Brian Wright: Any Reason for Optimism?

[SAGirl]

FYI

Wright hiding under his desk

[JeffDuncan]

Carroll was signed when Buford was still the GM.

[SAGirl]

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

Also, haven’t considered that I thought Gay got overpaid too and is looking pretty bad out there too tbh.

[DPG21920]

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.

And while I think Morris would have helped, did they really think Morris/Carroll was enough of an upgrade to make a legit run with the way they chose to have a “win now” team?

Beyond that, with player evaluation, is it safe to say they underestimated Bertans? Would Morris have been that big of an upgrade over Bertans?

It would be one thing adding Morris/Carroll and keeping Bertans, but they lost Bertans. I was good with that at the time, but now everyone seems to have been wrong and most importantly them

[GAustex]

Carroll was signed when Buford was still the GM.

Buford should have signed someone who can run and jump

[ZeusWillJudge]

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.

No, no... it's a great career builder. My point is that if you're looking for a guy who will be a real genius-level, transformative GM (and I think that's what you're saying), those guys tend to look for a place where they can make their mark.

I hate to mix in other-sport analogies, but if you're convinced that you are an up-and-coming young football genius, you don't go anywhere near the Cowboys and Jerry Jones because everyone knows you're pretty much a figurehead. That's exactly what I think about someone who is a GM here, with Pop ultimately calling the shots. I'm not at all saying that it's a lame gig, or anything close to that. But if you're Nikola Tesla, you're not taking a job at Radio Shack.

That's what you really want, isn't it? Some genius who can immediately start building this team back to its former glory? The Knicks have a GM. I'd be willing to bet that you wouldn't want him, even though that gig is massive.

[DPG21920]

Also, haven’t considered that I thought Gay got overpaid too and is looking pretty bad out there too tbh.

Yup, they decided to trade for a win now guy in DeRozan, they evaluated an entire season and they thought running it back but bringing in Morris (with losing a rotation player in Bertans to do so)/Carroll (who kind of sucks) was enough to throw up their hands and say let’s go get it.

[DPG21920]

Also, haven’t considered that I thought Gay got overpaid too and is looking pretty bad out there too tbh.

Yup, they decided to trade for a win now guy in DeRozan, they evaluated an entire season and they thought running it back but bringing in Morris (with losing a rotation player in Bertans to do so)/Carroll (who kind of sucks) was enough to throw up their hands and say let’s go get it.

[JeffDuncan]

Buford should have signed someone who can run and jump

You are damn sure right about that.

[DPG21920]

No, no... it's a great career builder. My point is that if you're looking for a guy who will be a real genius-level, transformative GM (and I think that's what you're saying), those guys tend to look for a place where they can make their mark.

I hate to mix in other-sport analogies, but if you're convinced that you are an up-and-coming young football genius, you don't go anywhere near the Cowboys and Jerry Jones because everyone knows you're pretty much a figurehead. That's exactly what I think about someone who is a GM here, with Pop ultimately calling the shots. I'm not at all saying that it's a lame gig, or anything close to that. But if you're Nikola Tesla, you're not taking a job at Radio Shack.

That's what you really want, isn't it? Some genius who can immediately start building this team back to its former glory? The Knicks have a GM. I'd be willing to bet that you wouldn't want him, even though that gig is massive.

Ahh, got ya. No that’s not what I was saying. I would love the next Jerry West, but you don’t have to be that in order to be damn good.

My question was is there reason to believe based on what we’ve seen that he can even be above average? What would be the reason for optimism and do the concerns outweigh that?

Spurs need a steady hand and they need someone with creativity, courage and a great basketball mind when it comes to team building.

He’s a rookie and his time is now and he is going to be tossed into the deep end.

[slick'81]

And while I think Morris would have helped, did they really think Morris/Carroll was enough of an upgrade to make a legit run with the way they chose to have a “win now” team?

Beyond that, with player evaluation, is it safe to say they underestimated Bertans? Would Morris have been that big of an upgrade over Bertans?

It would be one thing adding Morris/Carroll and keeping Bertans, but they lost Bertans. I was good with that at the time, but now everyone seems to have been wrong and most importantly them

Could the spurs have cut belli and had enough $ to sign morris and keep bertans?

[talkspurs]

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

They did not have much ability to change the roster from last year. They would have had to either trade players or buy them out. I am guessing most of their players either are hard to trade or the Spurs are not willing to trade them which allowed us to only sign one player.

[SAGirl]

Still while Pop is the leader I don’t think any GM is truly free to trade away his pets, and make real changes. There wasn’t perhaps a real way to improve this in one season without some gamble that would require trading a pick and they can’t do that when it looks like they are heading for the lotto. Pop isn’t blameless in this.

[spin8]

I read somewhere that Wright was the assistant general manager of the Pistons before he came to the Spurs, and looking over at that team’s recent past level of success (a team stuck in the mediocre pits of the Eastern Conference), I can’t say I’m entirely confident with him in charge. At least for now.

[DPG21920]

Could the spurs have cut belli and had enough $ to sign morris and keep bertans?

Nope. But they could have used picks to acquire better players in trades and/or used picks with non-rotational salaries to make their trade instead of Bertans.

They could have moved DeRozan this off season and gotten assets that fit better around LMA and maybe helped the future too. But they stood relatively pat if we are being honest.

[sasaint]

And while I think Morris would have helped, did they really think Morris/Carroll was enough of an upgrade to make a legit run with the way they chose to have a “win now” team?

Beyond that, with player evaluation, is it safe to say they underestimated Bertans? Would Morris have been that big of an upgrade over Bertans?

It would be one thing adding Morris/Carroll and keeping Bertans, but they lost Bertans. I was good with that at the time, but now everyone seems to have been wrong and most importantly them

With Davis, Pop just tried to mold him into a different player rather than put Bertans in position to succeed with the skills he brought to the table. I think he is currently trying to do the same thing with Derrick, Dijon and Lonnie. The Spurs would be much better if Pop made the most of the talents those players offer, putting them in the best position to succeed.

[sasaint]

Still while Pop is the leader I don’t think any GM is truly free to trade away his pets, and make real changes. There wasn’t perhaps a real way to improve this in one season without some gamble that would require trading a pick and they can’t do that when it looks like they are heading for the lotto. Pop isn’t blameless in this.

Blameless?!?! , Pop is obviously the principal culprit.

[DPG21920]

Also FYI:

[sasaint]

Also FYI:

Good stuff, Dude. Thanks. Spurs are circling the wagons.

[Jordan Jackson]

Also FYI:

So basically they're hiding? I would hide to it I built this roster.

Lets be honest though, this has been a long time coming. This front office started digging this hole with the Pau/Patty extensions.

[slick'81]

Also FYI:

Spurs not allowing media to interview their new gm amidst a losing season? Shocker

[ZeusWillJudge]

Ahh, got ya. No that’s not what I was saying. I would love the next Jerry West, but you don’t have to be that in order to be damn good.

My question was is there reason to believe based on what we’ve seen that he can even be above average? What would be the reason for optimism and do the concerns outweigh that?

Spurs need a steady hand and they need someone with creativity, courage and a great basketball mind when it comes to team building.

He’s a rookie and his time is now and he is going to be tossed into the deep end.

Well then, the only thing we really know is that he's moved up pretty damn fast. Orlando and Detroit obviously thought a lot of him. No matter what the trolls here think, Buford is no fool, and he obviously thinks a lot of him too. I don't even blame a young guy if he's not able to stand up to Pop in this environment. And he's probably pretty wise for avoiding the press, for that same reason. They say he had a hand in finding Murray and White. Again, no matter what the trolls say, those two are pretty good for where they were drafted. I do think it's funny that I haven't seen his name associated with Lonnie Walker in the same way, but that's a whole other discussion.

I think he's a bright guy. Like I said, the league is full of bright guys in FO's, but he probably deserves to be there as much as any of them, if that's the bar for success. My biggest concern of all is whether his selection had too much to do with culture and "soft skills". Because, like it or not, a successful GM really does need to have a good understanding of how all the pieces fit together on a roster AND a handle on it as a business. I'm 100% certain that culture has had a lot to do with the success of the Spurs for a couple of decades. But my perspective is that the same thing may have kept them from making some hard choices. And the failure to make some of those hard choices has a lot to do with the recent rapid erosion, IMO.

You keep going back to the "win now" discussion around DeRozan. You know my position on that. The Spurs should have cleared cap and gone for a good draft pick in the season after Duncan left. First causes are always tricky, but I don't think we're having this discussion now if they had made that hard choice back when they should have.

[JeffDuncan]

Could the spurs have cut belli and had enough $ to sign morris and keep bertans?

According to their salary histories, yes. In 2018-19 Beli made $6,153,846, and Morris made $5,375,000 with the Celtics. Of course it isn't as simple as just cutting a player, since Beli is on a 2-yr contract (thanks a lot, Pop) but by the salaries Beli was worth more than Morris at the time. The Knicks were insane to pay Morris $15 million, but be that as it may.

[DPG21920]

Well then, the only thing we really know is that he's moved up pretty damn fast. Orlando and Detroit obviously thought a lot of him. No matter what the trolls here think, Buford is no fool, and he obviously thinks a lot of him too. I don't even blame a young guy if he's not able to stand up to Pop in this environment. And he's probably pretty wise for avoiding the press, for that same reason. They say he had a hand in finding Murray and White. Again, no matter what the trolls say, those two are pretty good for where they were drafted. I do think it's funny that I haven't seen his name associated with Lonnie Walker in the same way, but that's a whole other discussion.

I think he's a bright guy. Like I said, the league is full of bright guys in FO's, but he probably deserves to be there as much as any of them, if that's the bar for success. My biggest concern of all is whether his selection had too much to do with culture and "soft skills". Because, like it or not, a successful GM really does need to have a good understanding of how all the pieces fit together on a roster AND a handle on it as a business. I'm 100% certain that culture has had a lot to do with the success of the Spurs for a couple of decades. But my perspective is that the same thing may have kept them from making some hard choices. And the failure to make some of those hard choices has a lot to do with the recent rapid erosion, IMO.

You keep going back to the "win now" discussion around DeRozan. You know my position on that. The Spurs should have cleared cap and gone for a good draft pick in the season after Duncan left. First causes are always tricky, but I don't think we're having this discussion now if they had made that hard choice back when they should have.

Agreed - but they did choose the win now route and are not winning. That is a failure then.

[DPG21920]

timvp - requesting an article on Brian Wright: how he got hired, was it wise and what to expect moving forward.