Presti Makes Another Steal

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Nuggets hit hard, lose head scout
By Marc J. Spears
Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 07/27/2007 07:11:47 PM MDT

The Nuggets' scouting staff took its second hard hit this week with the departure of director Bill Branch, who is going to the Seattle SuperSonics.

Branch's 10-year tenure with the Nuggets, the past five seasons as assistant coach/director of scouting, will end Tuesday, and he will move on to be the Sonics' director of pro personnel. Branch is regarded as one of the NBA's top advance scouts and has 20 years experience working in the league.

"I had a great 10 years here," Branch said in a phone interview Friday. "I enjoyed all the people from coaches I worked for. I worked for a lot of people here in my tenure and I learned a lot of different things.

"Hopefully, it will help me down the road. I told (Nuggets) George (Karl) to be proud and happy for me and that the Sonics wanted me during your command. George treated me like a son."

Masai Ujiri left the Nuggets earlier this week after three years with the team, including last season as director of international scouting.


http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_6481956

[JMarkJohns]

Is Rex Chapman still a scout with Denver? I know he went there after Sarver/D'Antoni ran him out of Phoenix. If so, this may mean a promotion?! He was a great scout for Phoenix.

[J.T.]

Try to copy the Spurs all you want Sam...

It ain't going to be a perfect copy without Duncan and Pop.

[Clutch20]

Try to copy the Spurs all you want Sam...

It ain't going to be a perfect copy without Duncan and Pop.
Zzackly!

[ploto]

Masai Ujiri left the Nuggets earlier this week after three years with the team, including last season as director of international scouting.
He went to the Raptors.

[John Patrick]

I see now why Seattle went with Presti. Though I wonder if his recent body of work is more impressive than Pritchard.

[itzsoweezee]

Try to copy the Spurs all you want Sam...

It ain't going to be a perfect copy without Duncan and Pop.

really? he lucked out and landed with the best player in the draft, just like the spurs did with duncan. and he's done a far more impressive job this summer than the spurs. looks like the brains of the san antonio front office is sitting in seattle now.

[justanotherspursfan]

really? he lucked out and landed with the best player in the draft, just like the spurs did with duncan. and he's done a far more impressive job this summer than the spurs. looks like the brains of the san antonio front office is sitting in seattle now.
It's easier to make moves when you're blowing a team up and start with movable assets than it is when you're over the luxury tax threshold and trying to keep your entire previous year's rotation intact.

Having said that, yeah, I think he's doing a great job.

[OldDirtMcGirt]

really? he lucked out and landed with the best player in the draft, just like the spurs did with duncan. and he's done a far more impressive job this summer than the spurs. looks like the brains of the san antonio front office is sitting in seattle now.

I always thought that Seattle got Durant.

[THE SIXTH MAN]

really? he lucked out and landed with the best player in the draft, just like the spurs did with duncan. and he's done a far more impressive job this summer than the spurs. looks like the brains of the san antonio front office is sitting in seattle now.
You also have to consider the assets he had at his disposal. Other than that he's been very impressive thus far.

[RON ARTEST]

Lol at presti being god all of the sudden, he might be a good Gm but i dont want to imagine what the future of the *INsert city name here* Sonics would look like if they didnt have the number two pick. Other then getting jeff green who is basically a poor mans durant that plays the same position...what has he done?