Originally posted by LeGrouper That is one of the most accurate statements I have ever read on this site. The Lakers hadn't won anything for almost a decade before Shaq and Kobe fell into his lap. I could have been the GM of the Lakers and those guys would have come to the team. West is so overrated IMO. When the Grizz don't improve over the next few yrs., everyone will see it.
I disagree, I think the Grizzlies will be a future playoff team b/c they have some real talent on their team right now...but, that talent is not due to Jerry West though, so he should not get any props for what his team does, but it basically is guaranteed he will.
You can't say that! Jerry West is a legend. He has won so many titles, he doesn't have to perform anymore. Even if he does nothing but play golf all day and rest on his laurels, we should all bow down and worship him for continuing to be named Jerry West. Forget the fact that, outside of O'Neal and Bryant, the team has little talent. He was smart enough to get Magic Johnson, right, and that should carry his reputation for at least another 10 years. [/sarcasm] By the way, anyone else think it's funny that Portland is ranked so low now for the very same moves that won them high praise from ESPN a couple of years ago? PS. I don't think West is a terrible GM. I think he's actually pretty decent. But, people tend to ride his jock too hard. He's not superhuman and I don't see any indication that he's the best GM, much less well ahead of the pack.
I guess since its all in a name its too bad MJ isnt still the GM over at the Wizards cause that would rank him above even West....right??
I wouldn't argue with Jerry West as #1. It's not his fault that Shaq wanted to sign with LA, and he had the guts to trade Vlade Divac for an unproven high school player. Plus, he brough in Rick Fox, Robert Horry, and Derek Fisher, all key components to the Lakers three titles. He's managed to assemble the perfect set of role players to complement Shaq and Kobe. Plus, he brought in Phil Jackson, who all the players seem to respect and seems to be the perfect coach for the team. What I find interesting is that Mark Cuban gets all the credit for the Mavs reserruction because he has all the money, yet Don Nelson goes almost unnoticed for the excellent GM work he's done...As a coach, however, I think he needs to let someone else take over the reigns...
How so? Were his GM skills the reason the Rockets won the lottery? Yao Ming (#1 pick) was a gift to Dawson just like Shaq was to west or TMac was to Gabriel - you can't claim his GM skills are good for pulling off a no-brainer. Maybe signing Cato, Moochie and MoT to stupid contracts? Oh, oh - how about wasting the Hakeem trade exception on superstar Glen Rice? Yes, he managed to get plenty for Hakeem (1st rounder, exception frittered away) and Eddie Griffin has star potential - but so does Richard Jefferson. Anyone else notice who went to the Finals last year with Collins and Richardson as key pieces? Dawson is a good GM - but let's not be silly - he's not top 5.
Jerry West did not draft magic. Check in out in this David aldridge article kissing West's ass: http://espn.go.com/nba/columns/aldridge/674251.html I will put the important part here: " But West didn't draft Magic Johnson. Or James Worthy. And he didn't trade for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. All those players were already on board when West became GM in 1982." Good try though.......... And Clarence Lui, what in the hell is your problem? Sofine's point was a perfectly good one. I respect West as a player, everyone should, but I do not see any evidence that he was such a great GM. Especially to warrant such ESPN ass kissing. I think we all just get tired of ESPN ass kissing like how Frank Hughes wants to get invited to the next Jerry West party so he pumps him up on the subject of Earl Watson. My F&^king Gosh. Unless of course it is Rockets ass kissing.
I mentioned Magic only to heighten the parody; I certainly didn't intend for folks to actually credit West for Magic as well. In fact, ever since my post, it seems the thread has got pretty confusing as to who is on which side. Oh well, it is probably my fault.
Like most any jobs in professional sports, you got to be both good AND lucky. No, winning the lottery has nothing to do with GM skills. But what you do after you won the lottery has everything to do with your GM skills. Picking Yao Ming was not a no-brainer not a few months ago. (Don't forget a lot of people STILL think the Rockets shouldn't have picked Ming.) Ask GMs of other teams, not to mention all those "insightful" sports writers out there. Is Ming worth the risk? Is he worth all the hassles? What if the Chinese officials balk? Do we still draft him if we don't have the written commitment on hand? I think how Dawson worked through all those things to get Yao Ming has shown that he is a very good GM. Is he top 5? You judge for yourself.
You silly Bostjard! No one credits any GM with the overall number 1 as being a great GM. Some of the reasons CD is so good are as follows: * drafts Robert Horry in 1992 and watches Jerry West draft Anthony Peeler ahead of Doug Christie, Latrell Sprewell, and PJ Brown. * drafts future all star Sam Cassell 12 picks after Jerry West drafts George Lynch in 1993. * Wins two championships with teams that only had one superstar First Championship team ever to only have one allstar. * drafts Michael Dickerson at 14 and watches West draft Sam Jacobsen and Ruben Patterson and then drafts Cuttino Mobley in the second round. * trades Dickerson and Othella Harrington, a previous second rounder, and fodder, for future starting all star Steve Francis when the opportunity arose. And it had nothing to do with Hollywood. * Trades 1 second tier and 2 third tier players for future all star Eddie Griffin proving that mid round picks can have a great deal of value when tied together with a bow. * Instead of opting for the Celtic's "Oldies but Goodies" playlist, Dawson acquires new, hip, international music in "Bostjan's Slam Dances" for his old "Olujuwon greatest hits" CD. * Sells his soul to the devil to acquire first pick overall and get basketball's antichrist on his team: Yao Ming!!!!
Hmm, last I checked, McGrady was a 3rd option in Toronto and the Magic's 3rd option in free agency. No one knew that he would become that good that fast. If you think he's the sole reason why Gabriel is a good GM, you're mistaken. Ditto with Yao Ming. For the Rockets, perhaps he's a no-brainer. But do you think that for other teams, he's the same no-brainer pick?
I think you're a little confused there, Chester...why would there be all star selections if the game was never played?
In other words that whole lockout thing was an elaborate attempt to lay smokescreen on my apparently errant trail. Damn! Foiled Again!
West has had his share of failed draft picks, but he also had his heists also. Dawson has had his moment on both sides also. I thought i was the only one who thought about the George Lynch,Peeler and even the Christie debacle. He traded Sam Perkins for the holdout Christie in Seattle. After the Lakers missed the playoffs, in which West wanted no part of the draft lottery, he got Eddie Jones in 94, Kobe and Shaq in 96 and don't forget tricky Nick in 93.
