The GMs we love to hate
By Jonah Keri
Special to Page 2
Updated: September 24, 2007, 5:25 PM ET
節錄NBA相關部份
2. Scott Layden, New York Knicks: Signed Latrell Sprewell to a $62 million
contract just as his off-court issues were peaking; signed Allan Houston for
at least $25 million more than anyone else was offering, then watched injuries
end Houston's career; took on a litany of terrible contracts from other teams,
from Howard Eisley to Keith Van Horn; dealt away first-round draft picks every
chance he could get. OK, that last criticism isn't fair. Layden would've just
drafted Maciej Lampe's extended family if he had more picks at his disposal.
3. Billy King, Philadelphia 76ers: Bill Simmons' Atrocious GM Summit article
nicely sums up the bumblings of King (and other NBA GMs). Here's what King
said at the summit: "Since we made the 2001 Finals, I gave Mutombo a $68
million extension even though he could have been, like, 48 years old for all
we knew. I gave $35.5 million to Aaron McKie. I gave $29 million to Eric Snow.
I gave $18 million to Greg Buckner. I gave $40 million to Kenny Thomas and $25
million to Brian Skinner. I gave $25 million to Kyle Korver and $60 million to
Sam Dalembert last summer. That's $300 million of contracts to guys who were
either on the decline or never that good in the first place. Plus, I traded
for other bad contracts, guys like Keith Van Horn, Glenn Robinson, Kevin
Ollie, you name it. And then, last February, the pinnacle -- dumping three
bad contracts for C-Webb, who everyone thought couldn't be traded because of
his contract and because he ran with a limp."
Remember, all that was before King traded Allen Iverson for 55 cents on the
dollar. He's an absolute maestro.
6. Rob Babcock, Toronto Raptors: When Vince Carter told Raptors management he
was either going to tank or not play at all until he was traded out of town,
Babcock could've told Carter to shove it. Instead, he pulled off one of the
worst trades in decades, acquiring three useless players/big contracts in
Alonzo Mourning (who also refused to play for Toronto, got shipped to Miami
and miraculously became an impact player again), Aaron and Eric Williams
(both of whom barely played before being traded again) and a pair of draft
picks. Free to actually try for his new team, Carter went back to being one
of the league's most prolific scorers. Babcock's prior pick of Rafael Araujo,
No. 8 overall in 2004, was just the icing on the cake.
7. Mitch Kupchak, Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers went from a dynasty with
Shaq and Kobe to a borderline playoff team with Smush Parker playing point
guard. Kupchak's trade of Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins' expiring contract
for Kwame Brown isn't much worse than the Shaq deal with Miami, and that's
saying something. The Isaiah Rider signing was also a work of art.
8. Isiah Thomas, New York Knicks: His cap-killing trades have become the
stuff of legend, one of the NBA's most passionate fan bases has been
alienated, and now he's on trial for sexual harassment charges. Remember the
old days, when the most damage Isiah could do was to single-handedly destroy
the Continental Basketball Association? Those were some good times.
11. Kevin McHale, Minnesota Timberwolves: Think Kevin Garnett might've fared
better in Minnesota if David Stern hadn't stripped the team of all those draft
picks after the Joe Smith fiasco? Of course, the T-Wolves still might've had
a chance if McHale had acquired players other than Eddie Griffin, Michael
Olowokandi, Marko Jaric and Troy Hudson.
13. Jim Paxson, Cleveland Cavaliers: If you're going to spend high draft picks
on the likes of Trajan Langdon and DeSegana Diop, why not just trade one of
them for Jiri Welsch and save yourself the trouble. Earns a point for somehow
dumping Shawn Kemp's hellacious $70.8 million contract on Portland seven years
ago. Subtract 50 points for botching the Carlos Boozer negotiations, with
Boozer then going to Utah and instantly becoming a top-20 player.
16. Wally Walker, Seattle SuperSonics: Inherited a terrific core of players
that included Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, Detlef Schrempf, Sam Perkins and Nate
MacMillan, coasted for a few seasons, then watched the team fall apart in the
late '90s due to his inability to acquire any useful players. Well that's not
entirely true. The $33.6 million signing of Jim McIlvaine was the best signing
in league history. Just ask McIlvaine's accountant.
19. Wes Unseld, Washington Wizards: Could've easily made the list as a coach
too, given his 202-345 record on the bench.
24. John Weisbrod, Orlando Magic: … and for Weisbrod, it was Tracy McGrady,
Juwan Howard and Tyronn Lue for Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin
Cato, a move so unpopular it sparked death threats from fans.
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