Suns to interview Spurs assistant GM Dennis Lindsey

[Gaddabout]

Any GM in the league would have made the pick, so no he just did what everyone would have done.

Vanderweghe is horrible. He failed as a coach as well.

See, I offered points that supported an opinion that Vanderweghe received an unfair rap because of the Skita pick. The least you can do is counter back in kind why you think he's horrible.

I'm not suggesting he should be the guy the Suns go after, but I don't think it would be an awful decision to bring him in. He understands the cap, he has a decent history of evaluating talent, and he would restore some respectability to the FO after this past debacle. You could do worse, much, much worse.

 

[TBaslim]

Like Matt says, Kiki seems like a nice guy and probably would not be awful, but personally I've never been wild about the teams he has built. He spent more of his career as a GM tearing old, overpriced teams apart rather than building new ones, as someone mentioned. If he's hired, take that for what it's worth regarding Sarver's direction for the team.

Ainge would be a hoot for sure. He's pretty unorthodox in his methods, but he's smart, likes the Valley, and clearly built a winner for the Celts after so many bad years for that franchise.

That's why I don't see him leaving Boston, though. He's legend there now after the title, and I assume will be given the chance, some time and $$ when they decide to rebuild to do it all again. Kinda like Joe Dumars for the Pistons.

I know zip about the other guys. Has Lindsey been with SA a long time? If so, his pedigree sounds good.

My biggest hope is that Sarver keeps the rest of the Suns FO in place and happy. I presume even with Kerr/Griff leaving there is a still wealth of franchise experience which can stabilize things if Sarver allows it. If he hires some new GM and then cans most of the old-time front-office folk, then I'm really freaked out for the team.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The test of a good GM is his willingness to make the obvious choice when he is dying to make a "brilliant" choice.

BTW. I do believe Lindsey is the guy Sarver wants. He constantly talks about San Antonio as his model. However, he does have to remember that San Antonio had David Robinson and Tim Duncan (and tanked to get them). Oh, and they kept them.

 

[Irish]

The test of a good GM is his willingness to make the obvious choice when he is dying to make a "brilliant" choice.

BTW. I do believe Lindsey is the guy Sarver wants. He constantly talks about San Antonio as his model. However, he does have to remember that San Antonio had David Robinson and Tim Duncan (and tanked to get them). Oh, and they kept them.

Thats a good point, but the key to the Spurs has been their success in drafting international players. I don't know is Lindsey had anything to do with that.

 

[Folster]

I think Kiki probably was a decent GM but is haunted by one single moment when he drafted Skita without even seeing him. It was his DJ-for-Robey moment. A lesser mistake (IMO) was committing to Kenyon Martin, who wasn't known for a commitment to physical fitness (or fostering team chemistry), and has had injuries steal his career.

Insiders generally give him credit for bringing Nowitzki to Dallas' attention and having the foresight to draft Carmelo and trade for Camby. I think he understands how things work, people like to work with him, but he also can put on the blinders if the wrong people in the organization get his ear.

IIRC, KiKi also dumped McDyess on New York for Nene in the same draft, but that's back when New York was taking everyone's bad contracts. On the other hand, that also means he passed on Stoudemire twice.

 

[slinslin]

Vanderweghe also handed out a terrible contract to Kenyon Martin and on top of it he gave New Jersey 3 first round picks to get Kenyon Martin signed and traded.

 

[Folster]

You could run down a similar list of successes and failures with Bryan Colangelo or any GM for that matter.

 

[Irish]

You could run down a similar list of successes and failures with Bryan Colangelo or any GM for that matter.

IMHO, BC had his more than his share of muffs to go along with his home runs. I still can't get taking Tsakalidis over Michael Redd, Casey Jacobsen over Prince and Boozer, or taking Cabecapa over David West and Boris Diaw. Or the trade of a first tound pick to get McDyese who soong left as a free agent. Or trading Bo Outlaw for Brevin Knight only trade him for Kahidii White who they ended up having to use piacks to uload the next summer. Or trading Jason Kidd for Marbury and then grossly overpaying him. Or Paying Shawn Marion the same as Marbuy.

Other than drafting Stoudemire, BC had mostly muffs the first third of the decade. But he made his reputation with Nash signing.

 

[JCSunsfan]

IMHO, BC had his more than his share of muffs to go along with his home runs. I still can't get taking Tsakalidis over Michael Redd, Casey Jacobsen over Prince and Boozer, or taking Cabecapa over David West and Boris Diaw. Or the trade of a first tound pick to get McDyese who soong left as a free agent. Or trading Bo Outlaw for Brevin Knight only trade him for Kahidii White who they ended up having to use piacks to uload the next summer. Or trading Jason Kidd for Marbury and then grossly overpaying him. Or Paying Shawn Marion the same as Marbuy.

Other than drafting Stoudemire, BC had mostly muffs the first third of the decade. But he made his reputation with Nash signing.

Every one of those mistakes was in the quest to get the elusive big man the Suns have always longed for. Big Jake was the only body in the league Shaq could not throw around in his prime. In fact, each of those players had glimmers.

Its the trading of picks to dump players that really irritates me. It seems so short sighted.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Every one of those mistakes was in the quest to get the elusive big man the Suns have always longed for. Big Jake was the only body in the league Shaq could not throw around in his prime. In fact, each of those players had glimmers.

Its the trading of picks to dump players that really irritates me. It seems so short sighted.

+1. Just about every mistake JC made was in search of a true inside player.

Steve

 

[Griffin]

I still can't get taking Tsakalidis over Michael Redd, Casey Jacobsen over Prince and Boozer, or taking Cabecapa over David West and Boris Diaw.

It's a bit unfair to look at where a team was drafting, then look at the best player who was drafted after that and say that that's the player that should have been drafted instead years after a draft. You can't predict the success of a draft pick that accurately. Jake Tsakaladis, for example, was a good pick. This was a player that was projected to go in the lottery, but teams passed on him due to contract buy-out issues. The Suns grabbed him with a late first round pick which was a low risk/high reward at that point. Now if the Suns sold the pick instead, then I'd agree that's a bad move, especially in light of Redd still available.

Or the trade of a first tound pick to get McDyese who soong left as a free agent.

Again, that move only looks bad in hindsight, but at the time it was a steal. We got McDyess for close to nothing. Who could have predicted that he would have returned to Denver in the summer?

Or trading Bo Outlaw for Brevin Knight only trade him for Kahidii White who they ended up having to use piacks to uload the next summer. Or trading Jason Kidd for Marbury and then grossly overpaying him

Yeah, those I didn't like either.

 

[slinslin]

We gave up 3 first round picks for McDyess didn't we?

 

[Griffin]

We gave up 3 first round picks for McDyess didn't we?

Yes, but imo that's not much to give up for a future franchise player as many expected McDyess to become. The idea that he would leave a playoff team in order to go back to one of the worst teams in the league didn't seem very likely, but we know how that all went down. Btw, the first-round picks that we traded ended up being Tyronn Lue, James Posey and Joseph Forte. The players we traded were Wesley Person and Tony Dumas. We didn't really give up any talent to get him.

 

[Irish]

I'm not quite sure what the rules were back then, but apparently the Suns were forbiden to negotiate with their own guy bfore the free agency peiord began.

IIRC, McDysee had an agent that also repreented Van Exel who conned McDyess into taking lgess money to join the Nuggests. This agent used this twofer as a way to get Van Exel a good contract.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm not quite sure what the rules were back then, but apparently the Suns were forbiden to negotiate with their own guy bfore the free agency peiord began.

IIRC, McDysee had an agent that also repreented Van Exel who conned McDyess into taking lgess money to join the Nuggests. This agent used this twofer as a way to get Van Exel a good contract.

I still get a little sick to my stomach thinking about the Dice situation but don't undersell the importance of John Lucas in all this. You know, the former addict who takes players with drug problems and supposedly helps them out - players such as Richard Dumas.

Steve

 

[Covert Rain]

I have zero confidence that the Suns can get any GM of any consequence. Word has now come out that the Suns were asking Kerr to take less then a million dollars to extend his contract. So, it appears asking Kerr to take a pay cut was legit.

Also, if you think the Suns are going to bring in someone that is going to cost them anything close to that are probably kidding themselves. Any good Gm is going to cost the Suns at least a million dollars IMO.

 

[Mainstreet]

Also, if you think the Suns are going to bring in someone that is going to cost them anything close to that are probably kidding themselves. Any good Gm is going to cost the Suns at least a million dollars IMO.

Actually Sarver will always be the GM when it comes to money issues. He just needs someone to run everyday business.

 

[foreversunny]

Paul Allen himself wrote that Darius Miles email. What nba exec who ever expected to get another job would threaten other NBA owners with that email? Seriously ...you'd have to be both stupid and crazy to do so.

 

[SunsTzu]

Seriously ...you'd have to be both stupid and crazy to do so.

Like Paxon challenging Del Negro to a fist fight crazy?

 

[mojorizen7]

Sarver's in no hurry to get a GM in here. Doesn't anybody in here besides me find that ridiculous?
In fact it wouldn't surprise me if the Suns soon announce that Gentry will be taking over as GM,pulling double duty(similiar to DA's stint a few years ago).

 

[Mainstreet]

Sarver wants to purge the Suns roster of unwanted salaries and handle free agency before he brings in a GM... if this is his desire. Any GM Sarver brings in will likely be a "yes" man. The thing is, Sarver makes basketball moves without wanting the knowledge of how to do the job right like how to do a sign and trade with Amare.

 

[mojorizen7]

Sarver wants to purge the Suns roster of unwanted salaries and handle free agency before he brings in a GM... if this is his desire. Any GM Sarver brings in will likely be a "yes" man. The thing is, Sarver makes basketball moves without wanting the knowledge of how to do the job right like how to do a sign and trade with Amare.

I agree....and like i said, it's ridiculous.

If i'm a GM candidate, i want no part of this Suns job. I want to be hired in April/May and begin working on putting my fingerprint on this roster,working closely with the coaches and developing relationships with the organization.

I'm not okay with this as a fan. Sarvers vision? Pinch me.