- John Canzano of The Oregonian: "The Trail Blazers introduced Rich Cho as general manager on Monday. He answered questions. And sounded like a reasonable, intelligent man who might very well have a winning plan for the organization. I hope he does. Thing is, I hope even more his bosses let him execute it. Everyone I've talked with who knows Cho believes him to be cerebral and capable. 'A guy who thinks before he speaks,' one NBA source said. And so you understand immediately how it is that Cho would connect with owner Paul Allen and his team of advisers at Vulcan Inc. What we don't know is whether Cho will be given the autonomy to do his job. Basically, they've hired a smart guy who is promising. But will Allen let him work? Successful people don't have all the answers. Often, they even have fewer than unsuccessful people. But what the best leaders, and owners, and coaches have is the confidence to surround themselves with qualified, intelligent, capable people. Also, they let those people do their jobs."
- Brian T. Smith of The Columbian: "Trail Blazers president Larry Miller could not stop smiling. Key Portland executives and staff members repeatedly employed the word 'potential.' And as Rich Cho, the Blazers’ new general manager, discussed his diverse background and unique vision for the future, Portland coach Nate McMillan nodded in assent while intently listening to every word. Monday was a big day for the Blazers. And it was a brand new day for Rip City. Cho was officially introduced as Portland’s new GM, becoming the ninth person in the organization’s 40-year history to hold the title. And while the 44-year-old longtime Pacific Northwest resident acknowledged that he needs to polish up on his public-speaking skills -- Monday’s introductory press conference was a first -- Cho said he is undoubtedly prepared to guide the Blazers into the future. 'I’ve done a wide variety of jobs, and I feel like I’m definitely ready,' Cho said at the Rose Garden."
- Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman: "For the second time this summer, the Oklahoma City Thunder has lost a key member of its basketball operations staff. Thunder Assistant General Manager Rich Cho has
been hired by Portland to fill the Trail Blazers' open general manager job created by the firing of Kevin Pritchard, who was released on draft night last month. Cho's departure ends weeks of speculation surrounding his potential jump to Portland and completes a scenario first reported as a possibility by The Oklahoman in March. In June, the Thunder lost lead assistant coach Ron Adams, a defensive-oriented coach who helped reshape the team's defensive principles while developing the roster's young talent. ... It's unclear whether Presti will replace Cho. But with Assistant General Manager Troy Weaver, another fast-rising basketball man, Director of Pro Player Personnel Bill Branch, Director of College/International Player Personnel Rob Hennigan and Director of Basketball Administration and Technology Paul Rivers, the Thunder still has a more than capable front office. Losing Cho, however is a significant blow to the Thunder because of Cho's vast knowledge of the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement and the minutia of the league's salary cap. It also doesn't help that Cho, 44, is taking the reins of a roster that is the Thunder's foremost rival as the league's best young team." - Eric Koreen of the National Post: "Matt Barnes used his Twitter page Monday night to confirm reports that he would be joining the Raptors this year. Multiple outlets reported the deal, worth about US$10-million, with a player option for the second season, according to Yahoo! Sports. The Raptors have no room under the salary cap, so they would have to put together a sign-and-trade deal to acquire him for Orlando. The Raptors, however, have two trade exceptions they could use to complete the deal if Orlando is so inclined. Of course, without a deal officially announced (Twitter proclamations notwithstanding), fans should hold off on buying their Barnes jerseys. It was just a week ago that Tyson Chandler and Boris Diaw seemed bound for Toronto in a trade with Charlotte, but the Bobcats eventually scuttled that deal, even after players were notified and Chandler had confirmed the deal publicly."
- Jeff Miller of The Orange County Register: "In attempting to win a championship and putting team ahead of self, LeBron James has become the most criticized player in NBA history. Think about that sentence for a moment. Re-read it, if you like. The words are remarkable, the concept stunning. The public, the analysts and the former players have spoken and their message is clear: By trying to be a big winner, LeBron James has turned into a monumental loser. Yeah, it’s clear to us, all right, as clear as Euclidean geometry. ... When the Celtics traded for Kevin Garnett when they already had Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, how come no one accused them of cutting corners? Instead, the acquisition was hailed as genius. When the Lakers dealt for Pau Gasol to pair with Kobe Bryant, no one questioned Bryant’s fortitude. Instead, general manager Mitch Kupchak practically was dipped in bronze. ... A lot of inane things have been said on this topic. One of the wiser proclamations, though, came from James himself. 'You look at Game 7 of the Finals,' he said. 'Kobe Bryant shot 6 for 24 from the field, and they still won because he knew he had help and guys came through for him.' But that’s loser LeBron James for you, only thinking about one thing -- winning."
- David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune: "Gar Forman just accomplished what every self-respecting sports executive strives to do every offseason. He improved his team's chances of winning more games than it did in the previous season. The 2009-10 Bulls went 41-41. After completing the roster with dynamic backup point guard C.J. Watson, acquired Monday from the Warriors, and eventually a backup center, the Bulls will have acquired enough talent to win 50 games in 2010-11. Realistic or not, we all expected the bar to be higher. And we expected it to be higher because that was what the Bulls had led us to believe since letting Ben Gordon go to clear salary-cap space for the summer of 2010 that was supposed to change everything. It only changed a little. That's the biggest reason for restraint in celebrating the signings of Brewer, Boozer and Korver -- none of them is named LeBron or Dwyane or Chris. Yes, Boozer has been an All-Star twice. But I doubt he is on anybody's top-10 list of franchise-changing talents the way James, Wade or Bosh are. Three free-agent player signings later, the Bulls' best long-term investment this offseason remains coach Tom Thibodeau."
- George Diaz of the Orlando Sentinel: "Dwight Howard has a perfect opportunity this season. A fine way to quiet all the noise on Twitter and other parts of cyberspace about the hierarchy of the NBA, and who deserves to be the alpha dog. Simple solution: Take out the Axis of Evil. You may know it as the empire that's sprouted in the heart of Little Havana. Quicker than you can say 'three max contracts,' the Miami Heat have become a jolt of Cuban espresso. Everybody else is decaf, mild and uninspiring. Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh have come together to quash the competitive spirit of the NBA, which means reducing the Orlando Magic to the Los Angeles Clippers of the East. But it doesn't have to be that way, big guy. Think of this in practical terms, and throw your ego into the equation, too. If you lead the Magic to an NBA title given the formidable forces of nature conspiring against you, I am fairly certain that even Skip Bayless might genuflect in your presence. Dwight Howard, King of the NBA."
- Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle: "Now, we wait. Rockets training camp opens Sept. 25. There will be press conferences; Brad Miller on Tuesday, Luis Scola and Kyle Lowry on Wednesday. Daryl Morey will keep working the Blackberry because you never know. But he does not expect major changes, and he is OK with that. For now at least and probably for the foreseeable future, this is the team. The Rockets have 15 guys signed to guaranteed contracts, including a lot that they did not have at this time a year ago -- a pair of seven-footers, with nine All-Star nods between them, a shooting guard successor to Tracy McGrady and a collection of young prospects to develop. The question now becomes, 'Is that enough?' That of course depends on another question, 'Enough for what?' Assuming Yao Ming remains healthy, because there is no point in asking the other questions if he is not healthy, the Rockets should be solid in the mix of Western Conference playoff teams, and since the pack is usually so tightly grouped, that could place them anywhere from second or third to seventh. ... The Rockets need to make the improvements they did not last season. More than anything, by far, they have to get much, much better defensively. After that, and with all that has happened in the past 13 months, the Rockets' prospects seem to be back where they have been for years. It's still all about Yao."
- Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald: "Danny Ainge is on vacation out west, though he can’t really break free. The Celtics general manager is waiting for a break -- for a talented free agent who values signing on with a winner over signing for the higher dollars a lesser team can offer. But there are still teams out there with surplus cash - teams that haven’t spent their mid-level exceptions yet -- and as a result Ainge might as well be holding the most recently pulled ticket at a busy deli counter. 'It’s just a waiting time right now,' Ainge said yesterday. 'Some teams have a lot of money left to spend, and we have to wait them all out.' ... 'That’s never been enough to prevent guys from making money,' said Ainge. 'It’s always hard to gauge. We just have to wait and see. There are still good players out there.' "
- Perry A. Farrell of the Detroit Free Press: "Having finished the Summer League in Las Vegas, the Pistons' off-season program will resume in about two weeks. Greg Monroe is scheduled for foot surgery this week, and Jonas Jerebko is expected to play for the Swedish national team this summer. But fellow young players DaJuan Summers, Austin Daye and Terrico White are expected to be at the practice facility, working on their games and getting stronger. ... Pat Sullivan said the coaching staff will have a plan in place for the rest of the summer. 'With Terrico, it'll be a matter of keep building his skill development, getting him to be a better ball handler and decision maker. Improve his shooting,' Sullivan said. 'It's the same with Greg. Getting him into the low post and getting him to develop an inside game. It's a great thing for NBA guys, if you think about how many shots these guys can get per day. There's no more school or class. These guys can get 1,000 shots up (per day).' "
- Jeff Rabjohns of The Indianapolis Star: "The more I think about it, the more I'm leaning toward this opinion: I want to see more of Lance Stephenson. He played well in summer league. We all know that by now. He's 6-5 with a 6-11 wingspan. He's a guy who has been groomed to play in the NBA since he was, oh, probably 14. So let's find out what he can do. Now. Not next year. ... It's a win-win. If Stephenson is good, Pacers fans celebrate, they found their point guard of the future and have a ton of cap space. If Stephenson is bad, Pacers fans celebrate, they're in the lottery and have a real chance at Josh Selby, Kyrie Irving or Brandon Knight and a ton of cap space. Could make the summer of 2011 pretty good for the Pacers."
- Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times: "Caron Butler will be paid $10.6 million this season and could earn even more next summer. That's when he could be an unrestricted free agent and sign with the team of his choice ... or accept a multi-year extension from the Mavs. Either way, Butler's net worth will inevitably expand. But Butler is in the process of branching out and attempting to maximize all of his other skills, including those in the business sector. He is the sole proprietor of six Burger King restaurants around the country. 'I once worked at Burger King in Racine,' Butler said. 'I know the business. I know it from the janitorial spot all the way through the management side. I know that game inside and out.' Butler has also had discussions with Mark Cuban, the Mavericks' billionaire owner, about 'shadowing' him and learning more about the intricacies of business. Butler also intends on taking a course in business next summer at Duke University. While Butler was just like almost every other kid growing up who wanted to be 'Just like Mike' -- as in Jordan -- he now wants to be just like Magic -- as in Johnson. 'Just seeing what Magic Johnson has done and is doing is unreal,' Butler said. 'He's part-owner of the (Los Angeles) Lakers, he owns Starbucks, Burger Kings, LA Fitnesses and theaters. I'm trying to get more and more involved in different things like him.' Butler then flashed that mega-watt smile of his and quipped, 'At 30, Magic wasn't a Burger King owner yet.' "
- Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News: "Not only did they build a training facility over a decade ago, but now there's at least the appearance of a committed and powerful ownership. 'The owner (Mikhail Prokhorov) really seems like he wants to do what it takes,' Butch Beard said. Therein lies the silver lining of a disappointing free agency. The Nets didn't get LeBron James, Amar'e Stoudemire or any player worthy of an All-Star vote. But they were relevant this summer, if only because of a Russian billionaire, smart cap decisions and a much-needed relocation from the trenches of East Rutherford. Coming off one of the worst seasons in NBA history, the Nets have sold more than 2,200 new season tickets for the Prudential Center in Newark, according to Nets CEO Brett Yormark, and 'are on pace' with the sale of renewed season tickets. They've also got a giant check-me-out billboard that will hang overlooking the Garden until the end of July. 'What we've done over the last couple months is one of the better refresh jobs that's ever been done in sports,' Yormark said of his 'It's All New' campaign. 'This was a team with 12 wins last year that was close to the record books, unfortunately. You don't hear people talk about that and you haven't for months.' "
- Irv Moss of The Denver Post: "When Bob King was the day-to-day and game-to-game operations chief for the Denver Rockets and Denver Nuggets, he ran things old-school. When office telephones rang, King expected them to be answered. The staff knew that a second ring would bring him charging out of his office, wanting to know why the phone wasn't picked up. The operation of Denver's pro basketball team of the day was the envy of the city's sports teams and a model for other teams in the league. 'My philosophy was that any time the phone rang, the call was from somebody who wanted to buy a ticket,' King said. 'That's money in the bank for a pro sports franchise. I didn't want any caller put on hold, and my staff knew they had to return calls to anyone who left a message.' King joined the Denver franchise for the ABA's 1971-72 season, coming east from the San Diego Clippers' organization in the NBA. He joined the Rockets at the request of old friend and coach Alex Hannum and stayed through the Larry Brown years, the merger of the ABA and NBA, and the coaching term of Donnie Walsh that ended during the 1980-81 season."
TRUEHOOP CONTRIBUTORS
Henry AbbottTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
J.A. AdandeTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Kevin ArnovitzTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Chris BroussardTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Chad FordTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Israel GutierrezTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
John HollingerTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Beckley MasonTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Marc SteinTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
HoopIdeaTrueHoop @HoopIdea |
You must be signed in to post a comment