Doomed by GM's ineptitude?

[aleZ]

Someone may argue JohnGabriel was the best ever, since he got Tmac here, but he signed a player on crutches effectively hanging the franchise out to dry for nearly 7 years. We all know what the Hockey Guy did with Tmac and now we got Otis who's just confortable warming up his chair.

Looking at top tier teams you see ppl who aren't afraid to take risks, like Boston did when they signed the "big three" or even the Cavs are doing now (although that trade is far from a blockbuster). I'm sorry for the positive thinkers on the board, but this club looks like it's winning in spite of the front office's moves.

Oh, and thank god for Dwight Howard, given the situation

[Cammo101]

Gabrial was awful. He never followed through on anything and was a terrible drafter. Pretty much the only thing he did right was TMac.

[theTHIEF]

...

[fendilim]

Gabrial was awful. He never followed through on anything and was a terrible drafter. Pretty much the only thing he did right was TMac.

check portland

[mattyBoi]

Preaching to choir my friend haha

[damo[23]]

Atm my problem is people are kind of right about Otis, but in such a wrong way.

People are annoyed and want him fired because he didnt do a trade, and like last year people simply want a trade for the sake of it, and we all know last year the trades we were offered were utter trash; I am sure that is the case this year.

Not making a trade on trade deadline day is not a fireable offense, otherwise like 10 GM's each trade deadline would get fired [at least].

No, he is not a bad GM because he makes his trades a few weeks before the deadline and gives himself time to see if he can make another deal.

However, I am going to say this. Otis Smith, personally and proffessionally is not the ideal candidate to be a GM of a team trying to push themselves over the edge.

I've been struggling to find a good term to explain it, but I really am stuck at he just doesnt have the authority/charisma or proffesional respect you see of some of the other GM's, or the franchise itself.

Otis Smith is not at fault for not pulling a trigger on a deal, no. But the franchise is at fault for being a position where we dont have a GM that can command enough proffesional respect to get a fair trade, what we offer arguably is good enough to get a decent trade, yet another team will feel they can lower the returns just because they can take advantage [I am almost sure of it].

I look at Otis, I dont see a GM of power, presence and authority. I see a guy who is happy with his team, fallen into a bit of luck that Dwight Howard has turned into a beast, Hedo has turned into a unsung allstar, and he has managed to lure in a great coach.

What for me, ties this together, is the Lewis incident. I really feel a commanding GM would have been able to just go out and hold his own, rather than buckling to a agent and offering that much cash. As Kidd says; Dwight Howard is a selling point, a FA attraction, we definatly had leverage in that negotation, but we fell to the absolute maximum low we could on that contract, no leeway at all.

So again I stress, I am not annoyed at Otis Smith not making a deal, they problably werent on the table when he was speaking to teams; but I am annoyed that we dont have that heirarchy that makes a good franchise - Solid GM [authoritive or respected etc..] to go along with the top notch coach and superstar player.

[mhectorgato]

Depends on your definition of doomed.

If we were Knicks or the Hawks, when there's been no progress year after year, despites attempts year after year ... then yes.

But we're ok as a team, atm 12 games over 500, with the early season schedule we had that's not too bad.

Otis did make a good move with the Ariza trade - getting 2 players who are seeing floor time for 1.

However we missed an important opportunity to use assets we had to improve the team when our upcoming options will be limited. Two of the reported reasons were Otis' refusal to trade JJ and the 1st pick.

That to me is incomprehensible, JJ more so.

The kid has seen virtually 0 playing time in 2 seasons with us. Seems to me that a trade with him would almost serve to validate the drafting of him, as other teams were interested in acquiring him.

He was an asset that we were not utilizing on court, so the only other way he became valuable to us would be through trades.

I'm not on the "bum needs to be fired" bandwagon, yet. He's done some good things.

But it certainly seems like we wasted a big opportunity to make an improvement to the team, as we had 2 things that teams were looking for - young talent and expiring contracts.

Now we look to the off-season for improvements. We'll just have the draft - low first rounder, MLE & LLE. As far as trades go, I don't know who we'd trade (other than a S&T for our expirings), because we're not trading Hedo, Jameer or JJ.

I've not lost complete hope for us to be a contender, just the possibility - in my mind - has lessened.

[minimoe]

ummm alez?? How did boston "take a risk"?

[aleZ]

ummm alez?? How did boston "take a risk"?

You never know,
Cuban had Dirk, Nash and Finley (all coached by Don Nelson) at some point and still couldn't go deep in the playoffs, in fact that team was blown up lately.

I agree with damo however, Otis seems to be really lacking in the character and "respect" fields among other GM's.

[damo[23]]

I agree with damo however, Otis seems to be really lacking in the character and "respect" fields among other GM's.

I dont think there are actually that many "respectable" GM's out there mind, I also think that franchise status has alot to do with it. I do think our run in with players, coachs and GM's have not helped. Otis is just in a line of this.

Right now, he has built a 3rd place East team from a team locked in mediocrity for the past few years; I dont expect success overnight, and thats exactly what people expect from the trade deadline. We were kind of stuck due to money and already making moves.

Otis I am sure has a idea of what the post season will look like for him - which is why I am sure he kept onto Redick [I dont expect to see Bogans here next year].

I just thought of a analogy, but I dont think its a great one, Otis Smith is to Orlando as Doc Rivers is to the Celtics LOL.

[CourtsideTV]

everyone needs to calm down..sometimes no move is a good move..

[mfishy]

This was the only saving grace of the huge shard signing - that we would utilize the expirings. Now, officially otis sucks.

Are we doomed? Ehhh...tough to say. DH is such a force he might be able to get us far in the coming years

Sometimes you have to take a chance. This was clearly an opportunity to take a chance an Otis was either not savvy enough or really has his head in the sand.

[akhenaten]

and like last year people simply want a trade for the sake of it

No, we wanted a trade because we have no PF and no backcourt. We start a journeyman at SG and a small PG who doesn't play any defense.

And most of all we wanted a trade because we all know damn well Otis can't draft, so how else are we going to surround Dwight with talent?

Let me remind you, once again, of Otis's first-round draft record:

2005 -- Fran Vasquez (fighting bulls in Spain)
2006 -- J.J. Redick (towel boy/back slapper)
2007 -- Traded pick for Darko Milicic (working w/ anger management coach in Memphis)

That's 3 first-round picks, and ZERO players who are even in our rotation, much less starting. In other words, if we don't trade for talent, we're a D-League team.

[CraZyPraiZ]

and like last year people simply want a trade for the sake of it

No, we wanted a trade because we have no PF and no backcourt. We start a journeyman at SG and a small PG who doesn't play any defense.

And most of all we wanted a trade because we all know damn well Otis can't draft, so how else are we going to surround Dwight with talent?

Let me remind you, once again, of Otis's first-round draft record:

2005 -- Fran Vasquez (fighting bulls in Spain)
2006 -- J.J. Redick (towel boy/back slapper)
2007 -- Traded pick for Darko Milicic (working w/ anger management coach in Memphis)

That's 3 first-round picks, and ZERO players who are even in our rotation, much less starting. In other words, if we don't trade for talent, we're a D-League team.

I agree 100%. This team doesn't ever need to hold on to any picks. We simply don't help ourselves through the draft. HTH does Thwardzik have a job? Also someone had posted in another forum that Blowtis had kissed his way up the corporate ladder and that is how he got the GM position. They also stated how other GM's simply don't think highly of Blowtis. We wasted a good opportunity to do something but just stood back mailed it in for this year.

[dariusl7]

What for me, ties this together, is the Lewis incident. I really feel a commanding GM would have been able to just go out and hold his own, rather than buckling to a agent and offering that much cash. As Kidd says; Dwight Howard is a selling point, a FA attraction, we definatly had leverage in that negotation, but we fell to the absolute maximum low we could on that contract, no leeway at all.

I agree with most of what you are saying. One thing that I have an issue with is the Lewis incident as you say. GMs that tried to use what you suggesting Otis should have used (D12, FA attraction) they failed. Look at Houston, they had Ming, T-Mac, and Houston is his home but he chose us just because we offered more $. Our only real leverege in this signing was $. Charisma and respect had nothing to do with it.

With that said I absolutely agree that a GM with more experience and a GM that has great professional relationships would be able to pull off deals like LA did or Miami was able to do something I realy did not think was possible. WE did have assets to improve our roster and for whatever reason we chose not to. I strongly dissagree with Otis statements that there was nothing out there that would improve us without giving up major pieces. High ranked executives always find a way to improve their teams especialy with the assets we had. This leads me to believe that he failed to act because of the lack of experience and wilingness to risk or simply financial restrictions from ownership (his statement that he had no restrictions there means nothing. You don't go publicly and say that your boss is cheap. Only owner makes those statements or GM with owners instructions to do so.)

[TooNice00]

so all the other gms don't respect or like otis?? you people just make up stuff all the time.

[theTHIEF]

so all the other gms don't respect or like otis?? you people just make up stuff all the time.

agreed...

[maginno]

damo[23] you might want to change your views because I completely agree.

[maginno]

.

Otis did make a good move with the Ariza trade - getting 2 players who are seeing floor time for 1.

However we missed an important opportunity to use assets we had to improve the team when our upcoming options will be limited. Two of the reported reasons were Otis' refusal to trade JJ and the 1st pick.

Well though from a situational position I can see your point I tend to put these together. Its not like we didn't know long ago we needed a PF. So to me you should have been shopping Ariza in a package with JJ, expirings, exceptions sweeteners and a pick to get something way better than Cook as the answer at PF. Given Otis' statements about having to get back a PG, not trading JJ and liking this team doesn't look like much was done there so I can't give that trade a pass either. It still left us with a hole at PF just as wide.

[knappy]

Someone may argue JohnGabriel was the best ever, since he got Tmac here, but he signed a player on crutches effectively hanging the franchise out to dry for nearly 7 years. We all know what the Hockey Guy did with Tmac and now we got Otis who's just confortable warming up his chair.

Looking at top tier teams you see ppl who aren't afraid to take risks, like Boston did when they signed the "big three" or even the Cavs are doing now (although that trade is far from a blockbuster). I'm sorry for the positive thinkers on the board, but this club looks like it's winning in spite of the front office's moves.

Oh, and thank god for Dwight Howard, given the situation

Otis Failed!