randy84 wrote:Prez wrote:Gotcha. So it's all Giannis/Khris, and none of the other 5 key guys to our title mattered. But of course the signings that didn't work, those totally matter and should be held against Horst. We're just gonna have to agree to disagree here.
I wasn't asking any one to agree. I was just making a statement.
The Bucks have been incredibly successful under Horst. Of course, he has benefited greatly from 1) inheriting Giannis and Middleton, and 2) having owners who allow him to operate with one of the highest payrolls in the league.
But to call Horst one of the worst GMs in the league? Look at the other GMs and the moves they make that cripple their franchise. Look at Rob Pelinka bringing Westbrook into a contender. That's a move you can feel confident knowing the analytically-minded Horst would never make.
Horst deserves credit for building a place where Giannis wants to stay. Giannis himself has praised Horst heavily. You can't take for granted that Giannis would be here no matter who was in charge. Horst also deserves credit for finding a lot of key contributing players on below market value contracts like Brook, Connaughton, Portis, and Grayson. Look at teams like Washington, Sacramento, New York, Orlando, and Charlotte. This is the class you're putting Horst in with?
Horst has been here five years and hasn't made a major mistake. Perhaps for a team in the position the Bucks are in, that's the best asset a GM can have. The Bucks don't have any anchor contracts that hold the team back. When he makes a mistake, it's minor. Like signing Ojeleye to a minimum contract the year he had the worst season of his career or whiffing on a late draft pick.
Horst built a team around a superstar that has been capable of winning the championship for the past several seasons. That's something that can't be said about other GMs with superstars like Sam Presti, Sean Marks, Lawrence Frank, Calvin Booth, or Nico Harrison.
Is Horst one of the best GMs in the league? I don't think anybody has ever said that and it would be impossible to place him in that class as long as Giannis is here. But I think he's done enough to show he's not one of the worst in the league like you say.