Blazers: "discombobulated" & Larry Miller: MIA

[illmatic99]

DISASTER.

The Blazers appear to be targeting free agent guards, having contacted the representatives of Roger Mason, Wesley Matthews and Jordan Farmar, but one agent said the team appears "discombobulated" without recently fired general manager Kevin Pritchard.

Another agent said the Blazers are "moving slowly" with free agents and appear to be more interested in moving players out in trades, perhaps a sign that the team is maneuvering to make a bigger deal.

Buchanan said the Blazers had a free agency plan in place before Pritchard was fired, and that the team is carrying out that plan, which includes keeping alive trade scenarios that were discussed before the June 24 draft.

There better be a pretty major deal in that contingency plan KP came up with before he was fired, because this operation looks like its run by a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off.

And Larry Miller visiting family out of town instead of steadfastly looking for GM replacements... SMH. PA, you fired the wrong executive.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

until we're given a reason for KP's dismissal, we're always going to question Blazers Brass. So fucked.

 

[DeanMoriarty]

This is THE main reason why I'm puzzled over the firing of KP.

As a fan, I'll do my best to reserve judgment over what goes on in the front office but at the same time, eliminating the face of the front office only causes instability. The fact that the decision came right before the draft/free agency period only furthers the chaos.

For one, how are we expected to bring in any players when their agents see our front office as a mess?

Are we going the route of the Baby Bulls from a few years ago or the New Orleans Hornets?

Does the FO think we are that desperately in need of change that we should mess with the development of the team knowing that almost every GREAT team before was built on draft, luck, and veteran experience rather than attaining big names via free agency?

 

[DeanMoriarty]

You know, this reminds me an awful lot like a conversation from an episode of Man Men regarding PR.

Don Draper: In the interest of time, you want to demolish Penn Station and New York hates it.
Edgar Raffit: Not all of New York - A vocal minority.
Don Draper: Can they stop it?
Edgar Raffit: Well, I think all the hubbub is making it unpleasant for...
Don Draper: [interrupts] But they can't stop it, can they?
Edgar Raffit: Why do you people insist on making us sound like villains?
Don Draper: Your concern over public opinion shows a guilty conscience. What good is that serving you if what is to be done is already under way?
Edgar Raffit: So let's say I don't have a guilty conscience.
Don Draper: Good. And let's also say that change is neither good nor bad, it simply is. It can be greeted with terror or joy, a tantrum that says "I want it the way it was," or a dance that says, Look, something new!"
Edgar Raffit: Would you draw the line at 50 percent?
Don Draper: I'm not drawing a line at all. P.R. people understand this, but they can never execute it. If you don't like what is being said, then change the conversation.
Edgar Raffit: What is that conversation?
Don Draper: I was in California. Everything is new, and it's clean. The people are filled with hope. New York City is in decay. But Madison Square Garden is the beginning of a new city on a hill.

Everything they're trying right now is tied to their guilt. They know the effect of firing KP but since they're not providing a reasonable explanation, it says something else about how the franchise is feeling as a whole.

The PR is major failing right now.

We need to stop making our team look like it's a decaying, rebuilding team.

We should stick to our cliched, yet merited slogan of "Uprise" admidst the franchise disorder.

 

[illmatic99]

This is THE main reason why I'm puzzled over the firing of KP.

As a fan, I'll do my best to reserve judgment over what goes on in the front office but at the same time, eliminating the face of the front office only causes instability. The fact that the decision came right before the draft/free agency period only furthers the chaos.

The problem is, that everything they're trying right now is tied their guilt. They know they've fired KP and since they're not providing a reasonable explanation, it says something.

Their PR is major failing right now.

We need to stop making our team look like it's a decaying, rebuilding team.

We should stick to our cliched, yet merited slogan of "Uprise" admidst the franchise disorder.

Very insightful. Repped.

 

[RoyToy]

RISE WITH US

Not only is firing KP the dumbest decision this organization has made in some time, doing it when they did makes absolutely no sense. This organization is retarded.

Fucking ridiculous

Larry Miller can't even negotiate a TV deal and he's leading the search for a new GM and knows 0 about basketball WTFFFFFFF

Keep firing off those e-mails and threatening other teams in between taking your vacations

 

[jlprk]

If Pritchard was known for anything, it was his reluctance to make trades or pick up free agents. He just sat on his fanny and did nothing for years. He preferred his bake philosophy, depending on bad rookies and a disciplined coach who can make players look falsely experienced until the facade disintegrates in the playoffs.

Now, his worshippers say, "This is the biggest FA market in years! We need Pritchard!"

So you're against signing any of them, eh? Because that's what he would have done. He wouldn't do anything in summer 2008. Then, out of guilt from his mistimed egoistic attempts in RLEC, he sputtered and wheezed and on his 3rd try signed someone in summer 2009. He was philosophically against improving the team with veterans, but public pressure forced him to prove himself.

The only way we are a player in this summer's FA sweepstakes is if we don't have Pritchard. Finally, Paul Allen is free to buy us toys. Scrooge is gone, but the Oregonian remains, waiting for another day, when it will find a new antihero to damage the team.

 

[The Sebastian Express]

until we're given a reason for KP's dismissal, we're always going to question Blazers Brass. So fucked.

Don't speak for all of us.

 

[julius]

Damn that Larry Miller for visiting family!

good grief, some of you grasp and straws...

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

If Pritchard was known for anything, it was his reluctance to make trades or pick up free agents. He just sat on his fanny and did nothing for years. He preferred his bake philosophy, depending on bad rookies and a disciplined coach who can make players look falsely experienced until the facade disintegrates in the playoffs.

Now, his worshippers say, "This is the biggest FA market in years! We need Pritchard!"

So you're against signing any of them, eh? Because that's what he would have done. He wouldn't do anything in summer 2008. Then, out of guilt from his mistimed egoistic attempts in RLEC, he sputtered and wheezed and on his 3rd try signed someone in summer 2009. He was philosophically against improving the team with veterans, but public pressure forced him to prove himself.

The only way we are a player in this summer's FA sweepstakes is if we don't have Pritchard. Finally, Paul Allen is free to buy us toys. Scrooge is gone, but the Oregonian remains, waiting for another day, when it will find a new antihero to damage the team.

Seriously, do you even follow this team? Or do you just get drunk and post?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Jesus, people!!!

It's 4th of July weekend, and the guy took a few days off to visit family. The team seems to have candidates they are looking at, and a plan in place of who they want to go after in the offseason. An AGENT said the team seemed disconbobulated. Another one said they were more interested in trading than signing someone. From everything we have seen, the Blazers are trying to win now. More than likely, they have a lot of things working. We know the Blazers have had conversations about big names Chris Paul, Tony Parker, Luol Deng, Monta Ellis and Devin Harris, Then with lesser known guys like Mason, Matthews, Farmar and Morrow.

There have been many stories about the firing of KP. Most every single Portland media guy has said it had more to do with KP, or his agents attempt to oust Larry Miller and create a situation where KP and Tom Penn were promoted and ghiven huge raises. Quick said on either a podcast or in print that this was the thing that had the most legs. So for those who like to yell "link" because you like to argue, go back and listen to podcasts around the draft time on either the game or the fan.

All of the "KP can do no wrong" people keep crying about not having him here for this important period. Please name the important trades and FA signings that KP did during this period in prior years? Also, please tell me the ones that he did all by himself, with no help from anyone else that is still employed by the Blazers?

 

[ABM]

If Pritchard was known for anything, it was his reluctance to make trades or pick up free agents. He just sat on his fanny and did nothing for years. He preferred his bake philosophy, depending on bad rookies.....

However, trading for, and re-signing, Camby wasn't so bad.

 

[Pinwheel1]

So an un named agent said the Blazers appear to be "discombobulated" and you guys are off and running. It doesn't take much.

 

[e_blazer]

Three days into the the first week of free agent negotiations and it's a "disaster" for the Blazers? Jeez, get a grip. Of course the team hasn't committed to any FAs yet. Given the number of trade scenarios that seem to be in play, it would be pretty stupid to sign a FA before you know for sure what players may be going out the door in a trade. Figure out what the major move is going to be and then fill in the role players afterwards using the MLE and biannual exceptions.

 

[Natebishop3]

If a thread ever needed one of these, it's this one...

 

[Chuck Taylor]

Maybe the rest of the league is shutting down for the 4th of July weekend, which would make it insignificant that Larry Miller is visiting family. And if not, maybe Miller can conduct a lot of business over the phone.

But, on the other hand, this is probably the most important week or two of the year for Blazers management, and the closest thing we have to a leader is out of town. Hearing that we're "discombobulated" doesn't help.

Maybe it wouldn't make a big difference, but if I could choose to have Miller in town right now or not, I would choose that he was in town.

 

[ABM]

Maybe it wouldn't make a big difference, but if I could choose to have Miller in town right now or not, I would choose that he was in town.

Stay thirsty. my friend.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Maybe the rest of the league is shutting down for the 4th of July weekend, which would make it insignificant that Larry Miller is visiting family. And if not, maybe Miller can conduct a lot of business over the phone.

But, on the other hand, this is probably the most important week or two of the year for Blazers management, and the closest thing we have to a leader is out of town. Hearing that we're "discombobulated" doesn't help.

Maybe it wouldn't make a big difference, but if I could choose to have Miller in town right now or not, I would choose that he was in town.

Presumably Miller doesn't really have any kind of handle on the basketball ops side of the business, so maybe having Mike Born and Chad Buchanan as the point men in the talks with BAE and MLE type free agents isn't the worst thing. The only thing I can see lacking is maybe somebody with a grand vision for how the team should look and in turn an ability to sell that vision to free agents ... but we're talking about end of the bench guys here, for them it's going to be more about a paycheck and fit than them being the focal point of the team's plans to improve.

 

[Chuck Taylor]

Presumably Miller doesn't really have any kind of handle on the basketball ops side of the business, so maybe having Mike Born and Chad Buchanan as the point men in the talks with BAE and MLE type free agents isn't the worst thing. The only thing I can see lacking is maybe somebody with a grand vision for how the team should look and in turn an ability to sell that vision to free agents ... but we're talking about end of the bench guys here, for them it's going to be more about a paycheck and fit than them being the focal point of the team's plans to improve.

Yeah, it probably isn't a big deal if all we're doing is contacting end of the bench type of guys. But we know we need a GM, and I am hoping Jason Quick is right - that we're looking for a big-time trade this offseason for an all-star. Those are two things it would probably be nice to have Miller around for, if nothing else than to be a leader and a liaison.

 

[oldmangrouch]

There have been many stories about the firing of KP. Most every single Portland media guy has said it had more to do with KP, or his agents attempt to oust Larry Miller and create a situation where KP and Tom Penn were promoted and ghiven huge raises. Quick said on either a podcast or in print that this was the thing that had the most legs. So for those who like to yell "link" because you like to argue, go back and listen to podcasts around the draft time on either the game or the fan.

And this right here is a big part of the problem. You don't have to drink the kool-aid to admit that KP and Penn were at least reasonably competent basketball people.....and they lost a power struggle with the bean-counters. For the fans, that is never a good situation. For FAs with options, it is not exactly an incentive to sign here.

No matter how low your opinion of KP, he is better qualified for this job than Larry "sweat-shop-shoes" Miller.

 

[Ed O]

What? We're missing out on the chance to move quickly on Roger Mason, Jr.?

How will the franchise EVER recover?

:|

Ed O.

 

[ABM]

What? We're missing out on the chance to move quickly on Roger Mason, Jr.?

How will the franchise EVER recover?

:|

Ed O.

Yeah, but LM missed on Steve Blake.

 

[Ed O]

Yeah, but LM missed on Steve Blake.

It's VERY possible that the team is "discombobulated" but it sounds more like sour grapes from an agent that wants his guy to get a big early payday.

That the team is focused on making trades rather than scrambling to sign the names associated with the team in free agency so far actually gives me hope that the front office team DOES know what it's doing.

Ed O.

 

[noknobs]

Let me get this straight. The President has the nerve to celebrate 4th of July with his family, and a random agent (who for all we know could be Warren LeGarie) says they appear discombobulated, and this is a "DISASTER"?

Good grief.

 

[MikeDC]

You know, this reminds me an awful lot like a conversation from an episode of Man Men regarding PR.

Everything they're trying right now is tied to their guilt. They know the effect of firing KP but since they're not providing a reasonable explanation, it says something else about how the franchise is feeling as a whole.

The PR is major failing right now.

We need to stop making our team look like it's a decaying, rebuilding team.

We should stick to our cliched, yet merited slogan of "Uprise" admidst the franchise disorder.

This is a great observation, but the Mad Men quote also hits at something else. The guys in that story have a plan. The old Penn Station might be beloved, but Madison Square Garden is the beginning of a new City on a Hill. People will forgive tearing down the old not just because of PR, but because you create something new and good.

But if you've got a crummy idea, or worse, no idea at all, I don't see any way that PR will help. And at least to an outsider, that appears to describe the Blazers right now.

 

[RoyToy]

All of the "KP can do no wrong" people keep crying about not having him here for this important period. Please name the important trades and FA signings that KP did during this period in prior years? Also, please tell me the ones that he did all by himself, with no help from anyone else that is still employed by the Blazers?

Look at you deliberately ignoring the moves Pritchard made last off-season and trade deadline. You are one delusional person.

Had enough of the cesspool that is the thread. Some people will only believe what they want to.

 

[B-Roy]

Some people will only believe what they want to.

Doesn't that work both ways?

 

[RoyToy]

You're so witty

 

[Idog1976]

Damn that Larry Miller for visiting family!

good grief, some of you grasp and straws...

yeah what the fuck! Does he think it's a national holiday or something? He needs to go find Greg Oden who is asleep at 3am and get him in the gym while Larry starts calling people. What the fuck dude you want to SLEEP AT 3AM YOU"RE PAID LARGE YOU PIECE OF SHIT GET IN THE GYM/OFFICE!

 

[Idog1976]

Seriously, do you even follow this team? Or do you just get drunk and post?

I'm not quite as KP hatin as this poster but they have a point about KP's track record with trades (he low ball's the shit out of teams if at all) and FA signings. The musings are a bit specious, but the essence is spot on.