Kenny Vance Just Threw KP Under The Bus

[gatorpops]

That's a good point. I think he's been pretty successful on a lot of low risk, high reward deals. Angling to get Batum, getting Rudy, picking Bayless, drafting Oden and Roy...even going with Aldridge over Tyrus Thomas. None of these deals at the time seemed that risky. The guys he chose over the guys he didn't were largely viewed as pretty equivalent players. It was only later on that many appeared to be real steals (with the huge exception of Oden, and even he was the consensus #1 pick).

Kind of makes sense, though. A guy in a new career he wants to stay in doesn't start out taking huge risks. He isn't likely to swing for the fences with risky deals where you send out a promising young player to get back another promising young player. A "Jermaine O'Neal" trade fiasco in your first few years can kill a GM's career.

Now that KP has built up a pretty impressive resume, though, things may change. He has the luxury of risking making a bad deal or two without worrying about losing his job. He's built up some equity.

That's pretty much the only reason I can see why he went after Hedo. He felt like it was time to start branching out and start taking bigger risks. God knows why he chose that one though.

Mook, I like your even keel posts.

Two things: Why do most assume that Oden is done or something.? He may very well be more valuable to the Blazers then Durant would have been. Where has Durant taken his team so far?

Secondly, Hedo Played very well last year because he was used well. I think he could have helped the Blazers this year. And in hindsight, who thought he would have been as ineffective this year. Miller has done very well though.

 

[noknobs]

In the 2006 offseason when Nash got fired & Pritchard got promoted to assistant GM, our roster was:

Zach Randolph
Joel Przybilla
Darius Miles
Martell Webster
Victor Khryapa
Theo Ratliff
Steve Blake
Telfair
J. Jack
J. Dixon
Travis Outlaw
Brian Skinner
V. Lenard
Ha Seung-Jin

Their record was an NBA worst 21-61.

KP's not batting 100%. But you can't honestly compare that situation to the current situation, just 3.5 years later, and tell me he hasn't done a very good job as a GM. Anyone who does is a fucking idiot.

 

[OddEnormous]

Some absolute fucking muppets in this thread.

"I never would have taken Oden"



Fuck off

 

[Blazer_Hippie]

Some absolute fucking muppets in this thread.

"I never would have taken Oden"



Fuck off

 

[mook]

Mook, I like your even keel posts.

Thanks for the compliment! I like your posts too.

Two things: Why do most assume that Oden is done or something.? He may very well be more valuable to the Blazers then Durant would have been. Where has Durant taken his team so far?

I don't think Oden is done. I still actually like him for this team, even more than Durant. But the general consensus around the league is quite different. Most people think it was a huge blunder. (That's what I was acknowledging, although I was a little vague I see now.)
That's ok though. There's an ebb and flow to player careers. Durant is on a high tide, and Oden is about rock-bottom (hopefully).

Secondly, Hedo Played very well last year because he was used well. I think he could have helped the Blazers this year. And in hindsight, who thought he would have been as ineffective this year.

I started to convince myself it could work when it looked inevitable he was coming here, but in my heart I always thought it was a bad idea. One of our biggest obstacles in reaching a championship has always been getting past LeBron, Kobe and Carmello. No matter how good of a season he has, he'll never do anything to help us in that area.
I didn't think he'd have this bad of a year, but I never really liked his fit here.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Some absolute fucking muppets in this thread.

"I never would have taken Oden"



Fuck off

Is being a muppet good or bad? They seem so cute and with little care in the world.

I would have taken Oden . . . but I want to be muppet. I feel so torn.

 

[OddEnormous]

Is being a muppet good or bad? They seem so cute and with little care in the world.

I would have taken Oden . . . but I want to be muppet. I feel so torn.

Muppet = Bad

You can still be one. Just do something stupid.

 

[blazerboy30]

Myabe KP talked PA out of doing a deal? (or maybe not)

Perhaps. It's just that people are saying KP failed by not making a deal with RLEC. Isn't it just as possible that PA wanted to save the money, just like many other owners have been doing?

 

[ehizzy3]

How is that throwing him under the bus?

 

[ehizzy3]

Also I think KV is my favorite personality too..he's hilarious and isn't a homer

 

[Minstrel]

Muppet = Bad

Claiming you'd take Durant over Oden on that draft day is bad, I agree. Not sure why you're tarring and feathering muppets, though.

[video=youtube;fQkUjeH5pK8]

 

[BlazerBeav]

Vance was actually talking about the drafting of Martell - though I'm not sure KP had much say in that matter (and Vance said KP wanted Paul, while Allen wanted Williams).

 

[Nikolokolus]

I don't have much issue with the drafting of Martell -- that's water under the bridge as far as I'm concerned and didn't have much to do with KP any way -- it's the ludicrous 5 year, near mid-level deal, which seemed so uneccesary and overdone, especially with how dime-a-dozen wing shooters are in the NBA.

 

[hasoos]

I don't have much issue with the drafting of Martell -- that's water under the bridge as far as I'm concerned and didn't have much to do with KP any way -- it's the ludicrous 5 year, near mid-level deal, which seemed so uneccesary and overdone, especially with how dime-a-dozen wing shooters are in the NBA.

Like I have said many times. There are players on the free agent wire better than a lot of players on our team, every year, deep into the year. We could have signed Jerry Stackhouse to a short term deal. What's he doing in Milwaukee? Playing well for cheap.

 

[jlprk]

• Signed Martell for too much
• Signed LA for too much
• Was almost fired prior to this season due to the Penn/Minny fiasco, plus not enough intel on Durant
• Goofed on the Hedo praise...would have been a monumental mistake had he signed here
• A fine draft day guy but depends on the scouting team too much
• Not nearly as good as Whitsitt was at getting PA's ear or, more importlantly, buy-in on decisions

"Signed Martell for too much
Signed LA for too much"

I said the same at the time on another board. On every board there were people criticizing Pritchard for not hurrying the overpayment of Aldridge and Roy last summer, while I was defending Pritchard on that.
----------------
"Was almost fired prior to this season due to the Penn/Minny fiasco, plus not enough intel on Durant"

Hard to believe. Make that impossible to believe.
-------------
"Goofed on the Hedo praise"

Easy to believe, since Pritchard had done the same with Rudy. The whole reason we had and have stellar expectations of Rudy is Pritchard's praise while we waited for Rudy to leave Europe. It's now clear that Rudy will not be an NBA starter anywhere, at his fragile but unchangeable weight of 185 pounds.
------------
"A fine draft day guy but depends on the scouting team too much"

I think every GM depends upon his scouts, which is why I'm reluctant to give Pritchard more than 50% of the praise for his picks, as well as absolve him (more than 50%) of John Nash's mistakes when Pritchard was under Nash running the scouting system. After history determined which Nash players failed, Pritchard "confided" to his groupie Quick that he had disagreed with Nash's mistakes, and had agreed with whatever went right. Now Pritchard's fans use Quick's rumor as concrete fact. They have no source other than Pritchard himself.
---------------
"Not nearly as good as Whitsitt was at getting PA's ear or, more importlantly, buy-in on decisions"

That's because Whitsitt had far more creative options, because he himself was in the middle of the storm creating them. Pritchard is offered trades, while Whitsitt did the offering. (How many times have I heard, "Well Pritchard wasn't offered anything better" or "We don't know what Pritchard has been offered, so how can we criticize his lack of trades all through his history?") Whitsitt got Allen's attention because he was a go-getter and made things happen. He baked things fast.

Also, of course, Whitsitt was doing the job of Pritchard, Blazers President Larry Miller, Seahawks GM John Schneider, and several Vulcan managers who run 20 more of Allen's companies. So Allen listened to him more than he does to the peanut Pritchard, who has all day available to curry favor with the media.

 

[Ed O]

KV is a tool. He is just trying to stir shit up. Let's see how quick KP will give an interview to him once he resigns.

After who resigns? Why would either KV or KP leave their current position voluntarily?

Ed O.

 

[RR7]

I don't have much issue with the drafting of Martell -- that's water under the bridge as far as I'm concerned and didn't have much to do with KP any way -- it's the ludicrous 5 year, near mid-level deal, which seemed so uneccesary and overdone, especially with how dime-a-dozen wing shooters are in the NBA.

It was a 4 year extension with a team option after 3. Not that horrible of a deal, IMO.

 

[jlprk]

It's true there was no downward pressure, no hard negotiating, on Webster's contract. But the real criticism is that it was a mistake to re-sign Webster at any price, since it was already obvious he was the worst player in the rotation.

But with Pritchard, trading someone is never an option until they finally become waiver material. Then, of course, you have an excuse, that you can't trade them. ("Waah, No GM is taking the initiative to offer me anything. Or maybe I can't hear the phone ring out here on my sundeck.")

 

[BenDavis503]

Yep.

I, along with others, have been screaming about not taking advantage of Raef's contract. That, to me, was a bigger blunder than Oden over Durant. I think taking Oden was a mistake, but most all GM's would have done it.

When Oden has a single game of 29/7/1 blk most will say he is the best center in the league, but they need to be reminded that those are the numbers Durant averages for the year.

I agree here. But I do not think it was a bigger FAIL than Oden over Durant. How are you going to miss Mike Jordan twice?

 

[e_blazer]

After who resigns? Why would either KV or KP leave their current position voluntarily?

Ed O.

I'm pretty sure THE meant "re-signs" rather than resigns.

What a difference a hyphen can make.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I agree here. But I do not think it was a bigger FAIL than Oden over Durant. How are you going to miss Mike Jordan twice?

I wasn't aware that KP was involved in taking Bowie over Jordan?

 

[BlazerWookee]

Nah, I think KV is pretty fair minded, but he sure doesn't candy coat what he thinks (which I appreciate)

Is that some sort of fat joke?

 

[BenDavis503]

I wasn't aware that KP was involved in taking Bowie over Jordan?

LOL hehe I meant the organization Not KP.

My apologies.

 

[BlazerWookee]

KV is a tool. He is just trying to stir shit up. Let's see how quick KP will give an interview to him once he re-signs.

Fixed.:tup:

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

"Almost fired and one reason why was not getting enough intel on Durant."

I love that KP is getting this heat. IMO, Greg's pre-draft physical should have been more than enough.

How does that pressure cooker feel, KP?

 

[julius]

"Almost fired and one reason why was not getting enough intel on Durant."

I love that KP is getting this heat. IMO, Greg's pre-draft physical should have been more than enough.

How does that pressure cooker feel, KP?

other than speculation, what concrete proof was there about Greg's pre-daft physical that should have been enough?

I've heard people say that several times, but I don't remember anyone actually offering up any links (that weren't in itself, pure speculation).

 

[Ed O]

I'm pretty sure THE meant "re-signs" rather than resigns.

What a difference a hyphen can make.

Indeed. I was just feeling feisty.

Ed O.

 

[maxiep]

Maybe Nate has PA's ear?


KP wants to push and run, and Nate doesn't. Maybe PA is listening more to Mr. Sonic than Boy Wonder?

MM, if that's the case, then I suggest you become a Rockets fan. Can you imagine how frustrated you'd be if KP were fired and Nate became the Coach/GM?

 

[maxiep]

If we dumped Kevin Pritchard, it would be a travesty. There's no perfect GM. There are simply GMs that are better than others. KP is in the very top eschelon in a very short time. Do we really believe he's a finished product? Hell, he's been so good there have been several teams that have followed his rebuilding strategy.

BTW, we shouldn't forget that Pritchard was one of the primary Durant proponents in management. He loved him. The backstory is that the decision was closer than most of us assume it was. And it's not like Oden has sucked; he's just been injured. If he was playing like Thabeet, the criticism might be valid. However, you look at Durant and wonder how he'd survive an NBA season. Saying Oden was an injury waiting to happen because of a broken wrist and a hip injury as a kid is simply silly. Oden was simply a better fit. Do we really think Durant would be putting up these numbers sharing the ball with Roy, and LaMarcus with Nate running the show?

Pritchard has his shortcomings, but we are unlikely to find someone better.

 

[BlayZa]

hindsight is 20/20 - i think most people can look back on work/life and recall times they could have made a better decision. The thing is, often the decision at the time is the right one, it there are many things that can degrade the success of that choice though - not all within your power to control.

i think KP has done a pretty good job during his time with us, lets not crucify him for things that just havent turned out as planned.