Top 3 worst & best GMs

[DeathLineup]

Right now, who are they? Try to put in order.

Top 3 worst:
1.
2.
3.


Top 3 best:
1.
2.
3.

[VCfor3]

Top 3 Worst:
1. DET
2. MIL
3. CHA

Top 3 Best:
1. Presti (recency bias)
2. Morey
3. MEM

[ayyayyron]

In no particular order, Daryl Morey, Rob Pelinka, and Sam Presti are the top 3.

Also in no particular order, Elton Brand, Vlade Divac, and whoever Chicago's GM is are the bottom 3. Yeah I'm counting Divac because there's no way I could rank bad GMs and not include him.

[ThatBoyNick]

Kupchak
Perry
?

Don Jr
Presti
Meyers

Moreys my favorite, not sure what he could have accomplished with less intrusive owners. Under les he wasn’t allowed to rebuild, under Tilman he was required to constantly cut salary at all cost.

[DeathLineup]

Top 3 worst:
1. Scott Perry (New York)
2. Mitch Kupchak (Charlotte)
3. John Hammond (Orlando)

Top 3 best:
1. Sam Presti (OKC)
2. Calvin Booth (Denver)
3. Trajan Langdon (New Orleans)

I admire Tim Connelly's (ex-GM, now president) work in Denver. I give him the most credit for Denver's success of late over Karnisovas and Booth. I really like how Denver keep on drafting falling top prospects like Porter, Bol and Hampton in the recent drafts.

[shrink]

David Griffin never gets enough credit. I would also go with Presti and Masai Ujiri

[Sactowndog]

In no particular order, Daryl Morey, Rob Pelinka, and Sam Presti are the top 3.

Also in no particular order, Elton Brand, Vlade Divac, and whoever Chicago's GM is are the bottom 3. Yeah I'm counting Divac because there's no way I could rank bad GMs and not include him.

While I agree with Divac, I’m starting to like the Kings GM. First when Mil tried to screw him and Bogi by changing deal so they could get Jrue Holiday, he let Bogi and his agent do the dirty work.

Then he didn’t flinch while the Lakers and Atlanta tried to take Bogi for nothing, held his fire and found a win-win deal with Indiana. Kings may finally have a real GM.

[DeathLineup]

David Griffin never gets enough credit. I would also go with Presti and Masai Ujiri

Oh **** I missed him. I knew I was missing someone so I put Buford third.

But Griffin is the President, not GM. I'll put Trajan Langdon third best GM just because he's working under Griffin.

[Prospect Dong]

I think you've got to put Uriji in the top 3, and probably Morey too - they've both got pretty amazing bodies of work to point to. There's a lot of luck in GMing, so you need a lot of years to prove you're benefit from skill as well.

I'd say it's too soon for Griffin. I thought his stint with Cleveland was only above average. I'm not sure I'd even go that far for his NO work - but obviously it's still super early days. The guy has inherited a lot of #1 picks.

[ThunderBolt]

It seems to fluctuate based upon recent success or failures. It gets confusing to me when teams have general managers and president of basketball operations. Who does the credit/blame go to? Someone listed Calvin Booth. I thought Connelly was pretty much the guy calling the shots.

Also I think its hard to pinpoint really bad GM's at the moment because most of the bad teams have new front offices. There are several ones I have questions about but the realistically need more time.

[DeathLineup]

It seems to fluctuate based upon recent success or failures. It gets confusing to me when teams have general managers and president of basketball operations. Who does the credit/blame go to? Someone listed Calvin Booth. I thought Connelly was pretty much the guy calling the shots.

Also I think its hard to pinpoint really bad GM's at the moment because most of the bad teams have new front offices. There are several ones I have questions about but the realistically need more time.

There's literally no way you can defend Kupchak. Just take a look at this.

Read on Twitter

?s=21

[ThunderBolt]

It seems to fluctuate based upon recent success or failures. It gets confusing to me when teams have general managers and president of basketball operations. Who does the credit/blame go to? Someone listed Calvin Booth. I thought Connelly was pretty much the guy calling the shots.

Also I think its hard to pinpoint really bad GM's at the moment because most of the bad teams have new front offices. There are several ones I have questions about but the realistically need more time.

There's literally no way you can defend Kupchak. Just take a look at this.

Read on Twitter

?s=21

Yea he's pretty bad but I wonder how much he's really calling the shots in Charlotte.

Read on Twitter

[locomoulds]

I think you can select the best GM’s from this group:
Morey
Masa Ujiri
Pat Riley
Jerry West (don’t know if really belongs but he is goat)
Bob Myers
Sam Presti
RC Buford

Worst Probably can come from this group:
John Hammond
Scott Perry
Mitch Kupchak

[shrink]

David Griffin never gets enough credit. I would also go with Presti and Masai Ujiri

Oh **** I missed him. I knew I was missing someone so I put Buford third.

But Griffin is the President, not GM. I'll put Trajan Langdon third best GM just because he's working under Griffin.

Buford/Pops is a good call too, for the same reason as Ujiri. I think we tend to over-value the player transactions (myself included), but the job of a GM is bigger than this - it is creating a successful, sustainable organization.

Right now, I think the Raptors have the best organization, top to bottom. The Spurs have a history of success in that department (almost with a lack of transactions!). Miami, Utah and Indiana have been successful for some time as well, and I gave them some consideration as well. All have shown an ability to find talent outside the lottery as well. I would have added Morey as well if we got to choose four.

[kobe_vs_jordan]

I’m losing a lil faith in Buford keeping up with the modern game.

Think FOs like Miami , Toronto,GSW has passed him.

Worst for me Currently is probably bucks butchering Giannis super max offseason. Didn’t double and triple check their plans.

I put nuggets in the next tier. They draft well but could be stronger in FA

[R-DAWG]

In terms of the best GM's you need to look at overall body of work:

RC Buford remains in the drives seat based of what he has done during his long tenure in San Antonio.

I have to include Danny Ainge in the conversation, but most of this is based on the KG/Pierce trade - I have been underwhelmed in how he used his assets to get this team that went to 3/4 Eastern Conference Finals over the top - but he still made 3 out of 4 Eastern Conference Finals and has Tatum/Brown to build around.

Pat Riley and Andy Ellisburg is Miami and Donny Nelson in Dallas continue to operate at a very high level - at the blink of an eye, both teams have transitioned from the best players in their franchises history - Wade and Dirk - to teams on the rise with a ton of future flexibility.

Sean Marks should be up here as well. He inherited a situation as glim as any in the history of the league, and within 3 years had a playoff team with a young all-star -D'Angelo Russell - and a stable of young guys that were solid role players with some upside in LeVert, Allen, Harris and Dinwiddie. Combine that with all draft picks and cap space to add two difference making max slots, there is nothing short of remarkable with the job he has done. We all get excited on the upside of future draft picks - but players with a track record acquired with limited asset flexibility is more remarkable.

And closing this out we have to mention Leon Rose. By doing nothing, he has had the most successful Knicks offseason in recent memory.

[HartfordWhalers]

Sixers have a legit entry for both.

[ThatBoyNick]

Donnie Nelson gets no love? Mavs GM since since 2003? A decade of great Mavs teams around Dirk, a championship, pulling of trading up for a GOAT candidate in Doncic, pulling off the Porzingis heist?

[DeathLineup]

In terms of the best GM's you need to look at overall body of work:

RC Buford remains in the drives seat based of what he has done during his long tenure in San Antonio.

I have to include Danny Ainge in the conversation, but most of this is based on the KG/Pierce trade - I have been underwhelmed in how he used his assets to get this team that went to 3/4 Eastern Conference Finals over the top - but he still made 3 out of 4 Eastern Conference Finals and has Tatum/Brown to build around.

Pat Riley and Andy Ellisburg is Miami and Donny Nelson in Dallas continue to operate at a very high level - at the blink of an eye, both teams have transitioned from the best players in their franchises history - Wade and Dirk - to teams on the rise with a ton of future flexibility.

Sean Marks should be up here as well. He inherited a situation as glim as any in the history of the league, and within 3 years had a playoff team with a young all-star -D'Angelo Russell - and a stable of young guys that were solid role players with some upside in LeVert, Allen, Harris and Dinwiddie. Combine that with all draft picks and cap space to add two difference making max slots, there is nothing short of remarkable with the job he has done. We all get excited on the upside of future draft picks - but players with a track record acquired with limited asset flexibility is more remarkable.

And closing this out we have to mention Leon Rose. By doing nothing, he has had the most successful Knicks offseason in recent memory.

Well you said to look at the overall body of work. It's funny that you didn't mention Myers who has brought championships to the Bay these last few years.

By no means I'm saying Myers is a top 3 GM. You can check my previous post to see my list. But based on your reasonings, Myers should be high on your list.

[ThatBoyNick]

Sixers have a legit entry for both.

We need some rules for this thread lol, are we counting presidents like Morey/Riley? Or are we sticking to the actual GMs?