RealGM

I've always thought the two worst GM's of all time were
(1) Whoever was GMing for Ted Stepien in Cleveland the year they traded multiple future 1st draft choices for career backups and guys chosen in the expansion draft
and
(2) Wes Unseld who traded in 3 successive years . . . Young Rasheed Wallace for late prime Rod Strickland (and his poor attitude), Ben Wallace (and Jeff McGinness) for Isaac Austin, then Chris Webber for aging Mitch Richmond . . . AND managed to take back bad contracts in addition in both the Strickland and Richmond trades which he compounded by giving both aging guards big money longterm deals.

But I just saw a third GM who has to go up in this Hall of Shame

(3)In 1976-77, the Buffalo Braves (soon to be San Diego Clippers) dumped three HOF players for little or nothing. First, they got Moses Malone in the ABA dispersal draft . . .but decided he wasn't very good and gave him to the Houston Rockets. Then, they decided Bob McAdoo hadn't led them post the 2nd round of the playoffs so they traded him to NY for a DC (John Shumate). Then they had a dynamic 1st DC named Adrian Dantley who they dumped at the end of the year. They could have had a front line of Moses/McAdoo/Dantley to go with guards Randy Smith and Ernie Digregorio (ok, Ernie D was basically White Chocolate 1 but . . . ) and instead they went for John Gianelli, John Shumate, and Wil Jones and ended that year 30-52 before dropping to 27-55 the next. WTG idiots.

Makes you long for the good days of Isiah Thomas.

Rob Babcock was well on his way, but his tenure didn't last long enough.

Drafted Rafael Araujo over Igoudala, and other well known big prospects.

Traded Vince Carter for Eric Williams, Aaron Williams, and the pick that led to Joey Graham. Alonzo Mourning was involved in that deal, but he refused to show, and was bought out.

Traded Rafer Alston for Mike James

Kevin McHale.

John Weisbrod

T-Mac United wrote:John Weisbrod

F T W {/Thread}

I really really like him as a player, but Elgin Baylor is way up there.

Was Baylor really that bad? I know he suffers from Donald Sterling having a major rep as a cheapskate but when I think of the Clippers (at least since that year I posted), I think of getting early draft choices and potential stars who all quickly get injured. Walton, Manning, Vaught, Harper, Derek Smith, and now Brand and Livingston . . . they've had worse injury issues consistently over the last 40 years than any other team . . . AND been the worst team. Not sure how much of that is Baylor's fault.

When it comes to trades, the Clips have ripped off other teams as much as other teams have ripped off the Clips it seems, though maybe I'm not remembering a few . . . the two that leap to mind are dealing Danny Ferry to Cleveland for Ron Harper AND an early draft choice and dealing the choice that became Tyson Chandler for Elton Brand.

Even though you said GM, Stepien came to mind immediately.

That Braves guy gives him a run for his money though. Kevin McHale and Isiah Thomas have nothing on him. The rest of the posts are fans naming a bad, but not horrible, GM who ruined their respective franchises.

Chris Wallace ran Boston completely to the ground and is now working in Memphis to do the same to establish himself to be one the worst of all time.

Scott Layden would definitely have to be up there.

NO-KG-AI wrote:Kevin McHale.

I will need to disagree. I think he is at least average.

The Joe Smith--lost draft picks was the owners fault.
McHale has signed some MLE idiots, but usually to outbid another team.
Not his fault T.Brandon's injuries took him from All-star to retire
Not his fault Sealy (starting wing and good defender) was killed
Wally had serious injuries where he went from all-star to rotation guy.
Marbury got homesick...not his fault.

KG had a huge contract and it was near impossible to add legit talent to that contract. He did it once with spree and Cassel and we got to the WCC where injuries left us w/o a pg on the roster against LAL.

McHale is good with the media, the players seem to enjoy and respect him. I am cool with him on this team. We are grooming Fred Hoiberg as a future GM, but McHale has done ok thus far. He got the best possible trade for KG and this year will be essential for the team.

No mention of Isaiah?

The dude who picked Sam Bowie.

Isiah Thomas for sure.