Danny Ferry ....again?

[Fez Hammersticks]

I sent this text message to an NBA general manager: “Why would anyone take the Portland GM job and work for Paul Allen?”

His texted response: “$$$.”

A trusted NBA source insists the Trail Blazers have Spurs vice president of basketball operations Danny Ferry at, or near, the top of their list of candidates to replace their general manager, Rich Cho.

Cho on Monday became the second Blazers GM in the past year to be fired by club owner Allen, the Seattle-based multi-billionaire and Microsoft co-founder.

Any team that wants to put together a championship-contending roster should consider Ferry, a smart executive whose experience as general manager of the Cavaliers makes him uniquely qualified.

LINK​

 

[B-Roy]

When did Danny Ferry get hired by the Spurs?

 

[Rhal]

I really wasn't impressed at all by anything Ferry did in Cleveland. Wasn't it speculated that one of the reasons he didn't get the job with us last year was because he asked for complete control over the team and PA/Larry laughed at him? Guess i'm just wondering about all the stuff about how PA wants a puppet GM thats come out the last few days and then a guy who didn't want to be a puppet last year is now at the front of our list. Things don't add up.

 

[jlprk]

Didn't LeBron abandon the Cavs because of the team Ferry assembled? Without LeBron, wasn't it the worst team in the league?

Why is Ferry so desirable? I don't get it.

Plus, he was a giant disappointment as a player. And he acted like a fool at his draft on TV. But that goes back a few years.

 

[illmatic99]

 

[santeesioux]

Wasn't excited about the prospect of him being gm last year, that hasn't changed.

 

[Mediocre Man]

If I were Danny Ferry, I would laugh HARD in the Blazers face. They should have offered him last year, but for some unknown reason they decided on an unproven GM that was too cautious when it came to pulling the trigger

 

[Mediocre Man]

Danny Ferry went out of his way to keep that prima donna in Cleveland. Lebron and coach Mike Brown wanted certain players, and Ferry went out and got them.

 

[B-Roy]

Danny Ferry went out of his way to keep that prima donna in Cleveland. Lebron and coach Mike Brown wanted certain players, and Ferry went out and got them.

Ah, the "yes" man, a perfect fit for Nate and Paul Allen.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Danny Ferry went out of his way to keep that prima donna in Cleveland. Lebron and coach Mike Brown wanted certain players, and Ferry went out and got them.

Ah, the "yes" man, a perfect fit for Nate and Paul Allen.

Not to mention the perfect guy to build a championship team around "superstar Brandon Roy."

 

[Mediocre Man]

Ah, the "yes" man, a perfect fit for Nate and Paul Allen.

It's the GM's job to put talent around stars to get them over the top. He added Shaq, Jamison, Williams, re-signed big Z., Hickson


The chemistry might not have been there, but he added several players that enabled his teams tocompete at the highest level.

 

[illmatic99]

He could have traded Hickson for Amare last year. Instead he opted to get Jamison. LeBron reportedly wanted Joe Johnson or Michael Redd in free agency. He went after Larry Hughes instead, who was statistically one of the worst players in the league. He also gave Varejao a huge contract, financially handcuffing them two summers ago.

After having watched CLE from up-close the last four years, I think Ferry had a role in LeBron leaving.

 

[illmatic99]

This was the team he put alongside Bron:

[video=youtube;5V6lvLSn0l8]

How James took that shit team to the finals, I still can't understand.

 

[PapaG]

He could have traded Hickson for Amare last year. Instead he opted to get Jamison. LeBron reportedly wanted Joe Johnson or Michael Redd in free agency. He went after Larry Hughes instead, who was statistically one of the worst players in the league. He also gave Varejao a huge contract, financially handcuffing them two summers ago.

After having watched CLE from up-close the last four years, I think Ferry had a role in LeBron leaving.

Possibly, but Stoudamire wasn't going to guarantee signing a contract extension with Cleveland.

 

[Nikolokolus]

If I were Danny Ferry, I would laugh HARD in the Blazers face. They should have offered him last year, but for some unknown reason they decided on an unproven GM that was too cautious when it came to pulling the trigger

You really think they he didn't get an offer? I would be shocked if he actually didn't turn them down last year ... but only unofficially, so the Blazers could save some face.

 

[Mediocre Man]

You really think they he didn't get an offer? I would be shocked if he actually didn't turn them down last year ... but only unofficially, so the Blazers could save some face.

I do think he got an offer last year. I think it was a poor one, and they moved on quickly

 

[Boob-No-More]

This was the team he put alongside Bron:

[video=youtube;5V6lvLSn0l8]

How James took that shit team to the finals, I still can't understand.

In the days before the Super Teams (TM), the Eastern Confernce was VERY weak, but still got to send a team to the finals every year.

The two Nets teams Jason Kidd took to the finals had arguably worse supporting casts than the Cavs team LeBron took to the finals.

BNM

 

[barfo]

How about we hire Bonzi as GM? He's not busy right now.

barfo

 

[Wheels]

This was the team he put alongside Bron:

[video=youtube;5V6lvLSn0l8]

How James took that shit team to the finals, I still can't understand.

HOLY CRAP!! I thought that was the squad from the Random NBA Players thread!
How did we forget Donyell Marshall in that thread?!?

 

[illmatic99]

The two Nets teams Jason Kidd took to the finals had arguably worse supporting casts than the Cavs team LeBron took to the finals.

BNM

I disagree. In addition to Kidd, they had KMart (in his prime), Van Horn (in his prime), and Kittles (in his prime). But it's close.

It's interesting that the 01-02 Nets team went to the finals with no players averaging > 15 ppg.

The 02-03 team also saw RJ stepping up huge, and Kidd improved his scoring by 4ppg.

 

[magnifier661]

Just got a text message from ESPN Blazer news and they said he was the #1 candidate. I don't know if I like it. Who knows

 

[Mediocre Man]

That was reported by Canzano....I think? the other day. They are just repeating it I think?

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Holy shit that Cavs team was absolutely terrible.

 

[jlprk]

You're looking at the Blazers if we hire him.

 

[Minstrel]

You're looking at the Blazers if we hire him.

Nice, we could use a LeBron James.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I disagree. In addition to Kidd, they had KMart (in his prime), Van Horn (in his prime), and Kittles (in his prime). But it's close.

I disagree with your disagreement - especially WRT that 2001-02 Nets team. KMart was not yet in his prime (which was very short due to injuries). He was in his second season, averaged 14.9 PPG and only 5.3 RPG with a PER of 14.5. Those are all below his best numbers of 16.7 PPG, 9.5 RPG and PER = 18.7, which happened two years later.

Van Horn was already past his prime, with a PER of 16.0. His career best was was PER = 19.6 in 1998-99 when he averaged 20.9 PPG. He also had a PER of 18.1 and a scoring average of 19.9 PPG on 1999-2000.

Kittles was arguably the second best player on that team, and other than Kidd, the only one that really stepped up during the playoffs. His regular season PER was 16.1 and 16.7 for the playoffs.

Richard Jefferson was a promising rookie, but nothing special. He had a regular season PER of 13.4, which sank to 11.2 during the playoffs.

If you look at the top seven players, by minutes, on that team:

Regular season PER:
Jason Kidd - 19.1
Kerry Kittles - 16.1
Kenyon Martin - 14.5
Keith Van Horn - 16.0
Richard Jefferson - 13.4
Lucious Harris - 15.7
Aaron Williams - 15.1

Playoffs:
Jason Kidd - 21.7
Kerry Kittles - 16.7
Kenyon Martin - 13.4
Keith Van Horn - 14.3
Richard Jefferson - 11.2
Lucious Harris - 15.4
Aaron Williams - 10.8

So, it was basically Kidd and a couple slightly above average starters and a bunch of average to below average player during the regular season. During the playoffs, Kidd and Kittles were the only ones that showed up. With all their other starters performing well below average during the play-offs, it's a wonder they made the finals - but like I originally said, the Eastern Conference was REALLY weak back then.

It's interesting that the 01-02 Nets team went to the finals with no players averaging > 15 ppg.

Which kind of helps prove my point - one of the weakest finals teams ever.

That 2006-07 Cavs team was also pretty weak, after LeBron of course. They were probably a little stonger at the top, but not as deep as the 2001-02 Nets team. Big Z had PER = 18.0 in both regular season and playoffs. Drew Gooden was above average, and Daniel Gibson stepped up big time in the post season. But, after their top 5, the drop off was significant - especially in the playoffs. So, I could see the argument going either way.

In the end, neither team stood a chance to win the championship and both got swept.

BNM