We rank no. 4.. Do you all agree? Locked if posted http://www.basketballinsiders.com/top-of-the-class-general-managers/
Seem's fair considering all of those above him have Larry O'Brien trophy's to show for their efforts.
its fair, he should be top 5 gm. playoff success is a factor, so is picking marcus morris over kawhi leonard
This is one of the best top 5 lists out there. The guy knows his stuff. I would probably swap OKC and POR given OKC has drafted many more star players, and the only reason they traded Harden to us was due to small market cheap owner. Otherwise OKC has done real well, injuries aside. I would also swap us with Miami, as Pat Riley's got the Miami destination to swing at free agents. But I'm ok with Miami at 3 as they have the hardware. Note: The top 3 managers have all won GM of the year.
Riley did it in LA too .... tho as a coach. 6 rings as a coach , 3 as GM - 8 total. I can think of only one other NBA Coach /GM that was more successful and that's Red Auerbac. 9 rings as a coach and 7 more as GM. Riley is the current #1 in my book based upon his body of work. Then again , I watched his Lakers teams (and many of Auerbach's Celtic's teams). If we are talking all time ..... Auerbach is head and shoulders above the crowd.
Pat Riley hasn't built anything interesting since the big 3. And that had more to do with Lebron. He plays the gm and his gm listens. The Blazers GM being 5th? Come on! But everything else looks right. I put us 3rd, but 4th is close enough. But really, blazers???? terrible pick. They will be in the 10th or 11th seed in the west. It's the worst place to be. If they got a bunch of draft picks, I'd give them credit. The Celtics and 76ers are FAR better than the blazers.
Pat Riley is probably going to drop out of the Top 5 in a year. These are just the repercussions of the Finals appearances and Lebron years.
Riles was nothing special in the post-Mourning/pre-Wade years. He's a great recruiter. I'm not sure how great he is with trades, the draft, or cap management.
4 is exactly where I'd put him. The article lists some ridiculous honorable mentions though. Presti is overrated (though an excellent drafter), Hennigan has yet to put a playoff team together, and Doc gutted his bench last year for Spencer Hawes.
Nice list. But doc rivers should have been a dishoronable mention. I'm glad no mention of Hinkie anywhere.
I think the Cleveland GM is one of the worst in the league. He mentions the trade for Love.. When its all said and done that maybe one of the worst trades for Cleveland ever. Besides overpaying for players and getting Lebron, not sure what he does right.
Pat Riley hasn't built anything interesting since the big 3? It's been 1 season. They made 4 straight NBA finals and are primed for another good playoff run in the East. I don't agree with the Blazers pick either, but it's about time to get off Sam Hinkie's bandwagon just because he used to work for the Rockets. They have proven absolutely nothing and haven't gotten much out of their top picks they tank for. The window is closing before these players are due for extensions and become harder to build around.
The thing is, the Big 3 had nothing to do with Riley. It was planned by the players themselves. Miami's just a good destination. Lebron got the Cavaliers to the Finals without Love and only a bit of Irving. Miami has not had a 1st round pick since 2008 (Beasley). They either traded them away pre-draft or on draft day. They haven't traded for much talent outside of the Lebron/Bosh sign and trades that the players planned themselves. All they've gotten is ageing players willing to ride on Lebron for a shot at the championships. I'd say what Morey has done building the Rockets into a championship contender without losing, high draft picks, via incremental trades, and eventually getting Harden and Dwight without sacrificing future flexibility (draft picks) and youth was incredible. The only reason why it isn't marveled at even more is because the poorly managed teams are getting bailed out by the dramatic rise in salary cap over the next two seasons, which makes overpaid players appear reasonably paid, and gives these teams roster flexibility that they otherwise wouldn't have.
Morey is number one. No one has ever deconstructed an entire title contending team (08-09 Rockets) and build another (15-16 Rockets) so quickly.
Lulz at "since the big 3" - because that was ages ago, right? Riley is the guy that was ridiculed for bringing-in guys like Antoine Walker and Gary Payton to a team that was already a contender. Critics jumped on his ass so he fired SVG, suffered more ridicule, then went and won the damn title himself. Pat Riley isn't just an elite, well-rounded GM, he's one of the top 3 minds in all of basketball.
One great thing about Morey, is that he build a Western final team without being bad. (highest draft pock was 14th.)
