Presti interviewed?

[Rastapopoulos]

According to the ever-reliable Peter Vecsey:

Sam Presti, who yesterday celebrated a third anniversary as Sonic/Thunder GM, making him a rising free agent according to my records, claims he's perfectly happy in Oklahoma. However, a Northwest source claims he interviewed in Seattle (home of Portland owner Paul Allen) for the Blazers' job. Oh, that's right, the job's taken. Kevin Pritchard owns one year on his contract but he and everyone else (I do believe the Post had it months ago,) believe he'll be fired immediately after the draft.

(I would've put this in the thread about "new GM", but that seems to have devolved into a pissing-match.)

 

[Nikolokolus]

If they're going to fire KP and replace him with Presti (assuming this is real) then I have no problem with that whatsoever.

 

[craigehlo]

Presti is the best case scenario IMHO. I really hope this rumor has legs to it.

 

[julius]

I bet this is just like when we signed Milsap to a contract..we're trying to put the Thunder in lux-tax hell!!!!


what?

 

[Mediocre Man]

If it were anyone else besides Vessey I'd be excited. While I fully believe KP is on his way out, I don't believe for a second that Presti would find our job more appealing than his current one. Both teams are pretty equal, at this point, and his team is a little younger with a ton of cap space.

I don't want to hear about quality of living either because there are beautiful areas in just about every city.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

If they're going to fire KP and replace him with Presti (assuming this is real) then I have no problem with that whatsoever.

Presti is the best case scenario IMHO. I really hope this rumor has legs to it.

I agree, and not so much because I believe that Presti is necessarily a better GM than Pritchard (he might be, and he might not), but because it would likely hinder the development of the team whose future I fear the most going forward. Anything that's bad for OKC is good for us.

 

[illmatic99]

It would be quite a slap in KP's face. Clearly, the reason for firing would be determined as the Oden pick.

 

[STOMP]

I don't want to hear about quality of living either because there are beautiful areas in just about every city...

...especially if you're pulling down millions of dollars per year. Anyone have an idea of where Presti's family roots are though? About the only thing I dug up on his youth in 2 seconds of googling was that he went to college in Boston.

When John Nash was in charge, following nearly every decision/move I'd invariably say something along the lines of..."Well hopefully there is more to this decision then is on the surface" or "Maybe this move is part of a greater scheme and a 2nd shoe will drop in the coming days and make sense of this"...unfortunately that never seemed to be the case. After JN was allowed to explore other opportunities my reaction to the Blazer's moves was almost always greated with... "Yeah! Great move" Contract negotiations would be the main exception, but I've loved the focus on athletic defenders in the frontcourt and size throughout the roster.

truth be told, I've never known exactly how much either Nash or KP were weighing in on the decisions that I was reacting to and how much it was a group management decision. While I'd suspect that both had quite a bit of say in matters, I don't believe that only a couple people in the world can excel at this job. I'd guess that a new guy would probably allow the core of present roster to remain intact for at least a year while he learns the organizational ropes... hopefully the guys enjoy a year of relative health and prove worthy of a long run together and only tinkering is required to keep this team competing for championships. Thats sort of talent I see in place so I'd hope a new GM isn't too eager to prove his worth and get "his guys"... maybe the new guy will be promoted from within the organization?

If the speculated firing happens, we'll probably not be privy to what caused Pritchard to fall out of favor at least until after he's gone as that would be unprofessional of the organization... I wouldn't be surprised if Canzano-Vescey type speculations are all we're ever given.

STOMP

 

[Mediocre Man]

It would be quite a slap in KP's face. Clearly, the reason for firing would be determined as the Oden pick.

Unless he talked PA out of Durant, I doubt this seriously. Every GM would have taken Oden, with the exception of maybe Orlando.

 

[BBert]

If this happens, they should hire Pritchard.

 

[Mediocre Man]

If this happens, they should hire Pritchard.

I was thinking the same thing. Talk about enhancing the rivalry?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I don't believe for a second that Presti would find our job more appealing than his current one.

There is no salary cap on GM pay.

I don't want to hear about quality of living either because there are beautiful areas in just about every city.

You haven't been to Oklahoma, have you?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Unless he talked PA out of Durant, I doubt this seriously. Every GM would have taken Oden, with the exception of maybe Orlando.

I am hereby wholeheartedly agreeing with MM for perhaps the first and last time ever!

 

[barfo]

I don't want to hear about quality of living either because there are beautiful areas in just about every city.

Spoken like a man who chooses to live in the Houston metro area.

barfo

 

[hasoos]

On oregon live Larry Miller said they were only halfway through the review process for KP. Considering this was from Vescey, I am not sure it has any legs. I believe the Blazers would have had to ask permission from OKC to talk to Presti anyhow, otherwise it is tampering I believe.

 

[Minstrel]

If Presti were the replacement GM, I'd be a lot less concerned. I think Presti is one of the few GMs that is of similar caliber to Pritchard, so the team wouldn't lose much, if anything. My great, enduring worry is they fire Pritchard and then end up with someone mediocre (or worse...the Whitsitt-to-Nash downgrade looms ominously in my mind).

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Presti denies Vecsey rumor.

 

[barfo]

Presti denies Vecsey rumor.

So it is true... unbelievable.

Well, I guess we'll have to learn "In SP we trust".

barfo

 

[hasoos]

So one article I read said they met in NY. Another said they met in Seattle at Paul Allens house. They can't even get their story straight.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

So one article I read said they met in NY. Another said they met in Seattle at Paul Allens house. They can't even get their story straight.

Recruiting may involve more than one meeting... perhaps the two accounts are simply describing two events in the same process.

 

[RR7]

Anybody know how long Presti's initial contract was with OKC? I know he was hired June 7th, 2007. So three years ago yesterday. If he signed for a 3 year deal initially, he could be working without a contract, and thus, not have to get permission from OKC to interview.

 

[Minstrel]

he could be working without a contract, and thus, not have to get permission from OKC to interview.

That's what Vecsey is claiming:

"Sam Presti, who yesterday celebrated a third anniversary as Sonic/Thunder GM, making him a rising free agent according to my records..."

 

[RR7]

Ah, sorry, hadn't read the Vecsey article. It does add a little more fuel to the fire, I suppose, knowing he wouldn't need to get permission. Permission I would assume OKC would not give.

 

[BGrantFan]

Presti is a "great" GM simply because it turns out that lucking into the #2 pick in 2007 was the better draft position at this moment. How fucking hard is it to pick Keven Durant over Al Horford?

 

[BGrantFan]

Hired PJ Carlesimo.

Just drafted james Harden over Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry.

Seriously, he's some lottery balls a way from being out of the league. The amazing thing about Pritchard is he's build a 50-win team WITHOUT significant help from his own lucky lotto pick. That's the ironic part of the Presti talk, IMO. If the Blazers draft 3,4, or 5 in 2007, Pritchard likely isn't on the hot seat.

 

[craigehlo]

Just drafted james Harden over Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry.

I think the pick of Westbrook more than makes up passing on other point guards in the next draft. Most mock drafts had him lower (NBADraft.net had Bayless higher) and Presti really pulled a nice pick at #4.

 

[BGrantFan]

I think the pick of Westbrook more than makes up passing on other point guards in the next draft. Most mock drafts had him lower (NBADraft.net had Bayless higher) and Presti really pulled a nice pick at #4.

I don't give a shit about mock drafts. Westbrook was a solid guess to go to OKC right before that draft. I remember reading about how he was blowing everybody away in workouts. Plus, as good as Westbrook can be, he passed on Brook Lopez. he could have Lopez, Evans, and Durant right now. That team would scare the shit out of me for the next 10 years.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I'll give you the point that KP>SP in drafting, it seems, though Harden's not a bust by any stretch and taking Westbrook over Bayless looks like a genius move right now, when it was panned at the time.
Are you deliberately not mentioning, or did you forget, the following?
Instead of just letting Lewis walk, he got a 8M trade exception for a 2nd round pick.
He used that exception to get Kurt Thomas and two 1st round picks (Suns 2008 1st and 2010 1st)
Then traded Thomas to the Spurs for Spurs' 2009 1st, Elson and Brent Barry. He then waived Barry.
Jumped into two major 3-team trades, lowering team salary with each.
Traded Chris Wilcox for Malik Rose and cash.
Traded Chucky Atkins and Damien Wilkins for Etan Thomas and 2 of MIN's 2nds.
Signed Krstic
Hired the Coach of the Year
Traded a 2002 2nd-round Euro for Eric Maynor.
So he's traded scrubs to save money and traded scrubs to get cash back...he's traded a 2nd-round pick to get 3 1sts...he's gotten under the cap while fielding a pretty decent team...he's found quality free agents at low prices...he's hired the Coach of the Year...he's drafted decently...and you're saying that it's b/c of lottery luck that he's not out of the league? Really?

EDIT: And he got value from Ray Allen, even if it was "just" Jeff Green.

 

[BGrantFan]

Presti also drafted Carl Landry for Houston in 2007, then received a future 2nd round pick and cash.

He could have Lopez, Evans, Durant, Landry, and me and still be a force for the next decade.

Since everybody likes to pick apart Pritchard's every move, I thought I'd see what Presti has done outside forgetting lucky with Durant.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

When does Mixum return from his self imposed exile? I can't wait to read one of his SPee posts.