Kevin Pritchard's Open Letter To Blazer Fans

[Boob-No-More]

I think going into each of the last three seasons, Ferry made moves that made Cleveland better. I hasn't amounted to a ring but their regular season record improved each year.

WRONG. The moves Ferry made during the last three off seasons resulted in a WORSE regular season record two out of three times:

2006-07 = 50 wins
2007-08 = 45 wins
Decrease of 5 wins

2007-08 = 45 wins
2008-09 = 66 wins
Increase of 21 wins

2008-09 = 66 wins
2009-10 = 61 wins
Decrease of 5 wins

The team under Ferry has also failed to match the play-off success they had in 2006-07 (Finals) each of the past three seasons. They have two 2nd round exits and one trip to the 3rd round.

So, what exactly has Ferry done to improve the team over the past three seasons? He took on Shaq's HUGE fat ass and even HUGER fat salary, and they won fewer regular season games and exited the play-offs a round sooner. That, to me, is a bigger blunder than any move KP made as Blazers GM.

But hey, if Paul Allen prefers a GM that throws away $40 million on an overpaid, over-the-hill former superstar to get worse regular season and worse post season results, more power to him. It's his money and his team.

BNM

 

[craigehlo]

WRONG. The moves Ferry made during the last three off seasons resulted in a WORSE regular season record two out of three times

In defense of Ferry, he fielded a team that got them to the finals vs the Spurs a few seasons back. The moves he made also didn't cost his team very much in terms of talent if you see what it cost them:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...himself-as-elite-gm-with-antawn-jamison-trade

Last summer, Ferry traded Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic to the Phoenix Suns for future Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal—all because the Suns wanted to save money. O'Neal has been nothing short of rock-solid as an anchor for the Cavs on both ends of the floor, and although it took him a while to get acclimated with the team, he is a big part of Cleveland's league-best 43-11 mark.

The summer before, in 2008, Ferry traded Damon Jones and 33-year-old Joe Smith for point guard Mo Williams. Williams was a stat-stuffer for a poor Milwaukee team back then, but with the Cavs he translated those numbers to a team that won a league-best 66 games. Williams was also named an All-Star just six months after the trade while Smith was bought out and returned to the team for the playoff run.

So in essence, assuming that Ilgauskas is bought out and returns, Ferry has turned Damon Jones, Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, and the 30th overall pick of the 2010 NBA Draft into Mo Williams, Shaquille O'Neal, and Antawn Jamison.

 

[BGrantFan]

Would not taking advantage of "the greatest trade chip in the history of the NBA" be reality?

Actually, he called it "the greatest expiring contract in NBA history", not the "greatest trade chip". It was the greatest expiring contract, because insurance covered 80% of the costs. It created the cap space for Andre Miller, and it paid for his contract, and part of next year's contract, through the savings paid by insurance.

So no, your post is not reality, since you attributed a quote to Pritchard that he never uttered.

 

[BGrantFan]

Buchanan and Born probably deserve just as much credit.

Who hired those two?

 

[Boob-No-More]

In defense of Ferry, he fielded a team that got them to the finals vs the Spurs a few seasons back. The moves he made also didn't cost his team very much in terms of talent if you see what it cost them:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...himself-as-elite-gm-with-antawn-jamison-trade

Four seasons ago to be exact - and they haven't come close since. What good is the best regular season record, and having the greatest player in the game, if you can't make it past the 2nd round?

The one move Ferry made that truly paid of off was the landing Mo Williams. But, that only improved the regular season results, not the play-off results.

All the other moves have cost them a TON of cash (Ben Wallace, Shaq, Antwan Jamieson, etc.). and haven't gotten them any closer (further, actually) from a title. Those moves have cost Dan Gilbert over $100 million in salary and luxury tax and haven't gotten them back to the finals, let alone a championship.

And now, they risk losing LeBron and being stuck with a very expensive piss poor supporting cast.

Ferry's certainly made a lot of moves - that produced inferior results and cost the owner a shit load of money. But, it sounds like he's the type of GM Paul Allen thinks can take this team to the next level. I personally disagree. This team doesn't need any huge trades for aging, overpaid, under-productive veterans. What it needs, is the roster to get healthy and a coach with a multi-faceted offense to maximize the talent he's been given.

BNM

 

[Shooter]

Or he's purposely trying to project an image of classiness since he'll be on the job market again.

That's my take. Paul Allen went out of his way to humiliate Pritchard by firing him an hour before the draft, and there had to be a reason. Pritchard must have done something pretty awful to merit that kind of treatment, and now he's trying to put the best picture possible on the whole thing.

Pritchard is grateful to Allen for not announcing the reason for his firing--that's my conclusion. This letter is a big sloppy kiss to Paul Allen for saving Pritchard's career and allowing him to get another job somewhere else.

 

[craigehlo]

All the other moves have cost them a TON of cash (Ben Wallace, Shaq, Antwan Jamieson, etc.).

Who cares about cash? PA want to spend for a winner. Right now he spending on a team that would consider the 2nd round a moral victory.

Ferry has been in a tough situation with LeBron's contract since he signed the short extension. They've had to swing for the fences to keep him happy the last few years, which is not the best possible situation to manage a roster from. Having LeBron is proving to be a blessing and curse for that franchise he's finding out.

That being said, Ferry has shown the ability to get deals done. Sure there's the big trades already mentioned, but he also plucked Anderson Varejão from the Magic along with Drew Gooden for Tony Battie. Not a groundbreaking deal, but one that shows he can target talent in the 2nd round.

 

[Pinwheel1]

That's my take. Paul Allen went out of his way to humiliate Pritchard by firing him an hour before the draft, and there had to be a reason. Pritchard must have done something pretty awful to merit that kind of treatment, and now he's trying to put the best picture possible on the whole thing.

Pritchard is grateful to Allen for not announcing the reason for his firing--that's my conclusion. This letter is a big sloppy kiss to Paul Allen for saving Pritchard's career and allowing him to get another job somewhere else.

I keep reading this and I don't think it is right. And I think someone needs to clear it up. Was it leaked an hour before the draft or was he fired an hour before the draft? Did PA try to humiliate KP or did they have a meeting in the morning and KP pressed Paul for what was inevitably going to happen.

This is a big fucking difference to me, and I think writers like Quick and Canzano are allowing this perception to continue. Maybe it did happen this way, but that is not the impression I got from other interviews. Some one needs to clear this shit up because the national media is to lazy to investigate themselves. They just read the blogs.

 

[MrSelfDestruct]

You can believe the firing was do to a failed coup attempt, too much arrogance on his part, his inability to get the big deal done due to his reputation around the league for "Prich Slapping" other GM's or PA jealousy for KP taking credit. One fact is clear, KP had many more misses than home runs.

Patterson takes credit for Roy and LaMarcus (I'm on the fence). bunt
Oden over Durant (didn't disagree with the pick but.....). swing and a miss
FA's, we got made a fool by Hedo (thank god for this), missed with Milsap but hurt Utah, got the table scraps with Miller and luckily he panned out the second half of the season but disappeared in the playoffs. Foul ball
Bayless, nuff said. pop up to the catcher
I really think the only two home runs he hit were with Camby and Batum. Quit frankly any one of us could have stepped in there, with PA money, and done just as good a job if not better.

Throw enough darts at the board and you are bound to hit something.

This is my favorite post in this thread. Especially the bold part. I will be the first to admit that you can take the absolute WORST GM in the league and I couldn't do a better job than he does. I like to watch basketball. I know a little more about it than the average fan. Does that mean I could be a GM? Hell no.

 

[superfly4201]

That's my take. Paul Allen went out of his way to humiliate Pritchard by firing him an hour before the draft, and there had to be a reason. Pritchard must have done something pretty awful to merit that kind of treatment, and now he's trying to put the best picture possible on the whole thing.

Pritchard is grateful to Allen for not announcing the reason for his firing--that's my conclusion. This letter is a big sloppy kiss to Paul Allen for saving Pritchard's career and allowing him to get another job somewhere else.

I whole heartedly agreed with the later. I think the main reason he let him go right before the draft was to not let him go rogue and blab all the Blazers draft notes/team wants and needs. I could totally see KP being vindictive that way.

 

[superfly4201]

This is my favorite post in this thread. Especially the bold part. I will be the first to admit that you can take the absolute WORST GM in the league and I couldn't do a better job than he does. I like to watch basketball. I know a little more about it than the average fan. Does that mean I could be a GM? Hell no.

My main point being KP was like 2 for 7 in his moves, not a good average in almost any sport

 

[Minstrel]

I could totally see KP being vindictive that way.

Me too. In fact, I could totally see him being like Hitler, had he been given the power. That KP was just incredibly stupid, nasty and victimized us and poor Paul Allen.

I wonder if we could bring a class action lawsuit against him? What are your thoughts?

 

[barfo]

Me too. In fact, I could totally see him being like Hitler, had he been given the power. That KP was just incredibly stupid, nasty and victimized us and poor Paul Allen.

I wonder if we could bring a class action lawsuit against him? What are your thoughts?

That's a terrible idea. KP would hunt down every last person on the class action suit and kill them, probably with his bare hands. And his teeth. The man's a stone cold killer.

barfo

 

[oldmangrouch]

That's a terrible idea. KP would hunt down every last person on the class action suit and kill them, probably with his bare hands. And his teeth. The man's a stone cold killer.

barfo

Actually, it's worse then that.

The Blazer front office has always leaked like a sieve. Every mistake of TBob or PatterNash went straight to the front page. Somehow, KP did something really bad that justified his firing - and everybody is afraid to talk!

Or not.

 

[BGrantFan]

Quit frankly any one of us could have stepped in there, with PA money, and done just as good a job if not better. [/QUOTE}

Paul Allen already tried that approach. Steve Patterson, John Nash, and Mr. Salary Cap say hello!

Throw enough darts at the board and you are bound to hit something.

True, but if you're not throwing the dart in the general direction of the board, the only things you hit will hurt you.

 

[superfly4201]

True, but if you're not throwing the dart in the general direction of the board, the only things you hit will hurt you.

True that, and KP got hurt big time

 

[oldmangrouch]

As I said in the Danny Ferry thread - EVERY GM in the league has a long list of mistakes you can point to. Try hard enough, and you can make any GM look as bad as Isiah Thomas. What's the point?