CD gets no LOVE again

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It's just sad, really...

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How did NBA GMs fare this off-season?
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Charley Rosen / Special to FOXSports.com
Posted: 6 minutes ago
Some of these guys are highly visible — the likes of Isiah Thomas, Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, watching their team play while stationed in the shadows of the passageways that lead to the locker rooms.
Others — like Houston's Carroll Dawson, Milwaukee's Larry Harris and San Antonio's R. C. Buford — are rarely recognized in public.
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Some have fancy titles — President of Basketball Operations, Executive VP of Basketball Operations, Chief Executive Officer or simply President.

But they all perform the duties of what has been traditionally called the "General Manager."

What exactly is it that these guys do?

After conferring with their scouts and coaching staffs, they are ultimately responsible for their team's choices in the annual draft. GMs are likewise the primary negotiators of the contracts for all those involved in basketball operations — including, but not limited to players, coaches, assistant coaches, video coordinators, trainers, equipment managers and public relations staff.

An assistant GM routinely deals with the minutia of these contracts and also keeps track of his team's salary cap situation. An assistant will also handle the technicalities inherent in waiving players, signing minor-leaguers to 10-day contracts and similar details.

But the single most important duty of a general manager is deciding which players should be traded (and for whom) and which free agents should be signed. The coach is frequently, but not always, consulted on these decisions.

And therein lies a chronic problem: The GM overvaluing the players he has acquired while the coach feels that he has to suffer the consequences of coaching someone else's players.

In any case, let's take a quick look at the NBA's GMs and see how well, or how poorly, they addressed their respective team's off-season needs.

NOTE — Because any forthcoming contributions that might be made by rookies are strictly guesswork at this point, incoming school boys will simply be ignored Also, any re-signed players will likewise not be included.

Atlanta — Billy Knight

Team needed: Power player in front court. A reliable point guard. A scoring guard. Experience pills for the kiddie corps.

Team got: An over-priced Joe Johnson, who's a dependable scorer but an iffy point guard. Center Zaza Pachulia, who can rebound and defend but can't score.

Job evaluation: Making the Hawklings flight-worthy is a 3-4 year task. Knight's on the right track, but his additions are not enough to make either a significant or an immediate difference.

Grade: B-

Boston — Danny Ainge

Team needed: To get rid of Gary Payton, Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce so that the kids will have room and time in which to grow.

Team got: Two out of three ain't bad.

Job evaluation: Ainge is finally willing to take a step back for the sake of some day soon taking two steps forward.

Grade: B+

Charlotte — Bernie Bickerstaff (doubles as coach)

Team needed: Power bigs to lessen the huge load borne by Emeka Okafor. A talent up-grade throughout the rest of the roster.

Team got: Jake Voskuhl! Strictly a booby prize.

Job evaluation: Even though Bickerstaff was starving, all he could come up with was a stale donut.

Grade: F

Chicago — John Paxson

Team needed: A steady man in the middle with dynamic post-up skills. Shooters everywhere. A better point guard.

Team got: Darius Songalia, the consummate role player. Tim Thomas, the consummate underachiever. Michael Sweetney, the consummate tweener. Malik Allen, the consummate defenseless point-maker.

Job evaluation: The Eddy Curry situation had Paxson trapped between a rock and a hard place. In making good his escape he was severely bloodied.

Grade: C

Cleveland — Jim Paxson/Danny Ferry

Team needed: Bulk in front-court. A legit point guard to relieve LeBron James of some ball-handling duties. Perimeter shooters. Defensive stoppers everywhere.

Team got: A pair of sharpshooters in Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall. Larry Hughes, a ball-monopolizing, non-shooting slasher who cheats on defense. Alan Henderson, an underweight yet capable backup big.

Job evaluation: Where's the beef? Where's the defense?

Grade: C+

Dallas — Donn Nelson

Team needed: Pass-oriented point guard. High-scoring wingman. A big man who can rebound and play defense.

Team got: Doug Christie, a has-been. DeSagna Diop, a never-was who still has potential.

Job evaluation: Perhaps Nelson's phone service was disconnected during the off-season.

Grade: F

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Denver — Kiki Vandeweghe

Team needed: Muscle. Perimeter shooters. Aggressive defenders.

Team got: Unless there's a trade in the works involving either Andre Miller or Earl Boykins, Earl Watson is a redundancy.

Job evaluation: Vandeweghe is overly impressed by George Karl's jump-starting the team in the second half of last season. The Nuggets aren't as good as Vandeweghe thinks they are.

Grade: D+

Detroit — Joe Dumars

Team needed: Depth everywhere. A coach who won't annoy and antagonize his players.

Team got: Dale Davis, a valuable war horse. Maurice Evans, a dynamic scorer with unlimited potential. Flip Saunders, who will open up the offense and put some fun back into the Pistons' game plan.

Job evaluation: Dumars couldn't procure a better backup point than the sub-standard one he already has (Carlos Arroyo).

Grade: A-

Golden State — Chris Mullin

Team needed: Two talented big men. A quick backup at the point. Defenders galore.

Team got: Zarko Cabarkapa, still playing like a rookie at age 25.

Job evaluation: Mullin is betting the mortgage that Baron Davis is the second coming of Michael Jordan and just might wind up homeless.

Grade: F

Houston — Carrol Dawson

Team needed: A stable, quick-footed point guard. A creative scorer off the bench. A powerhouse power forward.

Team got: The laissez-faire antics of Stromile Swift. The erratic, self-serving follies of Rafer Alston. The undersized Bogartings of Lonny Baxter.

Job evaluation: Dawson bought a bag full of fool's gold.

Grade: D

Indiana — Larry Bird

Team needed: Perimeter shooters. An active big man who can score in the pivot. A pair of miraculous healings — a physical one for Jonathan Bender and a mental one for Ron Artest.


Can Indiana's GM Larry Bird redeem the Pacers from the sins of seasons past? (D. Lippitt/Einstein/NBAE / Getty Images)

Team got: Sarunas Jasikevicius, a paler, weaker, slower, infinitely less-talented imported version of Reggie Miller.

Job evaluation: Bird is only human. Still, the sins of seasons past cannot be so quickly redeemed.

Grade: D+

L.A. Clippers — Elgin Baylor

Team needed: Substitutes, defenders and team-oriented players at every position.

Team got: Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley, a pair of conscienceless machine-gunners.

Job evaluation: Another Clippers' squad fashioned in Baylor's own image — good offense, no defense.

Grade: D+

L.A. Lakers — Mitch Kupchak

Team needed: Big, long-armed point guard. A center. A power forward. A scorer for the second unit. Defenders.

Team got: Aaron McKie, a vet who will thrive backing up both wing spots. Kwame Brown, still a project.

Job evaluation: The team still lacks an experienced bruiser. And Kupchak still hasn't gotten the point.

Grade: D

Memphis — Jerry West

Team needed: Two physical, hardworking big men. A point guard who can run a team. A wingman who can score.

Team got: Damon Stoudamire, a pint-sized scorer who passes only as a last resort. Eddie Jones, a notorious softie on the downside of a disappointing career. Lorenzen Wright, a lazy big man. Raul Lopez, a bonafide playmaker who can't play a lick of defense.

Job evaluation: West had the right idea. The team desperately needed an overhaul, but the new players are too slick and not powerful enough for the Grizz to win consistently on the road.

Grade: C+

Miami — Pat Riley

Team needed: A brace of point guards. A scorer off the bench. Except for Udonis Haslem, defenders at-large.

Team got: Jason Williams, as wild and destructive as a hurricane. The decaying but still stubborn remains of Gary Payton. Antoine Walker, the perpetrator of bad shots and even worse defense. James Posey, returning from a year-long vacation in Memphis.

Job evaluation: Riley brought in lots of bodies, lot of talent and lots of potential headaches.

Grade: B-

Milwaukee — Larry Harris

Team needed: A center. A point guard. A young, active power forward. More scoring. A player-friendly coach with infinite patience.

Team got: Andrew Bogut, who already talks a big game. Bobby Simmons, a solid wingman who gets the most out of his slightly above-average talent. Charlie Bell, a shooter who doesn't do much else. Jiri Welsch, a spot shooter who needs to play in a disciplined system. Terry Stotts, a nice guy who won't inspire his players to overachieve.

Job evaluation: Harris got lucky with the apparent return to health of T. J. Ford. There's enormous pressure on Bogut to also walk the walk. The team still lacks a core of hard-nose defenders, but Harris has them moving in the right direction.

Grade: B-

Minnesota — Kevin McHale

Team needed: A strong-armed center. An unselfish point guard. Bench scorers. A no-name coach to take the blame for McHale's habitual incompetence.

Team got: Marko Jaric, who will try to do the right things but lacks speed and quickness. Nikoloz Tsitishvili, a Dirk Nowitzki wannabe. Dwane Casey, who will always smile and say positive things about his boss.

Job evaluation: The Big Ticket vs. the world. How much longer can McHale's history with the University of Minnesota keep him untouchable?

Grade: D-

New Jersey — Rod Thorn

Team needed: Experienced center who can score inside. Backup for J-Kidd. Perimeter shooters.

Team got: Marc Jackson, a chest-beating, self-aggrandizing bully with a sloppy game. Jeff McInnis, who has the talent to be a superb player, but has yet to show a mature mindset. Lamond Murray — wind him up and let him shoot, but don't expect him to pass or defend. Scott Padgett, whose shooting and hustle almost compensate for his lack of talent.

Job evaluation: Another good job by Thorn. The new roster constitutes an upgrade over the old, but the team still isn't as good as the local media hype claims.

Grade: B

New Orleans/Oklahoma City — Allan Bristow/Jeff Bower

Team needed: A sturdy point guard. More power up front. Creative scorers on the wings. Defenders at every spot.

Team got: Rasual Butler, a scorer deluxe. Kirk Snyder, a malcontent who did nothing in his rookie season. Jackson Vroman, a lean big man coming off an injury-plagued rookie season. Bostjan Nachbar, a slasher who can defend some.

Job evaluation: To quote Cordelia from King Lear, "Nothing can come of nothing."

Grade: F

New York — Isiah Thomas

Team needed: A slew of talented bigs. To get rid of expensive dead wood. A true point guard. A new coach who can turn chicken crap into chicken salad. A discernible blueprint for success.


Knicks GM Isiah Thomas is still a sucker for the latest and greatest thrill. (Jesse Garrabant/NBAE / Getty Images)

Team got: Jerome James, bloated body with a bloated salary. In Eddy Curry, a potent scorer who doesn't rebound, play defense or pass. Jamison Brewer, a journeyman point guard. Larry Brown, a very good coach who believes all the good things said about him … and none of the bad.

Job evaluation: Zeke is still a sucker for the latest and greatest thrill.

Grade: C-

Orlando — John Weisbrod/Dave Twardzik/Otis Smith

Team needed: Perimeter shooters. Mobile small forward to reduce Grant Hill's minutes. An active center. A new coach who can relate to the modern generation of players.

Team got: Tony Battie, who just might fill the bill at center. Keyon Dooling, an out-of-control pointless guard. Brian Hill, too old-fashioned.

Job evaluation: Not nearly enough sleight of hand for the Magic to fool anybody into thinking they are playoff bound.

Grade: D-

Philadelphia — Billy King

Team needed: A viable power forward to rescue Chris Webber from totally embarrassing himself. A center who can score in the low post. A coach who can command the respect of all of the players. A second ball with which A. I.'s teammates can play.

Team got: Lee Nailon, a scorer who shoots first and never asks questions. Steven Hunter, a wonderful role player who fortuitously enough doesn't need the ball to contribute. Maurice Cheeks, who'll let A.I. express his inner child.

Job evaluation: As long as Allen Iverson continues to hog the ball, all of King's moves are strictly cosmetic.

Grade: C-

Phoenix — Bryan Colangelo

Team needed: Muscle. Defense. A backup point.

Team got: Kurt Thomas, tough, smallish and showing a mindset that's always slightly off-kilter. Eddie House, a shoot-'em-up point. Brian Grant, a vertically-challenged, hard-worker whose wheels are falling off. Raja Bell, a top-flight sub. James Jones, a larger, younger, less-talented version of Jim Jackson. Boris Diaw, good defense, bad shot.

Job evaluation: Even with Amare Stoudemire healthy, this team is neither an uptempo nor a grind-it-out outfit. Lots of sound and fury signifying nothing.

Grade: C+

Portland — John Nash

Team needed: A guard/forward who can shoot. Overall toughness. Anyone at any position (except center) who can play defense. A coach who can deal with juvenile delinquents.

Team got: Juan Dixon, a frail guard whose motto is "When in doubt, air it out." In Nate McMillan, a coach who has presence and will command respect.

Job evaluation: It's asking too much to think that Theo Ratliff and Joel Przybilla can cover up every defensive lapse.

Grade: Nash gets an "A" for signing McMillan. An "F" for the new roster. The result is a gentleman's "C."

Sacramento — Geoff Petrie

Team needed: Team-wide toughness and defense — also players with heart, sanity and more athleticism.

Team got: Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who once again will post good numbers for a bad team. Jamal Sampson, who has a slight physique and a slight game. A worthy backup for Mike Bibby in Jason Hart.

Job evaluation: Defense anyone?

Grade: C-

San Antonio — R.C. Buford

Team needed: A power center. Second-string point. Creative scorers at the wings.

Team got: Nick Van Exel and Michael Finley, dynamic point-makers who will need time to adjust. Fabrico Oberto, a banger.

Job evaluation: Slight risk of Van Exel diluting team chemistry. Otherwise a glorious off-season. That's why Buford gets big bucks.

Grade: A

Seattle — Rick Sund

Team needed: A center who can score inside and play a modicum of defense. A backup point. A dynamic coach who can keep all quiet on the western front.

Team got: Rick Brunson, smart but slow. Mikki Moore, a leaper with minimal strength.

Job evaluation: Will play with three seriously flawed centers — (1) Vitaly Potapenko, slow and foul-prone; Robert Swift is still wet behind the ears; Moore is a light-weight. Also look for the team's head-case, Danny Fortson, to take a turn in the middle. Bob Weiss is a nice guy who nevertheless just might end the season in a straitjacket (which, as long as he wears a neck tie, should not be a violation of David Stern's corporate dress code).

Grade: C

Toronto — Rob Babcock

Team needed: A mature point. Two power players, one to start at center and the other to back up both the center and the power forward slots. A scorer off the bench. Better defenders. A quantum leap in talent.

Team got: Mike James, a scorer still learning how to run a team.

Job evaluation: The Raptors will get worse before (and if) they get any better.

Grade: F+

Utah — Kevin O'Connor

Team needed: A forceful center with pivot-power. A point guard.

Team got: Milt Palacio, strictly a backup point. Devin Brown, loaded with potential. And the return of Greg Osterdawg.

Job evaluation: What were Utah's most important accomplishments during the off-season? The healing of Matt Harpring, Andre Kirilenko and Carlos Boozer. Even so, that's no reason for O'Connor to have been so passive.

Grade: D+

WASHIN

Washington — Ernie Grunfeld

Team needed: Defenders. A backup point with court vision. A scorer off the bench. A shooter/scorer at the two spot.

Team got: The aptly named Chucky Atkins, since "chuck" is what he wants to do. Antonio Daniels will eventually be an overall improvement over the departed Larry Hughes. Caron Butler? When it comes to killing the opponents with jumpers, Wiz fans will be able to say "the Butler did it."

Job evaluation: All the minuses have become pluses, except on defense.

Grade: C+