Ronzone out as assistant GM

[Tha Juice]

Timberwolves assistant general manager Tony Ronzone has left the organization.

Known for his international-scouting connections, he was hired in spring 2010 just about the time Fred Hoiberg was headed for Iowa State's head-coaching job and had a voice in personnel moves that included drafting Wes Johnson and Derrick Williams as well as trading away Al Jefferson, acquiring Michael Beasley and re-signing center Darko Milicic.

The Wolves, through a spokesman, said they and Ronzone mutually have agreed to part ways and wished him good luck.

Ronzone coordinated workouts and was the franchise's public face in preparations for the June draft.

He and Wolves scout Pete Philo gave the team vast international connections and their influence was seen in its second-round selections of the last two drafts:

In 2010, the Wolves traded down with the 23rd pick to get extra picks and selected Serbian forward Nemanja Bjelica and Brazilian big man Paulao Prestes in the second round.

In June, the team made trade after trade on draft night, dealing picks for cash and then striking a deal with Portland to acquire a little-known prospect playing in Qatar named Tanguy Ngombo with the 57th pick overall.

Ngombo's birthdate information for the draft said he was born in 1989, but FIBA records for a 2005 tournament listed his birth year as 1984, which made him 26 on draft night and ineligible to be selected. The Wolves will retain his draft rights, but there's a big difference in a 6-6 wing player's upside if he's 26 rather than 21.

Ronzone previously was an international scout and/or front-office executive with Dallas and Detroit.

He was with the Mavericks when they made a draft-night deal to acquire some guy named Dirk Nowitzki out of Germany in 1998 and he was influential in the Pistons selecting Milicic second overall in 2003.

No word yet on how -- or if -- the Wolves will replace Ronzone.

If the Wolves do hire Rick Adelman, league insiders wouldn't be surprised if the team hires someone with whom Adelman has a relationship -- Terry Porter, who played for Adelman in Portland and has interviewed for this head-coaching job, perhaps? -- to be his voice in player-personnel scouting and decisions.

http://www.startribune.com/blogs/53702862.html

[Krapinsky]

Interesting.

Does make it sound like perhaps it's a segway to hiring Adelman. Maybe as Zgoda, points out, to replace with someone with whom Adelman has a relationship with, or perhaps only to save money that can otherwise be used to pay Adelman.

I'd imagine with a set roster of young players going forward we'll have less of a need for Ronzone's scouting abilities.

[funkatron101]

We can only hope that this is because of Adelman. Perhaps Adelman himself wanted more say in who we scout and draft?

[Klomp]

I lost my ronzone for Ronzone...

[The J Rocka]

Could pave the way for Adelman and the selected staff he wants himself. Ronzone's services are no longer a high demand because I think it's safe to say we are finished adding anymore younger talent, especially overseas prospects. Financial issues could also play a role, in terms of putting that money towards Adelman and/or any of his staff he may wish to have.

Any word on Laimbeer, Wohl, or Theus status with the team? I assume they will be gone.

[TheProdigy]

Anything it takes to get Adelman.

[C.lupus]

I hope this has to do with Adelman and not just a difference of opinion with the FO. I like Ronzone.

[Peezo]

I still have a ronzone for our future, however I am leery of why this happened. Maybe Tony wants a better opportunity somewhere else.

[Klomp]

I hope this has to do with Adelman and not just a difference of opinion with the FO. I like Ronzone.

Maybe a little of both?

[Breakdown777]

I feel like there is an Adelman connection as well, but probably only because I want him to be our new coach so badly. Ronzone helped us out a ton, hopefully he latches on to another organization that isn't a threat.

Any word on Laimbeer, Wohl, or Theus status with the team? I assume they will be gone.

I assume that as well. Wohl was basically the Right hand man for Rambis, so he's for sure gone. I'm not sure what to think of Laimbeer and Theus, and I guess I won't be surprised either way.

[cpfsf]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/blogs/129172413.html

I wasn’t surprised to hear that the Wolves fired assistant GM Tony Ronzone. That move dovetails with what I’ve been hearing, that Ronzone was a disruptive force within the organization.

[shangrila]

Yeah. Someone said he wanted Kanter over Williams and pushed for it hard. I wouldn't be surprised if he was going a bit behind his boundaries.

Also, like people have said, it shouldn't affect the team much. Philo is still with the organization, so there should still be the Bjelica/Prestes/Ngombo kind of 2nd rounders and I doubt the team does much with first rounders for the next few years. Too much youth as it is.

So yeah, I'm surprised by this move but I don't really care. The team is more or less set and, if moves are going to be made, it'll have more to do with Kahn's side than Ronzone.

[PG24]

I think this is a step in the right direction, provided Adelman gets the coaching gig.

Seems like all of Kahn's moves thus far have been based on the eye test and emotion rather than any real solid framework. For example, his spiel last summer about how Martell Webster's statistics increase when he receives significant playing time. Well, no kidding. Martell is a streaky player, and when he's on he'll get PT, but when he's off he shouldn't. Doesn't mean he should get 30-plus minutes consistently like Kahn was trying to sell just because he produces when looking at the splits, way too simplistic a view.

I like Ronzone but didn't think he was the greatest fit as being Kahn's right hand man. The Wolves were so out of touch in employing the use of advanced basketball metrics in their decision making as it was that the Ronzone hire, a guy who's probably never utilized an advanced statistic in his career, really only set the team even further behind the 8-ball in that respect since he's been here. Ronzone was a good guy, but between he and Kahn there just wasn't enough new-aged thinking that the most successful FOs have proven successful throughout the years.

Adelman obviously has a background in working with someone who is renowned for his utilization of advanced statistics. While I think Morey takes it too far, Adelman knows the benefits that can be had by using advanced metrics in the decision making process. I think Rick will get that line of thinking through to Kahn, both directly and through the use of his 'voice' upstairs, and that should pay huge dividends when we're talking big picture down the line.

[Tirion]

Yeah. Someone said he wanted Kanter over Williams and pushed for it hard. I wouldn't be surprised if he was going a bit behind his boundaries.

Really? I missed that, was to busy with other stuff during the draft to give full attention. I always was wary of Kanter (too little info to draw meaningful conclusions), but if Ronzone pushed hard for him, it gives me pause. Not to mention that Enes looks good so far, playing for Turkey.

[Foye]

Yeah. Someone said he wanted Kanter over Williams and pushed for it hard. I wouldn't be surprised if he was going a bit behind his boundaries.

Also, like people have said, it shouldn't affect the team much. Philo is still with the organization, so there should still be the Bjelica/Prestes/Ngombo kind of 2nd rounders and I doubt the team does much with first rounders for the next few years. Too much youth as it is.

So yeah, I'm surprised by this move but I don't really care. The team is more or less set and, if moves are going to be made, it'll have more to do with Kahn's side than Ronzone.

I wish we would've kept Bogdanovic. He's going to be a solid player, IMO. At the very least he would be a better backup than Ellington at the 2.

[shangrila]

Yeah. Someone said he wanted Kanter over Williams and pushed for it hard. I wouldn't be surprised if he was going a bit behind his boundaries.

Really? I missed that, was to busy with other stuff during the draft to give full attention. I always was wary of Kanter (too little info to draw meaningful conclusions), but if Ronzone pushed hard for him, it gives me pause. Not to mention that Enes looks good so far, playing for Turkey.

Eh, I get the feeling Ronzone just has a thing for skilled big men.

[Tirion]

And he should, that's the most desirable thing in the NBA, when you creating a team.

Anyway very impressed with him during the Eurobasket so far: very skilled, more mobile than advertised, nice motor, tries on defense. Him and Favors will be one of the most promising frontcourts in the league, while still having Big Al, Millsap and Okur. That's a lot of quality bigmen.

[shangrila]

Not always. There's times when skill can't overcome a lack of physical tools and, really, for every Dirk or Gasol there's plenty of Darkos, Pecherovs and other random euro "skilled" big men that fail.