Great Players Make (bad) GMs

[Mmac]

Time to air out a pet peeve, that being the NBA's continued need to hire GMs seemingly based on their playing career (most recently Isiah, Bird, McHale, Ainge, Jordan, Unseld, Baylor, and many others in the past) when historical evidence plainly suggests an inverse relationship between playing success and front office success. Aside from West and Dumars (the 2 exceptions that prove the rule) I believe pretty much every championship team over the last half-century was put together by a GM who either never played or was a marginal journeyman at best (Riley). Meanwhile, you could fill volumes itemizing all the front office blunders made by former superstars.

You'd think at some point they'd realize past playing skills have nothing to do with current front office skills.

 

[Cansportschick]

Re: Great Players Make ****ty GMs

What about great players becoming god awful owners? I am thinking about Wayne Gretzky and the mess in Phoenix.

 

[blueview]

Any projections regarding Garth Snow?

 

[Oz]

What about great players becoming god awful owners? I am thinking about Wayne Gretzky and the mess in Phoenix.

Figured you weren't talking about Super Mario.

 

[Cansportschick]

No, actually Mario has done a decent job. I can't understand Gretzky and the situation in Phoenix at all.
Well, if Garth Snow trades Alexei Yashin to another team, then I would say he's great. However, the owner likes Yashin, so I am thinking Snow won't do anything.

(note to Elliotte- quit dreaming of Yashin being traded to the Leafs for McCabe ;) ;D)

 

[Claws for Concern]

Dave Taylor was an interesting GM for the Kings at times.

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

Bird hasn't been that bad, Jordan or Isiah bad. He was saddled with some headcases, risky players who acted as poorly as they possibly could be expected.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Re: Great Players Make ****ty GMs

What about great players becoming god awful owners? I am thinking about Wayne Gretzky and the mess in Phoenix.

Gretzky actually owns a very small portion of the team. The Coyotes are primarily owned by a local businessman who made a mint in the trucking business. He does play a major role in running the organization, though.

He has still done a crappy job, mostly because he (a) surrounded himself with buddies who don't know what the hell they're doing, and (b) hasn't been willing to make the personal commitment to be successful as a coach. His buddies just got ****canned, so this next season should be interesting. His leash may be a bit shorter.

 

[Birdscribe]

Dave Taylor was an interesting GM for the Kings at times.

That's one way of putting it.

 

[zagoshe]

Well according to certain un-named geniuses around here, Kevin McHale hardly quailified as a great player so leave him out of it......

 

[Gold]

Jerry West was an outstanding GM

 

[Starman]

Bird hasn't been that bad, Jordan or Isiah bad. He was saddled with some headcases, risky players who acted as poorly as they possibly could be expected.

Bird wasn't "saddled" with the headcases. He acquired them, knowing they were headcases. When you intentionally add Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson to your roster, you deserve everything that follows.

 

[heyabbott]

What about great players becoming god awful owners? I am thinking about Wayne Gretzky and the mess in Phoenix.

Aside from Gretzky and Lemiuex, name another star player who owns a big time sports franchise.
Jerry Richardson?, Not really a star player.

Lived in the DC area during Jordan's ill fated attempt to be a GM, he was awful and would have been worse than Thomas had Abe Pollin not out smarted him.

 

[Chuck~Taylor]

Chris Mullin?
Joe Dumars?

 

[Starman]

Chris Mullin?
Joe Dumars?

Mullin was generally considered to be awful up until this year, it's not like the Warriors set the world on fire during the regular season (#8 seed), and after the huge upset of the Mavs, were wiped out by the Jazz. If the Warriors had missed the playoffs by a game or two -- or gotten broomed in the first round by Dallas -- Mullin would still be considered an idiot.

Dumars' status as a genius has taken some hits lately too. Everything is forgiven of course if they win it all, but it's not hard to see this team falling apart in a big hurry. If they don't re-sign Billups this summer, everything could fall apart at the seams very quickly.

 

[sportschick]

Bird hasn't been that bad, Jordan or Isiah bad. He was saddled with some headcases, risky players who acted as poorly as they possibly could be expected.

Bird wasn't "saddled" with the headcases. He acquired them, knowing they were headcases. When you intentionally add Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson to your roster, you deserve everything that follows.

1) Bird is team president. Walsh is GM. 2) Bird as president came after the trade for Artest by a couple years, but don't let facts get in the way of your hatred of all things NBA.

 

[Guy_Incognito]

Bird hasn't been that bad, Jordan or Isiah bad. He was saddled with some headcases, risky players who acted as poorly as they possibly could be expected.

Jordan was never Isaiah bad. We need more categories.

 

[Gold]

The number of outstanding GMs is limited just like the number of superstars are.

Isaiah Thomas is in a class by himself as far as being awful. He's ruined several teams and an entire minor league. The only possible explanation is that he has a gallery of incriminating pictures and information.

 

[Starman]

Bird hasn't been that bad, Jordan or Isiah bad. He was saddled with some headcases, risky players who acted as poorly as they possibly could be expected.

Bird wasn't "saddled" with the headcases. He acquired them, knowing they were headcases. When you intentionally add Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson to your roster, you deserve everything that follows.

1) Bird is team president. Walsh is GM. 2) Bird as president came after the trade for Artest by a couple years, but don't let facts get in the way of your hatred of all things NBA.

Bird tolerated having Artest and Jackson on the roster. If you're the team president, and your GM (Walsh) is doing something stupid, like building your roster around psychotic maladjusted thugs, you order him to stop it, or else he's fired. So eventually, it all comes back to Bird.

The building-your-roster-around-headcases strategy seems to have a proven track record. Exhibit A: the Portland Trail Blazers (several editions). Exhibit B: the New York Knicks. Exhibit C: the Indiana Pacers. Exhibit D: the Sacramento Kings.

I think we're seeing a pretty consistent pattern of outcomes here.

 

[heyabbott]

Bird hasn't been that bad, Jordan or Isiah bad. He was saddled with some headcases, risky players who acted as poorly as they possibly could be expected.

Jordan was never Isaiah bad. We need more categories.

Jordan has the potential to worse but lacks the desire