More Rankings: 7-12
| Executive Rankings |
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Pat Riley, Miami Heat
Pluses: The ultimate "win-now" guy, Riley parlayed a bit of luck (a Lakers team desperate to unload Shaquille O'Neal) into his sixth ring as a coach two season ago. Before that, he took advantage of teams with unhappy superstars who were looking for a change of scenery (Alonzo Mourning in Charlotte and Tim Hardaway in Golden State) to smartly build a contender in the late 1990s.
Minuses: Riley knows his big names, even picking them up long past their primes (Kendall Gill, Rod Strickland, Christian Laettner, LaPhonso Ellis, Anthony Mason, Cedric Ceballos, the list goes on), but he also lets players get away. Chris Gatling, Ricky Davis, Kurt Thomas and Jamal Mashburn all had the best years of their careers after Riley let them go. Even worse, as a coach in charge of the organization (Randy Pfund is GM in name only), Riley lives off the quick fix. That put Miami in the lottery in 2002 and '03 and left it with some of the NBA's worst rotation players last season.
Bottom line: The Heat will be approaching luxury-tax territory even with just seven players under contract for next season. Miami will pay O'Neal and Antoine Walker close to $30 million a year combined over the next two seasons, and doesn't appear to have the tradable assets needed to build a contender around Dwyane Wade. Will Riley stick through the lean years long enough to rebuild?
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| 8 |
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Rod Thorn, New Jersey Nets
Pluses: Thanks in large part to Thorn's acquisition of Jason Kidd for an unhappy Stephon Marbury, the Nets made the NBA Finals in 2002, his second season in charge. He smartly passed on paying Kenyon Martin a maximum contract in '04 -- an unpopular move at the time -- and moved him to Denver for draft picks that would help bring Vince Carter to New Jersey in late '04. Entering the '02 draft, Thorn knew he'd have to wait for skilled 7-footer Nenad Krstic, but chose him anyway and the wait paid off (the center debuted auspiciously in '04).
Minuses: With Kidd rumored to be considering San Antonio's contract offer in 2003, Thorn let the point guard make some ill-considered personnel suggestions, which included bringing an uninsured Alonzo Mourning into the fold. Mourning played 30 games with the Nets over two seasons before serving as the linchpin of the deal that brought in Carter. Thorn has been unable to build any semblance of a bench since '00, swinging and missing with both lower-rung draft picks and minimum-salary vets. The lone exception was Mikki Moore in '06-07.
Bottom line: With Carter eligible for free agency, the Nets are at a crossroads. Thorn can keep him and maintain the status quo, but that may only ensure 45 victories in an ever-improving East. As with the Kidd and Carter trades, he may have to get lucky again to improve things, perhaps by turning Richard Jefferson (a nice but limited and oft-injured swingman) into Zach Randolph this summer.
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| 9 |
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Kevin Pritchard, Portland Trail Blazers
Pluses: Pritchard understands that young, malleable talent is at a premium, and he isn't afraid to deal for it. He also understands that with every domestic or international prospect being scouted to the hilt, a GM cannot be close-minded or intractable, and that conventional scouting wisdom isn't nearly enough to pinpoint the best personnel. Pritchard doesn't appear to be the type to leave any stone unturned.
Minuses: We're still trying to figure out just how large a role he had in Portland's post-Bob Whitsitt mistakes: handing big contracts to Darius Miles, Theo Ratliff and Zach Randolph; trading down to draft Martell Webster over Chris Paul; and taking Sebastian Telfair way too high in 2004. Most signs point to Pritchard being a less-than-willing partner in former boss Steve Patterson's machinations.
Bottom line: This isn't a case of the New Guy looking swell just for emerging from the shadow of his predecessor's mistakes. Pritchard knows what he's doing.
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| 10 |
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Kevin O'Connor, Utah Jazz
Pluses: O'Connor had to preside over the uneasy task of watching the Stockton/Malone Jazz fade into mediocrity while trying to appease his legendary coach and keep an eye on the future. Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur, two 2004 pickups, appear to have the frontcourt settled for the next decade. When injuries derailed the promising '04-05 season, O'Connor made up for it by trading up to secure point guard Deron Williams in the draft. He also nabbed Paul Millsap with the 47th pick in last year's draft.
Minuses: The impressive turn ends with Millsap. O'Connor has yet to reel in a significant contributor while drafting in the mid-to-late first round. DeShawn Stevenson had some promise, but it was realized away from Utah. Then came Raul Lopez, Curtis Borchardt, Kirk Snyder and Kris Humphries, who was traded for another nonfactor in Rafael Araujo.
Bottom line: This young group should easily vault past 50 wins for the next few years. O'Connor's biggest challenge is to fill the shooting guard slot while possibly finding a taker for Andrei Kirilenko, who doesn't appear comfortable playing small forward alongside Boozer.
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| 11 |
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Ernie Grunfeld, Washington Wizards
Pluses: Grunfeld smartly realized that Gilbert Arenas was more than a good player putting up great stats on a mediocre Warriors team in 2003. He took into account Arenas' age (21) and ability and used nearly all of his cap space to sign the loquacious guard to a contract that the Warriors couldn't match. He also made deals for Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler, who both made the All-Star team with Washington. In previous stops, he drafted Michael Redd in the second round in Milwaukee and laid the groundwork for a Knicks renaissance (based around athletic players like Marcus Camby and Latrell Sprewell) after years of resisting even the hint of rebuilding in New York.
Minuses: Doesn't appear to covet the kind of players who would shine in coach Eddie Jordan's Princeton-like offense. Save for Darius Songaila, Grunfeld hasn't gone after the sort of high-post passer who could create spacing or locate cutters.
Bottom line: Grunfeld has built solid teams in New York, Milwaukee and Washington, but can he put one over the top?
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| 12 |
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Mark Warkentien, Denver Nuggets
Pluses: When Kiki Vandeweghe's contract wasn't renewed last summer, the Nuggets made Warkentien their guy, though he has help from coach George Karl and VP Rex Chapman in the decision-making process. His biggest moves have been to re-sign big man Nene and pull the trigger on the Allen Iverson deal.
Minuses: Initially, the Nene deal was thought to be a bust, but observers need to take a second look. Coming off knee surgery, the 24-year-old averaged 12 points and seven boards in just 27 minutes per game last season. Even at eight figures per year, Nene's deal is one that more than half the league would gladly take off Denver's hands. Picking up the troubled J.R. Smith seems like a minus as well, but it cost Denver only two second-round picks and Howard Eisley.
Bottom line: Warkentien and his helpers appear to have put together a team that, with a few things going its way, could become a Finals contender.
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