Brian Wright: Any Reason for Optimism?

[DPG21920]

On the other hand, we had awfully long extended looks at Fathead or Bryn Forbes, and we shouldn't judge based on the result of those bad gambles?

I can't pin that on Brian either, mostly on the previous GM.

For sure. A lot of this is RC/Pop - but with the little we have seen I was legit wondering what people thought because this team is at a crossroads and can’t afford a dud for a GM.

[SAGirl]

Horrible trades from the Derozan/late 1st for Kiwi And Poltl/Danny to sending out Davis instead of some other “shooter” out. Caroll isn’t playing and his deal is 3 years (at least 2 fully guaranteed) for a guy unplayed with no upside indeed. Dejounte, I was happy when he was signed but they might have overpaid for the culture there (and I hope not truly, I expected better of Dejounte) but they are in better position to know what his worth is supposed be. It just doesn’t seem like they have nailed even one move lately.

Lyles has been better than expected I guess but he wasn’t even a target of the FO and he’s not a game changer or anything just someone who has blended in better than we thought and whose shot has come around after an off year.

They aren’t playing any youngins so it’s too soon to say anything about their picks yet.

[ElNono]

For sure, but that is chicken/egg? We know Beli isn’t good and it’s definitely not on Wright. But it is on Wright that Beli/Carroll are the options and that Carroll isn’t so good that he for sure has a rotation spot when the team coming into the year obviously and desperately needed a roster upgrade.

Nah, I'm not defending Carroll. I'm just saying if we're gonna pass judgement over an offseason, what do we do about players that have sucked for over an entire season or two?

Why are they still in this roster and why did we stood pat about moving those guys?

In a nuts , this issue is much older than Carroll.

[slick'81]

For sure. A lot of this is RC/Pop - but with the little we have seen I was legit wondering what people thought because this team is at a crossroads and can’t afford a dud for a GM.

Its waay to early to know what wright is or will be.The short term hasnt yielded results but what can you expect when you lose kawhi for derozan and poodle?still paying pau and patty and lost bertans for nothing? Well i guess (7-14)

[ElNono]

For sure. A lot of this is RC/Pop - but with the little we have seen I was legit wondering what people thought because this team is at a crossroads and can’t afford a dud for a GM.

This team needs to blow it up but doesn't have the balls to do it. Fortunately, I believe LMA will quit the team sooner or later and force the issue.

[SAGirl]

Plus I don’t think they can pretend “this is fine” anymore.

They aren’t tanking they just suck and can’t afford to ignore their problems in roster construction or sign guys back who are in roles too big for them (Forbes)

[ZeusWillJudge]

Good point; but Pop won’t be here for long. Maybe a couple more years. But even with Pop here and being the boss, influence is a big part of a GM role. Being able to have a legit voice, stand up for yourself and influence decision makers while pooling knowledge and advice.

To be successful these days, any FO needs a cap genius, and someone who really understands roster construction. When those aren't the same person, it's more difficult because no matter how much people talk about collaboration, someone has to have the final say. It's what most people don't know and don't appreciate about Jerry West. He understands the game (and players) better than almost anyone, and he has an uncanny understanding of the money/cap aspect. He has more to do with this current Clippers team than most realize. And their FO people are smart enough to listen to him and not let their egos get in the way.

I don't have any first hand knowledge, but my gut tells me that the easiest way to influence Pop is to move the same basic direction he already wants to go; and pushing in an opposite direction would be career suicide. So I really doubt they put anyone in that position that would do the things you'd like to see him do. He doesn't have the experience as a player that I'd like to see him have to really understand players and roster construction, but I think he must be a pretty bright guy. SA isn't the first place he's been promoted, so some other people saw something in him.

But the league is full of bright guys. You're looking for a savant. I don't think he's that. But if I'm being honest, the reason I don't think so is that he took a position where he doesn't get to be his own man. The real geniuses won't settle for something that even looks like a coattail assignment.

[DPG21920]

Its waay to early to know what wright is or will be.The short term hasnt yielded results but what can you expect when you lose kawhi for derozan and poodle?still paying pau and patty and lost bertans for nothing? Well i guess (7-14)

Well, if he was truly influential (not sure) and thought DeRozan would work, then that has to be a bad sign about what type of player he values no? Then on top of that, to see the roster all last year and think that basically Carroll (since he swapped Bertans for Morris anyways so it’s not like a gigantic net gain) was enough? Another troubling sign about roster building

[SAGirl]

Hard to know what were the legit offers for Kawhi. People report stuff, but teams will leak that they offered packages they really didn’t offer. Maybe DeRozen was the best they could do based on what offers were made.

Nah don’t kid yourself and make excuses for them. They actually held on to Kawhi for way too long hoping to change his mind, prompting his shenanigans to get worse and his market to plunge with it. They weren’t blindsided into that. They had a full season to probe the market. Heh for all we know Kawhi plays those 9 games back in 2017 to bolster some trade and promote the image he was recovered. The Spurs mismanaged that whole thing. I don’t think they would have gotten a player of commensurate value so they settle on Derozan but a package around young talent, picks and a rebuild could have gotten them started on a Doncic like turnaround. It didn’t make sense to trade for Derozan. Spurs have only gotten worse since 2017.

[DPG21920]

To be successful these days, any FO needs a cap genius, and someone who really understands roster construction. When those aren't the same person, it's more difficult because no matter how much people talk about collaboration, someone has to have the final say. It's what most people don't know and don't appreciate about Jerry West. He understands the game (and players) better than almost anyone, and he has an uncanny understanding of the money/cap aspect. He has more to do with this current Clippers team than most realize. And their FO people are smart enough to listen to him and not let their egos get in the way.

I don't have any first hand knowledge, but my gut tells me that the easiest way to influence Pop is to move the same basic direction he already wants to go; and pushing in an opposite direction would be career suicide. So I really doubt they put anyone in that position that would do the things you'd like to see him do. He doesn't have the experience as a player that I'd like to see him have to really understand players and roster construction, but I think he must be a pretty bright guy. SA isn't the first place he's been promoted, so some other people saw something in him.

But the league is full of bright guys. You're looking for a savant. I don't think he's that. But if I'm being honest, the reason I don't think so is that he took a position where he doesn't get to be his own man. The real geniuses won't settle for something that even looks like a coattail assignment.

Disagree; at this level ANY GM job is massive. The fact it’s with SA? That is a sought after position with one of the highest regarded teams in the league. It’s a springboard franchise for basically any position player, coach or front office.

[slick'81]

Well, if he was truly influential (not sure) and thought DeRozan would work, then that has to be a bad sign about what type of player he values no? Then on top of that, to see the roster all last year and think that basically Carroll (since he swapped Bertans for Morris anyways so it’s not like a gigantic net gain) was enough? Another troubling sign about roster building

Agree spurs have made troubling moves since resigning patty/pau.Even the no brainer like extending murray might actually backfire

[gambit1990]

what's brent barry been up to tbh?

i'd like to see his fingerprints on the retooling of this roster.

[slick'81]

what's brent barry been up to tbh?

i'd like to see his fingerprints on the retooling of this roster.

Still cryin over his wife probably

[Degoat]

Isn’t Brent Barry the Austin spurs gm? Lol

[sasaint]

Good point; but Pop won’t be here for long. Maybe a couple more years. But even with Pop here and being the boss, influence is a big part of a GM role. Being able to have a legit voice, stand up for yourself and influence decision makers while pooling knowledge and advice.

TWO MORE YEARS OF POP...PLEASE, GOD, NO!

This franchise will end up in Seattle if we must endure another two years of Pop. I am praying he will be gone in 2 DAYS.

[DPG21920]

And I don’t have a legit answer. I hate this current team and I know that Brian Wright being a good GM is very critical. This is like the worst time to have a new guy with question marks when you have a franchise teetering on the edge and everything looking negative.

He seemed to be creative with Morris/Carroll so that’s a good sign, but he also has at least been involved in a lot of seemingly questionable decisions and the results this year are beyond bad.

[gambit1990]

Isn’t Brent Barry the Austin spurs gm? Lol

he's VP of basketball operations.

[phxspurfan]

derozan has already been here three years

edit: not 3 years, just 2 mb. Feels like 3 years.

[Floyd Pacquiao]

IIRC Pop was one of the main guys who wanted derozan as well cause he wanted to stay "compe ve". So they both deserve blame. Still though what an utter embarrassment that a proffesional NBA GM and coach in 2019 would want a cancerous 1 dimensional player like derozan. No reason to be optimistic tbh.

[phxspurfan]

And I don’t have a legit answer. I hate this current team and I know that Brian Wright being a good GM is very critical. This is like the worst time to have a new guy with question marks when you have a franchise teetering on the edge and everything looking negative.

He seemed to be creative with Morris/Carroll so that’s a good sign, but he also has at least been involved in a lot of seemingly questionable decisions and the results this year are beyond bad.

To be fair, the lineups are also bad. That's not the GM's fault. This same roster, minus one very good Latvian, pushed the Nuggz to 7 games last year. Killing your starting PG's confidence and starting a war with the team's youth (which is most of the team now) can do that, tbh

[DPG21920]

FYI

[phxspurfan]

Fortunately, I believe LMA will quit the team sooner or later

Doubt it. He played on treadmill teams in Portland for years. He's older now and wants to cash them checks.

That being said, I doubt he fights a trade to Boston to be part of their playoff run

[DPG21920]

To be fair, the lineups are also bad. That's not the GM's fault. This same roster, minus one very good Latvian, pushed the Nuggz to 7 games last year. Killing your starting PG's confidence and starting a war with the team's youth (which is most of the team now) can do that, tbh

True, but again, GM built this roster too. When you don’t bring in actual upgrades and just stand pat, you run the risk of this since there is no clear cut great option

[ZeusWillJudge]

BTW - Morris had never made more than $5M in a season. The Knicks paid him $15M for a 1-year deal. They (the Knicks) were the thing you dread the most - spoilers. They applied ridiculous pressure in a move that couldn't make them winners, but could seriously someone else. There was never a point where the Spurs could have afforded to pay him $15M. But if they had thrown $15M at a guy who never made more than $5M in his career, people would have howled like banshees. But he would have been a great addition for what the Spurs were going to pay him.

Carroll is a different matter. That was more of a shoulder-shrug signing - they had some money to spend. I wasn't wild about the multi-year contract, even if the third year is only guaranteed for a small slice. The fact that Pop won't put him on the floor makes me wonder if that was Wright trying to assert himself. If that's true, I think less of Wright. But it would also show that trying to "collaborate" on something that Pop doesn't want. None of that would argue in favor of Wright being a dynamic GM now or later.

[phxspurfan]

BTW - Morris had never made more than $5M in a season. The Knicks paid him $15M for a 1-year deal. They (the Knicks) were the thing you dread the most - spoilers. They applied ridiculous pressure in a move that couldn't make them winners, but could seriously someone else. There was never a point where the Spurs could have afforded to pay him $15M. But if they had thrown $15M at a guy who never made more than $5M in his career, people would have howled like banshees. But he would have been a great addition for what the Spurs were going to pay him.

Carroll is a different matter. That was more of a shoulder-shrug signing - they had some money to spend. I wasn't wild about the multi-year contract, even if the third year is only guaranteed for a small slice. The fact that Pop won't put him on the floor makes me wonder if that was Wright trying to assert himself. If that's true, I think less of Wright. But it would also show that trying to "collaborate" on something that Pop doesn't want. None of that would argue in favor of Wright being a dynamic GM now or later.

If PATFO tampered with Porzingis perhaps they deserved it.