How about Steve Patterson as GM? (again)

This is going back in time, but I have no idea where Steve Patterson is.

Somehow Steve gets these great players then he gets canned before his fruits of his labor flourish. Example of how he completely changed the Blazers.
Roy, Aldridge, and Outlaw were under his watch.

Roy and Aldridge are their best players so far.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03092007/sports/blazers_ex_gm_had_no_chance_sports_peter_vecsey.htm



Better yet, Zach Randolph Zach Randolph , Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Jarrett Jack, Sergio Rodriguez, Martell Webster and Travis Outlaw have radically refurbished the team's image. After a shabby 21-win season, they've regained the fans' rooting interest (despite the 25-36 record) by remaining competitive for all but a few games.

But Rocket fans know Steve was the architect for the first championship:

Paper: HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Date: SUN 12/19/1993
Section: Sports
Page: 12
Edition: 2 STAR

Steve Patterson proud of Rockets

By EDDIE SEFKO
Staff

You've heard about the guy who spent all day washing and waxing his new set of wheels, forgetting that it was a rental car?

Steve Patterson knows the feeling well. Patterson isn't around to see the finished product that he and his father spent the better part of two decades building, accessorizing and polishing. Patterson was fired as the Rockets' general manager after Leslie Alexander took over as owner.

But it must be noted that the potentially ugly Hakeem Olajuwon contract dispute had been resolved and key acquisitions Mario Elie and Sam Cassell had been reeled in while Patterson called the shots for the Rockets.

He poured the foundation, erected the beams and girders and did everything but slap on the final coat of paint on this palatial mansion of a season the Rockets are having.

"I'm real proud of the job Rudy and the staff and players have done," Patterson says. "Obviously, the guys I worked with for a long time over there are like family members. Between Ray (his father) and I, we put 20 years toward building something, and we want to see it do well.

"It's the best team in the league, and that's very gratifying."

Patterson is immersed in the business of bringing a minor-league hockey franchise to Houston, work he says is progressing nicely. Assuming lease negotiations come to fruition with The Summit, the Houston hockey team will start play next fall.

But the legacy of Patterson is this season's Rockets. He took his share of abuse for the way he handled certain things on the basketball and business sides of the organization. But for performance, how can anybody knock the job that has led to this fantastic ride through the first quarter of the NBA season?

Even so, Patterson knows how these things work. General managers get fired. That's one of the clauses in the contract when they are hired.

Though he, his father, former owner Charlie Thomas and Tomjanovich made most of the crucial decisions about how this team would be built, but Patterson says he doesn't feel the need to call this his team.

"I don't think that's the case," he says. "It's the city of Houston's team. Players come and go, general managers come and go, and owners come and go. But a lot of the fans have been with this team for years and years. It's great to see them have a team they can be proud of.

"I thought we'd have a good year. We got most of the problems cleaned up. The guys we acquired were tough-minded, good defensive players in terms of Cassell and Elie.

"Those were big acquisitions in terms of the mental health of the ballclub. And I think it's best that Sleepy (Floyd) got a chance to go somewhere else.

"It's tough for a guy who had been an All-Star to go what he went through. He conducted himself well, but it wasn't like having a guy who really wants to be here."

The Rockets have a team of players and coaches who want to be part of whatever it is that waits out there for this team. It could be a title.

Now the Rockets have a whole team of players and coaches who very much want to be part of whatever it is that is waiting out there for this team. It could be a championship.

As Patterson said, it is the best team in the NBA.

It brings up an interesting question: If the Rockets go on and win a title, would Patterson (and Thomas) deserve a championship ring?

"I don't know. I really hadn't thought about it," Patterson said. "I guess not since I'm not with the team anymore."

Not with the team anymore, indeed. But its architect nonetheless.

 

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1993_1150656

Patterson chronology

1976-1983 -- Begins Rockets career as part-time worker in ticket sales and other areas.

1984 -- After earning a law degree from the University of Texas, joins his father, Rockets president and general manager Ray Patterson, in the front office as counsel to the president and marketing director.

1986 -- Takes control of the team's business operations, installing a computer system to handle ticketing, accounting and player personnel operations.

Feb. 12, 1989 -- After accepting Houston's bid coordinated by Patterson, NBA holds its All-Star Game at The Summit.

Sept. 11, 1989 -- Named at age 32 as the Rockets' general manager, succeeding his father in that role and becoming the youngest GM in the NBA.

Sept. 27, 1990 -- Acquires point guard Kenny Smith from Atlanta along with Roy Marble for Tim McCormick and John Lucas.

Feb. 21, 1990 -- Acquires starting guard Vernon Maxwell from San Antonio Spurs for an undisclosed amount of cash.

June 27, 1990 -- Trades the rights to Alec Kessler to Miami for the rights to Dave Jamerson and Carl Herrera.

July 2, 1990 -- Signs guard Sleepy Floyd to four-year contract; Floyd is released after the 1992-93 season.

Sept. 3, 1991 -- Negotiates three-year contract with top draft choice John Turner, who fails to stick with the Rockets.

Oct. 23, 1991 -- Signs Kenny Smith to five-year contract.

Feb. 18, 1992 -- Fires Rockets coach Don Chaney and names Rudy Tomjanovich as interim head coach.

March 23, 1992 -- Suspends center Hakeem Olajuwon without pay, claiming he has failed to play when physically able to do so. Olajuwon claims he is suffering from a hamstring injury and is unable to play, and suggests he is unsure if he wants to play for the Rockets if Patterson remains as general manager.

May 20, 1992 -- Names Tomjanovich as head coach.

June 24, 1992 -- Despite a chorus of boos from The Summit fans, makes the decision to draft forward Robert Horry, who goes on to become a productive forward in his rookie season.

March 15, 1993 -- Olajuwon signs a four-year extension with the Rockets worth $25.4 million that places him under contract with the team through 1999.

July 30, 1993 -- Rockets owner Charlie Thomas completes the sale of the team to businessman Les Alexander.

Aug. 30, 1993 -- Alexander fires Patterson as Rockets general manager.

 

Look at the bargain Chicago got:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jordami01.html

Michael Jeffrey Jordan (Air, Superman, Mike, M.J., Air Jordan)

Position: Guard-Forward
Height: 6-6 Weight: 195 lbs.
Born: February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York
High School: Emsley A. Laney in Wilmington, North Carolina
College: University of North Carolina

1988-89 Chicago Bulls NBA $2,000,000
1989-90 Chicago Bulls NBA *$2,250,000
1990-91 Chicago Bulls NBA $2,500,000
1991-92 Chicago Bulls NBA $3,250,000
1992-93 Chicago Bulls NBA $4,000,000
1993-94 Chicago Bulls NBA $4,000,000
1994-95 Chicago Bulls NBA $3,850,000
1995-96 Chicago Bulls NBA $3,850,000

 

Poor Steve, he still gets no love.

Les should have given him a ring for the first championship team.
That was all Steve Patterson.

And you Patterson haters (for whatever reason) realize,
if the BLAZERS make it further than we do with Roy/Aldridge, that's STEVE PATTERSON's HAND at work.

 

1996-97 Chicago Bulls NBA $30,140,000
1997-98 Chicago Bulls NBA $33,140,000
2001-02 Washington Wizards NBA $1,000,000
2002-03 Washington Wizards NBA $1,030,000

the early years, they got a super bargain. but we all know he made his $$$ from Nike etc.

 

you realize why Jordan/Pippen hated Krause right?

you saw how much he made before he 'came back' $$$$$$$$
Krause wouldn't cash in for Pippen so he went to Les Alexander, you know this story right?

hope you know your history.

 

this was complicated, but this is what Steve did to get Roy/Aldridge
plus a WHOLE BUNCH OF DRAFT PICKS

http://hoopshype.com/general_managers/steve_patterson.htm

Draft 2006
Selected forwards Tyrus Thomas (4th overall pick), Joel Freeland (30th overall pick) and James White (31st overall pick).
Traded forward Viktor Khryapa and the draft rights to forward Tyrus Thomas to the Chicago Bulls for the draft rights to forward LaMarcus Aldridge and a future second-round pick; traded guard Sebastian Telfair, center Theo Ratliff and a 2008 second-round pick to the Boston Celtics for guard Dan Dickau, center Raef LaFrentz and the draft rights to guard Randy Foye; traded the draft rights to guard Randy Foye and cash considerations to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the draft rights to guard Brandon Roy; traded cash considerations to the Phoenix Suns for the draft rights to guard Sergio Rodriguez; traded the draft rights to forward James White to the Indiana Pacers for forward Alexander Johnson and two future second-round picks; traded the draft rights to forward Alexander Johnson to the Memphis Grizzlies for a future second-round pic

 

Thought this thread would be relevant again this week

 

I heard he hires great basketball coaches like Shaka Smart and Rudy Tomjanovich

 

Thanks brother!
99ers know the true history of the rockets and who built the championships