

                      Vulcan, the Blazers’ parent company, had watched Pritchard embark upon several selfish and destructive bents, and strong sentiment existed to fire him. Owner Paul Allen and the Vulcan executives no longer trusted him to put the franchise before his own ambitions. The list of transgressions that troubled Vulcan always came back to similar themes: Pritchard’s thirst for public adulation, money and power.

                      Inside and outside the organization, Pritchard harped on how much more Portland coach Nate McMillan made than him. He complained to friends, rivals and relative acquaintances, and that played an immense part in the gulf that exists between the front office and coach.

                      When negotiations became contentious with star Brandon Roy(notes), Pritchard didn’t stand firm with the limits of ownership’s offer. What’s more, Pritchard tried to cozy up to Roy by selling the notion that it was the two of them together trying to get the contracts they deserved from owner Paul Allen. For the unparalleled resources Allen has provided Pritchard to remake the roster – millions in dollars to purchase draft picks, packaging them in trades or stockpiling prospects overseas – Vulcan was beyond irate that Pritchard still couldn’t present a united front when Allen decided to make a financial stand.

                      It reeked of Pritchard’s desperation and immaturity, and eventually inspired team president Larry Miller to usurp Pritchard in the talks for Roy’s eventual five-year, $82 million deal. Pritchard would go around the NBA, and surprise peers with questions that included, “How much do you make?” before launching into diatribes about how he couldn’t understand why he was so poorly compensated in Portland, especially in comparison to McMillan.

                      Allen and Vulcan ultimately decided to strip some power and autonomy from Pritchard, but decided to keep trotting him out to the things he most loved: news conferences and public appearances.

                      “They left him the public face, but essentially he was neutered,” a league source with direct knowledge of the talks said.

                      Privately, Vulcan executives wish they had gone further and fired him, sources say. That now appears to be a matter of time, especially with the way Pritchard’s agent, Warren LeGarie, has publicly gone ballistic on the Blazers organization. After Miller pushed to fire assistant GM Tom Penn after a recent nasty, personal exchange in Portland – the culmination of resentment that lingered from a contract leverage ploy with Minnesota – Pritchard finds himself isolated within the organization and devoid of allies.

                      Since Penn’s firing, LeGarie has encouraged Pritchard to resign, sources say. Pritchard contemplated the possibility, but has ultimately decided to go in a completely different direction. Pritchard has requested a meeting with Vulcan officials, and is expected to speak with them this week.

                      After several days of scorched earth by his agent, sources say Pritchard is desperate to find a way to save his job. After months of listening to LeGarie tell him he’d be in great demand on the market, Pritchard is finding that might not be the truth.

                      “Pritch has figured out that all those jobs that Warren promised him aren’t there,” one GM said.

                      Yes, Pritchard had lost his support within Vulcan, and LeGarie’s public assailing of Allen and franchise officials has only deepened the resolve within the Blazers to fire him. Miller has increased his influence on the basketball side over the past year, including taking a prominent role not only in the Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge(notes) talks, but he also has become involved in much smaller matters, like ironing out a deal for second-round draft pick Patty Mills.

                      In some ways, Miller, a former Nike executive, has started work on the job. Miller’s plan is to hire a GM, but still keep a strong hand in the day-to-day basketball operations.

                      “The transition away from this regime has already started,” one source with knowledge of ownership’s plans said.

                      Looking back, maybe Allen should’ve just let Pritchard leave for the Minnesota Timberwolves when he wanted to go interview with them. Pritchard wanted to talk with them, a source close to him says, but Allen refused to grant permission. Pritchard and LeGarie hatched a plan to push Penn for the job, who never seriously considered taking it. After all, the control of basketball operations in Minnesota belongs to the owner’s son-in-law, Rob Moor, who acts as team president.

                      Once Penn leveraged Minnesota for an offer to take back to Portland, league sources say the three of them – LeGarie, Pritchard and Penn – exaggerated the package and control offered Penn as GM. Still, Portland gave Penn a raise and a new contract. For a brief time, this thrilled Pritchard. He believed this was a way to backdoor into a new deal for himself. If Vulcan had taken care of his assistant, they would feel compelled to take care of him.

                      Only, Vulcan told him to get lost. Portland ownership had already spoken with Minnesota’s team president and believed it had been duped into an excessive deal for Penn. This is business as usual with LeGarie. It wouldn’t be long until LeGarie became combative with Portland ownership, and all hell broke loose in the past week when the agent went public with columnist John Canzano of The Oregonian.

                      Now, LeGarie has overplayed Pritchard’s hand in Portland, ripped his bosses, and here’s Pritchard’s dilemma: Does he stand strong with LeGarie on his scorched-earth policy, or dump the agent and throw himself upon Allen’s mercy?

                      Through it all, here was the most fatal flaw of Pritchard: He let himself be convinced that ownership would value him on par with McMillan. It isn’t the case. With Vulcan’s offices in Seattle, most executives have a long history and respect for McMillan back to his coaching and playing days with the Sonics. So far, McMillan has been unwilling to sign a contract extension past the 2011 season, but that would likely change with Pritchard out of the picture.

                      McMillan is a dutiful pro, never interested in intramural politics or fighting battles behind the scenes. He has been around the league a long time, and privately never believed that Pritchard’s DNA showed staying power.

                      “Kevin was in a constant battle to position himself to get credit away from Nate for whatever success they were eventually going to have there,” one NBA executive friendly with both said. “Nate knows enough not to flap his gums and pound his chest – especially when your team hasn’t even won a playoff series yet. He’s secure in himself, in a way that Pritchard never knew how to be.

                      “If Kevin just kept his mouth shut, cut out all the arrogance and insecurity, I think he probably would’ve had his extension a long time ago.”

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        Re: So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

                        Originally posted by BPump33 View Post
                        I agree with you, but Wells said Pritchard would work under Bird AND Morway. That could just mean for this "season" I suppose. I thought if we brought him in, it would be to take over for Larry and be above Morway.
                        That's exactly the way I see it playing out. Pritchard feels out the franchise for a year, as the season goes on he has more and more input, then after the year Larry walks into the sunset and Pritchard's in charge.

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                        • #42
                          Re: So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

                          Originally posted by Hicks View Post
                          As my stream of consciousness continues: He also is the guy who picked Oden over Durant, and re-signed Brandon Roy's knees. And thought Travis Outlaw was the bee's knees.
                          Oden has been derailed by injury - you can not forsee everything Greg has gone through. Yes, there were some concerns, but the doctors OK'd him, & he was thought to be a "once in a generation-type" talent ath the C position. Besides, there were some questions on Durant being a 7' SG (see J.Bender). Hindsight is awsome, but there were many more Oden supporters then Durant supporters at the time.

                          POR knew about the knees & P.Allen & his $ wanted Roy. KP has stated he/ the team did what he did with full knowledge of the risk.

                          Outlaw was solid, & they loved his blue-colar style, but they did not re-sign him for the $ NJ gave him, so seems the Nets GM is even worse.

                          I noticed you did not mention KP getting Roy from Min in the first place, nor trading for Aldridge w/ the bulls - NEITHER deal was a money grab, but was a talent steal @ the top of the draft! Look, EVERY GM has their duds, but KP did take POR from the "Jail-Blaxzers" to a highly respected team.

                          PS. Doesn't he have IN ties (Noblesville?)
                          "Larry Bird: You are Officially On the Clock! (3/24/08)"
                          (Watching You Like A Hawk!)

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                          • #43
                            Re: So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

                            Originally posted by troyc11a View Post
                            There is not a GM in the league that would have taken Durant over Oden. Oden was looked at as a franchise saving Center while Durant had potential. Nobody saw Durant blowing up like he did. Nobody!
                            Wrong?

                            It was a pretty heated debate on whether to go Oden or Durant. You don't have that kind of debate over the top 2 picks if one's a franchise center and the other....just some guy with potential.
                            "man, PG has been really good."

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                            • #44
                              Re: So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

                              Originally posted by troyc11a View Post
                              I understand hanging the Roy issue on him. But to blame him for the Oden pick is not fair. There is not a GM in the league that would have taken Durant over Oden. Oden was looked at as a franchise saving Center while Durant had potential. Nobody saw Durant blowing up like he did. Nobody!
                              I disagree on Durant i mean i remember that draft and many GMs liked Durant more than Oden. I mean that may have been the last draft besides this one without a consensus #1 Oden and Durant were neck and neck. Just like Irving and Dwill were this year many GMs preferred Derrick Williams over Irving. But many GMs liked Irving due to playing pg. Same debate IMO this year Dwill might be the better player but Irving plays the position people Covet.
                              Last edited by pacer4ever; 07-08-2011, 10:59 AM.

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                              • #45
                                Re: So we're hiring Kevin Pritchard...

                                I seem to remember that it appeared that it was around 75% in favor of Oden and 25% in favor of Durrant being the number 1 pick. I stated at the time that I would have taken Durrant, but I'm always biased against taking the big guy for this very reason - injuries.

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