Report: Bucks "Prepared To Offer Walsh GM Job"

europa · Post #1 » by **europa** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:53 am

I know there's another Walsh thread but if this report is true, it would appear the Bucks are making a strong push to hire Donnie Walsh. Mods, feel free to merge.

This is a small excerpt from a New York Daily News story: "Milwaukee is prepared to offer Walsh its GM job, which would force Garden chairman James Dolan to accelerate negotiations with the 67-year-old Bronx native."

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2008/03/20/2008-03-20_knicks_may_move_soon_on_pacers_ceo_donni.html

75totheMACCfund · Post #2 » by **75totheMACCfund** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:16 pm

hmmm Billy Walsh...where would like to go? MSG, the mecca of NBA basketball while living on the 43rd floor of a plush penthouse apartment building...

or...

Live in the brand new Prospect Towers overlooking Summerfest! in a city best known for the place that Wayne and Garth went to go to see Alice Cooper in Wayne's World...

take your time...i know it's a tough decision...

PS...Kohl will question every move you make, but in NY, look what Isiah has done...it's clear you'll have complete control to do with it what you want because Isiah must have have that to have gotten this bad...no owner signs off on those kind of moves...especially not a watchdog owner like Herb Kohl, who, isn't a meddler.

Post #3 » by **MickeyDavis** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:20 pm

Walsh's agent is smart, having two desperate owners upping the ante on his client. I'd say the chances of Walsh coming here are slim.

Rockmaninoff · Post #4 » by **Rockmaninoff** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:25 pm

75totheMACCfund wrote:hmmm Billy Walsh...where would like to go? MSG, the mecca of NBA basketball while living on the 43rd floor of a plush penthouse apartment building...

or...

Live in the brand new Prospect Towers overlooking Summerfest! in a city best known for the place that Wayne and Garth went to go to see Alice Cooper in Wayne's World...

take your time...i know it's a tough decision...

PS...Kohl will question every move you make, but in NY, look what Isiah has done...it's clear you'll have complete control to do with it what you want because Isiah must have have that to have gotten this bad...no owner signs off on those kind of moves...especially not a watchdog owner like Herb Kohl, who, isn't a meddler.

Dolan is the same kind of meddler, but with a slightly higher level of paranoia.

I think if the money is right, Milwaukee has a lot to offer.

- Better payroll situation.

- Better media situation, with less scrutiny.

- Better base of players to build off of.

- Better work environment.

- Better potential relationship with ownership.

unklchuk · Post #5 » by **unklchuk** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:32 pm

Kohl wins either way. If Walsh comes here, he'll have a very experienced pro who he'll trust (at least at the get go) and who probably won't challenge him all that much to think outside the box.

If Walsh and others say no thanks, Herb can always hire Babcock as the best available. He can say, I tried, guys.

Post #6 » by **paulpressey25** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:37 pm

The reason this job might not won't work for Milwaukee is highlighted in these articles....the Knicks are offering Walsh the President's job and then allowing him to hire a GM and then hire a coach. Based on what I heard yesterday in that press conference, Ron Walter and group aren't going anywhere......

The interesting thing is that GM's are not paid like coaches. (they generally make a lot less) So if Herb wants to budget an ending offer to the guy of a 4-year/$25 million dollar deal, I really think that blows the salary structure for a guy like this and he comes here.

But I can't see Kohl doing that. It just isn't in his nature to spend that much money when he'd see he might get a guy like Collins for $8 or $10 million and also not have to let Ron Walter and company go.

Bucks_Revenge · Post #7 » by **Bucks_Revenge** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:08 pm

Walsh "Kohl I have a trade in place to get Lebron James"
Kohl "What, let me see that......find me another deal I dont want to spend all that money...now get out".

europa · Post #8 » by **europa** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:11 pm

There are few situations in the league that I think are worse off than Milwaukee's but I think the Knicks would definitely be on that list. That team is an even bigger mess than the Bucks. There isn't anyone on that team who's really worth a damn (David Lee is a solid player but hardly a great one) and they have loads of horrible contracts and a very ugly future. And for all of Kohl's meddling, it's not like Dolan is going to sit back and do nothing so there's no advantage there.

But the lure of the Big Apple is strong. Just ask Larry Brown, who walked into a situation that was clearly doomed to fail and bailed when it finally became clear to him he had no chance to succeed. I think Walsh would pick the Knicks over the Bucks but my opinion is he would be making a big mistake to do so.

And given what a joke the Bucks have become, that's saying something about how bad off the Knicks are.

Neapolitan Buck · Post #9 » by **Neapolitan Buck** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:17 pm

To me, this is a pretty good news. I hope Donnie at least considers us.

LUKE23 · Post #10 » by **LUKE23** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:32 pm

The other thing to consider is that it appears his wife would be pretty adamant about not coming to Milwaukee, and would much prefer NY. When you add the fact that Walsh is a NY native, then it makes it even less likely.

The one thing I do think the Bucks have going for them is that our cap situation, while not ideal, is 10 times better than New York's, and I think a full rebuild job and getting the team back to contention would take less time in Milwaukee than in New York.

If it's strictly about money/location though, obviously Milwaukee has very little shot.

Walsh is the guy I want though. He knows how to build a winning roster.

LISTEN2JAZZ · Post #11 » by **LISTEN2JAZZ** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:43 pm

Is it true that with the president of basketball operations title, the GM can put trades through without getting Kohl's signature?

Post #12 » by **MickeyDavis** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:49 pm

adamcz wrote:Is it true that with the president of basketball operations title, the GM can put trades through without getting Kohl's signature?

The title doesn't matter. Kohl can have the final say if he chooses to do so. On everything.

heynow · Post #13 » by **heynow** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:50 pm

I guess I will be the turd in the punch bowl.
Kohl will meddle as long as he owns this team.
Like Al Davis he simply cannot give up control. It is not in his nature.
Some of us have been screaming about Kohl for more then just the last painful 6 months.
I have been on my Kohl is the problem crusade for 10 years and it is still not obvious to me that he gets it.
I t is simply difficult for me to believe he will bring someone like Walsh in and turn the store over to him. THe only reason he did it with Karl was because he was also his guy to coach the team. So he was willing to allow Karl some actual freedom.

However there is a history here. This goes all the way back to when Nellie was here. Nellie didn't leave over money. He left because Kohl and his inner circle were meddling even back then. Don Nelson who was an old school NBA guy recognized early on that Kohl was a bad owner. The problem was that the real reasons for Nellie's departure were sort of swept under the rug by the local scribes. Nellie made plenty of statements on his way out the door folks in this town simply decided to ignore them. THe team continued to win for a couple seasons after Nellie left because Nellie left a solid framework for Del Harris to work with. I believe that also deluded some in the area into believing that Kohl was a good owner.

I hope Kohl actually relinquish his tight hold on the player personnel decisions and also the decision about who coaches the team.
My hunch is that he is going to hire Babcock and still exercise a great deal of control.
I listened to the press conference last night and I am a lot less optimistic then many others around here are. Harris was clearly tossed under the bus to quiet the mob for a while. Walsh would be wonderful but would he be allowed to groom his successor because Walsh (at 67) is getting close to the time when he will decide to move on. Others here know better then me but part of the tension between Walsh and the Pacers started when Bird was essentially brought in as a figure head and obvious heir to Walsh's job. Walsh has been and still grooming a successor and my hunch is that he would follow Walsh to where ever he lands.

Thunder Muscle · Post #14 » by **Thunder Muscle** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:53 pm

In regard to the wife situation, that may keep Larry Brown from here as well. I believe it was Woeful who said Brown is interested but isn't sure his wife would want to come here.

...same with Bill Simmons' wife.

The ladies don't like ol'Miltown is the moral of the story.

peteXmaravich · Post #15 » by **peteXmaravich** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:58 pm

Rockmaninoff wrote:- Better media situation, with less scrutiny.

i think you mean "no scrutiny" because no one cares about the Bucks in this city. sure, you get the status quo articles on how theyre losing and in turn losing money for the city (thats all that really matters here, face it.).

if theyre not in the conference finals or completely tanking - no one cares about it in this city. maybe they will soon since every males vicarious homo-erotic relationship with Brett Favre is slowly ending (not without withdrawal).

LISTEN2JAZZ · Post #16 » by **LISTEN2JAZZ** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:00 pm

MickeyDavis wrote:The title doesn't matter. Kohl can have the final say if he chooses to do so. On everything.

But if what I heard is correct, the league accepts trades from presidents as official and binding; same as if they had come from the owner. Kohl could of course fire a guy for putting a trade through, but the trade would stand.

But I could be wrong. I'm sure GAD would know if this is true or not.

jerrod · Post #17 » by **jerrod** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:19 pm

man, what are you guys doing over there?

why do everyone's wives hate you?

seriously

Bucks_Revenge · Post #18 » by **Bucks_Revenge** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:31 pm

this is way OT but what ever happened to CBQ????

jerrod · Post #19 » by **jerrod** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:32 pm

Bucks_Revenge wrote:this is way OT but what ever happened to CBQ????

you didn't know?

that was larry harris

smauss · Post #20 » by **smauss** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:48 pm

jerrod wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

you didn't know?

that was larry harris

CBQ can't be LH, she knows how to build a basketball team!

Although maybe CBQ is LH; and CBQ really stands for what Herbie screamed to his secretary every time LH had a trade ready, "Call Babcock Quick!"

As far as Walsh and the living in NY thing; with the technology in this day and age why does he HAVE to live here? Couldn't he fly here when he needs to be here? I work from my home, why can't Walsh?