Mullin in the mix for GM?

[Mediocre Man]

From ESPN Insider...

It has been exactly one year since Rich Cho was fired as the Portland Trail Blazers general manager and they still have not filled the position.

The team has been active conducting interviews and now we get word from Alex Kennedy that Chris Mullin is in the mix. No more details were offered, but if it's true then he'll likely get a one-on-one interview with owner Paul Allen. Mullin is a former executive with Golden State and he's currently working for ESPN as a studio analyst

While serving as the general manager with the Warriors from 2004-2009, Mullin was applauded for drafting Monta Ellis in the second round as well as acquiring Baron Davis in 2005, and then swapping Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy for Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson two years later, but he also had his missteps. During his tenure, the Warriors signed Adonal Foyle to a six-year, $42 million contract and Andris Biedrins to a six-year, $54 million contract. GSW also missed on a number of lottery picks with Mullin in charge, including Ike Diogu, Patrick O'Bryant and Brandan Wright.

Several candidates have met with president Larry Miller and Bert Kolde, but so far only David Morway and Jeff Bower have had face-to-face time with Allen.

Miller tells The Oregonian the search is "making progress" and he's "pretty confident we are going to find somebody in the near future."

Discuss

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Every GM has had a few "missteps". I'd give Mullin a pass on Biedrins. He had a very solid season the year before the big contract. As we all know, sometimes the draft picks and contract signings are because of the owner, not the GM.

 

[THE HCP]

Those were some BAD first round picks though..........

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Lottery picks, very very bad.

 

[RR7]

haynes said he was not in the mix. ESPN mention comes form hoopsworld. I'll side with Haynes.

 

[Nikolokolus]

My feeling is that there is no such thing as a perfect GM. Get a guy who knows the job and has been reasonably competent and move on; Mullin would be fine

 

[Mediocre Man]

My feeling is that there is no such thing as a perfect GM. Get a guy who knows the job and has been reasonably competent and move on; Mullin would be fine

Get a guy with a good directional plan, that's the key.....IMO anyway. Born was all over Durant and Chris Paul, so we have smart people in place. We need a GM who listens to them and is able to sell PA on moves

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Chris Haynes already shot this down yesterday.

He is not a candidate.

 

[Natebishop3]

Chris Haynes already shot this down yesterday.

He is not a candidate.

That's good because Mullin would be a horrible choice. Just horrible.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Chris Haynes already shot this down yesterday.

He is not a candidate.

Haynes is garbage. I don't buy anything he says.

That being said, I'd like to buy this - hope he's right. No to Mullin.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I disagree. He's been very reliable so far.

Hater.

 

[Masbee]

Every GM has had a few "missteps". I'd give Mullin a pass on Biedrins. He had a very solid season the year before the big contract. As we all know, sometimes the draft picks and contract signings are because of the owner, not the GM.

I am not a fan of the job Mullin did overall with the Warriors.

During his tenure, I found myself regularly disagreeing with his moves.

He had a lot of high picks to work with and the team let him spend money. So he had the ingredients and tools to make a good soup. So, I think the chef is mostly to blame.

I don't want a repeat of the Nash era where I was neutral or negative about virtually every single move made by the team. It was really, really, really painful as a fan.

Maybe he would be better now. Maybe he has learned a lot. He probably has. I think the team should keep looking.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

I disagree. He's been very reliable so far.

Hater.

Shit, I've seen all sorts of posts calling Haynes out over the last year. How am I just a hater?

I guess I just happen to randomly read his stuff when he's totally wrong, because I rarely read anything from him that is true (at least when it comes to rumors/speculation). :dunno

But maybe he's gotten better. I stopped reading because his stuff is terrible. And he can barely write (or nobody edits his stuff for him).

 

[MickZagger]

In a market like Portland it is impairative that we get a GM that knows how to draft. Mullin's drafting track record is horrible. Of all the candidates I like Bower the most.

 

[Mediocre Man]

In a market like Portland it is impairative that we get a GM that knows how to draft. Mullin's drafting track record is horrible. Of all the candidates I like Bower the most.

This is a great point.

Portland can usually get guys to stay once they are here, but attracting them int he first place is the tough part.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

In a market like Portland it is impairative that we get a GM that knows how to draft. Mullin's drafting track record is horrible. Of all the candidates I like Bower the most.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[RR7]

In a market like Portland it is impairative that we get a GM that knows how to draft. Mullin's drafting track record is horrible. Of all the candidates I like Bower the most.

don't care much for Bower's draft record, myself. Mainly, when he acquired his big star, in Paul, he failed in the following drafts to surround him with any talent to build a winner. He followed up the Paul draft with Hilton armstrong and cedric simmons, and then julian wright. 3 picks that could have helped really solidify a winner there, instead of what they had, a brief spike and then fall.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Ya, I don't like Bower a ton. I just agree with the philosophy of getting a GM or whoever in here that can draft. As I said before, Born seems to be that guy. He needs a bigger voice, IMO

 

[Run BJM]

Yeah he was pretty bad with the Warriors. All of his 1st round picks basically ended up being whiffs. He traded a first for Marcus Williams which is still biting the Warriors in the ass. Signed Derek Fisher, Adonal Foyle, Dunleavy to huge contracts. Trading for Baron was obviously a good move, but not exactly brilliant on his part. Anyone would have added BD to a roster like the W's had for just Dale Davis and Speedy Claxton. The Jackson/Harrington trade worked out well but that was really a swap of crappy contracts and cashing in what little value Ike Diogu had left.

I think he did learn a lot by the end of his tenure but it was too late. He was playing hard ball in negotiations with the role players instead of just paying them blindly. He worked out a decent extension for Baron (I think it was only 2 years) but management denied it, but he responded to that by signing Maggette after striking out on Gilbert Arenas and Elton Brand.

I don't think he has much of a vision or long term plan. Hes overly obsessed with left handed players and was really bad drafting aside from Monta. Bringing in Nellie made him look more successful but if not for that he would have been an epic failure.

 

[MickZagger]

don't care much for Bower's draft record, myself. Mainly, when he acquired his big star, in Paul, he failed in the following drafts to surround him with any talent to build a winner. He followed up the Paul draft with Hilton armstrong and cedric simmons, and then julian wright. 3 picks that could have helped really solidify a winner there, instead of what they had, a brief spike and then fall.

I'm not a saying Bowers draft record is great. But, it is relative to the other candidates that have been listed. Drafting guys like West, Thornton, Bass and others where he got them was good. That year with Armstrong and Simmons was a disaster.

 

[RR7]

I'm not a saying Bowers draft record is great. But, it is relative to the other candidates that have been listed. Drafting guys like West, Thornton, Bass and others where he got them was good. That year with Armstrong and Simmons was a disaster.

from what I can find, bower resigned in may of '03, before west was drafted. though I believe he was GM in Charlotte when they drafted Kirk Haston in the first round in 2001. I just see more misses than hits, and his hits seem to be 2nd round variety, which is always a crap shoot, and his misses were first round misses, which can hurt a franchise a lot more than misses in the 2nd.

 

[MickZagger]

http://www.basketball-reference.com/executives/bowerje99x.html

Here's a comprehensive list of Bowers doings as GM. But, for some reason it doesn't list his first stint as a GM.

But, yeah, I guess the more I look at Bower I don't like him either. David West was drafted when Bob Bass was their GM and Chris Paul was drafted when Allan Bristow was the GM.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Get a guy with a good directional plan, that's the key.....IMO anyway. Born was all over Durant and Chris Paul, so we have smart people in place. We need a GM who listens to them and is able to sell PA on moves

In a vacuum I completely agree, but with this owner and this management structure? I'm not sure if it really matters.

 

[Mediocre Man]

In a vacuum I completely agree, but with this owner and this management structure? I'm not sure if it really matters.

When we have been successful, Bob Whitsitt, KP....both had plans and seemed to be allowed to execute them. I think PA needs someone who can sell him on what they are doing

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Speaking of candidates: Ainge hasn't been bad. He's done a solid job with non-lotto picks:

2004: Al Jefferson | Delonte West | Tony Allen
2006: Rajon Rondo
2010: Avery Bradley

He's not a candidate but Don Nelson was a hell of a talent evaluator in the 80's and 90's:

Tim Hardaway | Mitch Richmond | Chris Mullen | Chris Webber | Lattrell Sprewell | Dirk | Steve Nash

 

[MickZagger]

Speaking of candidates: Ainge hasn't been bad. He's done a solid job with non-lotto picks:

2004: Al Jefferson | Delonte West | Tony Allen
2006: Rajon Rondo
2010: Avery Bradley

I'd like Ainge. But, for some reason, I just don't think he'd ever come here. He's seemed to have disassociated himself from PNW.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Speaking of candidates: Ainge hasn't been bad. He's done a solid job with non-lotto picks:

2004: Al Jefferson | Delonte West | Tony Allen
2006: Rajon Rondo
2010: Avery Bradley

Keep in mind, Ainga and Doc had one foot out the door before McHale gift wrapped KG to him. But I totally think the Blazers are waiting to talk to Ainge, and wouldn't be the worst hire

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

He also tried like hell to trade Paul Pierce for our #3 pick that he intended to use on Chris Paul.

 

[Mediocre Man]

He also tried like hell to trade Paul Pierce for our #3 pick that he intended to use on Chris Paul.

We showed him

 

[BBert]

I'm starting to get the impression no one worth a shit wants this job.