Clippers name Gary Sacks VP of Basketball Operations

[Quake Griffin]

should we give Sacks more support as a GM in terms of scouts and what not or.....too many cooks spoil the soup?

[mkwest]

Griffin credited the Clippers' offseason in large part to Gary Sacks, the Clippers' director player personnel, who is the frontrunner to replace Neil Olshey as the general manager after Olshey left to take the general manager job with the Portland Trail Blazers. If it were up to Griffin, Sacks would have already been named the general manager by now.

"I think Gary has put in his time," Griffin said. "He's been with the Clippers for a long time and you see the job he did in stepping in for Neil when he left and the job he's done with the program. All the players love him. He definitely has the player's vote for GM.

"If he doesn't get the GM job I'll be shocked and a little disappointed because I think he deserves it and I think everybody else thinks he deserves it. We're behind Gary 100 percent and hope it's going to be him."

Arash Markazi, ESPN Los Angeles

should we give Sacks more support as a GM in terms of scouts and what not or.....too many cooks spoil the soup?

Others will probably be promoted to the position that he recently held. If you look around the league, some organizations have multiple assistant GM's (OKC had 3 last season) and other front office positions that were involved in the decision making. Ours has seemed like a skeleton crew.

Having more people involved can help if everyone is on the same page and has a similar vision. Otherwise too many cooks spoil the soup as you said. I really don't care who is in charge as long as they know what they are doing. I was skeptical on Sacks entering into the offseason. He doesn't have a way with words like Neil does, but he's done a very good job. If the Clippers are going to in fact promote Sacks to GM, then they should consider giving him a fair contract that will lock him in for a number of years. We don't want a repeat of what happened with Neil.

[Don Tommy]

Sacks might not be the choice of the fans because he doesn't have the sexy name or background, but if the players are for him, that can only be good. The main job our next GM has is finding a way to convince CP3 to stay here. I actually feel better about it now after reading this.
The one thing I cannot stand is that we still don't have a GM. Just feels like a DTS way of saving money by waiting to promote the guy. He won't have to pay him like a GM as long as he doesn't officially hold the title, right?

[Quake Griffin]

Sacks might not be the choice of the fans because he doesn't have the sexy name or background, but if the players are for him, that can only be good. The main job our next GM has is finding a way to convince CP3 to stay here. I actually feel better about it now after reading this.
The one thing I cannot stand is that we still don't have a GM. Just feels like a DTS way of saving money by waiting to promote the guy. He won't have to pay him like a GM as long as he doesn't officially hold the title, right?

the more we wait, the more I like the choice to not hire a GM.

why hire someone from outside who wasn't involved in the Chris Paul deal?
Nothing says "Chris we want you to be here forever" like having that contract extended to him by a guy he's been there longer than.

don't push the panic button...him, vinny and roeser just put together the best or 2nd best offseason (give or take 2 bad backs)...hire Sacks later...give him a better support system...boom...CP3 sign here long term.

it works...or i see it working in the future

[TheNewEra]

Finally its over

[mkwest]

GARY SACKS ASSUMES ROLE OF CLIPPERS’ VP OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS

The Los Angeles Clippers today announced that Gary Sacks has been promoted to the role of Vice President of Basketball Operations.

“Gary has been a valuable and loyal member of our organization for the past 18 years,” stated Clippers’ President Andy Roeser. “His recent role this very productive summer, as well as his many contributions during the course of his tenure made it clear that he is the right person to lead our Basketball Operations Department.”

Sacks is beginning his 19th season with the Clippers, serving in the role of Director of Player Personnel for the past two campaigns and as Director of Scouting/Assistant Director of Player Personnel for the prior five seasons.

“I’m excited to take on this new role with the organization,” said Sacks. “We have a very strong roster with great depth of talent. I look forward to helping to build on the success we had last season. I am very excited to see how far we can go this year, plus we are well-positioned for the future.”

Sacks continued, “I appreciate the confidence that that Mr. Sterling has placed in me, and I look forward to continuing to work with (Clippers’ Head Coach) Vinny (Del Negro) and Andy.”

The summer of 2012 saw one of the most productive offseasons in franchise history, with Sacks, Roeser and Del Negro teaming to re-sign two-time All-Star forward Blake Griffin and five-time All-Star guard Chauncey Billups. To further enhance this year’s roster, the trio also completed the free agent signings of Jamal Crawford, Grant Hill, Lamar Odom and Ryan Hollins, plus the acquisitions of guard Willie Green and forward Ronny Turiaf via separate trades.

In his previous role of Director of Player Personnel, Sacks oversaw the team’s overall scouting efforts as well as the compilation of information on players entering the NBA Draft and professional players throughout the world. He also assisted on all facets of the day-to-day direction of the basketball operations department including player trades and free agent acquisitions.

Throughout his career with the Clippers, Sacks has worked in various capacities within the basketball operations department assisting with draft and free agency information, video preparation, draft prospect and advance scouting reports, statistical analytics and NBA Salary Cap analysis.

A 1990 graduate with a degree in Economics from UCLA, Sacks, his wife Tiffany and their two sons reside in Westwood.

Clippers.com

[mkwest]

Even though Sacks has been promoted, I expect things to continue along the lines that they have been. Things really get interesting next summer when Vinny's contract is up and a coaching decision will need to be made. Will Gary sack him to go after someone more experienced?

[mkwest]

Gary Sacks, huh?

The Clippers had already been leaning toward promoting Sacks for months. ESPNLosAngeles.com reported in June that support for him within the organization had been building. So it wasn't just Griffin's endorsement that tipped the scales. It was a recognition that Sacks was well-liked and respected among the Clippers players, had paid his dues over the past two decades with the organization and perhaps most important, had been a big part in building the culture the team seems to have established since Griffin arrived. To look outside for another voice, for a new voice would be to risk changing that culture which was really just beginning to bear fruit.

Yes, Sacks has never had a job like this before. But he's also smart enough to know he hasn't had a job like this before. Expect him to bring in a few trusted advisers and lean heavily on team president Andy Roeser and head coach Vinny Del Negro for advice. But also expect him to lean on the players he has established close relationships with, something at which his former boss Neil Olshey became so adept. Griffin taught everyone within the organization that players in the NBA choose to play with other players now, not for franchises. Griffin was the carrot the Clippers used to entice Paul. The two of them became the draw for Chauncey Billups who then became the recruiter for mid-season acquisition Kenyon Martin. This offseason was more of the same as Billups re-signed, and the Clippers signed free agents Grant Hill and Jamal Crawford.

Sacks doesn't ascend to this job with a lot of job security. He'll need to prove himself both to owner Donald Sterling and the Clippers players. If he doesn't, the Clippers can cut bait and start a new search pretty easily in time for Chris Paul to decide whether to re-sign next summer.

Ramona Shelburne, ESPN Los Angeles

[mkwest]

SACKS WORKED WAY THROUGH ORGANIZATION

In 18 years with the organization, Gary Sacks has been a part of nearly every facet imaginable in the Clippers’ front office. After being named Vice President of Basketball Operations on September 4, he is taking on yet another challenge in the department.
“I’m excited,” Sacks said. “[The job] will be about continuing to do what we’ve done before and keeping the success of the last year or two going forward.”

“It’s not about me. It’s about the team,” he said, adding several times that the players are who deserve credit for any success the Clippers may have.

“It’s the front office’s job to provide the best possible support and put together the best possible roster to be competitive at the highest level,” Sacks said. “But it’s not about any one person in the organization. It’s about everyone coming together and pulling in the same direction.”

Part of Sacks’ outlook may come from his beginnings as an intern with the Clippers in 1993, three years after he graduated from UCLA with a degree in Economics. He’s done video preparation, statistical analytics, and salary cap analysis. He was the team’s Director of Scouting for six years under former coach and General Manager Mike Dunleavy, and in his early days drove players to and from the airport.

“In most good organizations guys end up in concert and of the same mindset,” Sacks said. “I’ve been around long enough to know if you can get everyone pulling in the same direction, it can be pretty powerful.”

Eric Patten, Clippers.com