IZTOK DIAGNOSES DECLINE OF MAVS OFFENSE

[mavsluvr]

I don't think of qualification as a 0% or 100% proposition. I haven't tried to make an argument that Nico is 100% qualified. I doubt you think he's 0% qualified.

Okay, that's a way to look at it. I tend to think of people as qualified or not. Like, when I hire people, I don't usually even look at people who might be "partially qualified." To me, that says, "not qualified." But I'll try to adjust to your perspective. In my lexicon, a person who is "qualified" might still need job-specific training, and entry-level people may not have experience (which would be reflected in their salaries), but they should be in a position quickly to perform the basic job duties without intense supervision.

Maybe in this case, I would frame the question as, "Is Nico capable of performing all material aspects of his job without supervision?" Maybe you would phrase it as, "Is Nico capable of learning to perform his job without supervision?" Something like that, anyway. 

I pointed out that he was a CEO/GM level professional who has experience judging and recruiting NBA talent and building great relationships with NBA players and execs.

Do we think he has experience judging NBA talent? One of the points that came up in the summer when his qualifications were being discussed was that his experience and relationships with players are pretty much limited to big stars, and those guys are already on everyone's radar. He admitted that he has little experience with guys below Tier One. Certainly, he has experience recruiting guys to sign shoe contracts and forming and maintaining relationships with players and execs.  

That seems like at least a jumping off point to me. Do you mean by this that he has some skills and experiences that would provide a basis for jumping into the deep end? So that he might not be lighting the world on fire at this point, but we wouldn't expect him to drown? I agree with that.

 Other NBA teams have shown interest in Nico before. I see enough there that I like, that makes me want to withhold judgement and assumption, and see what actually happens. Well, sure. I think we all hope that he grows into the job. I have not by any means decided or assumed that he will not eventually be competent, or even really good, at his job. I just don't see any basis to judge or assume that he has reached that point now. I admit that it irritated me for Cuban to hire a guy who had never done the job, at a point in the franchise history where it seemed like they could have really used skill and experience -- it's such a Cubes thing to do -- but, in any case, here we are, and I think we have to hope for the best. 

You compared him to someone who hasn't gone to school to be a doctor attempting to be a doctor. I get your point, but think it's over the top. Don't you? 

I would predict failure for the medical equipment exec that transferred to the operating room. I'd call the board or the police and tell patients to stay away.

For a standout CEO type with Nico's reported chops whose prior success depended upon judging NBA talent and building great NBA relationships,  I'd give him more of a chance to succeed than the medical equipment exec in the operating room. 

Choose your own example, if you don't like that one. My point was that some fields of endeavor require a high level of expertise, and being good at selling stuff and rubbing elbows with those customers/businesses doesn't mean the salesman is capable of doing those jobs or running those businesses. 

The next page in your story is that, "because of this shoe salesman's experience level, of course Cuban is still really the GM and Nico's title is just window dressing."

Respectfully, I don't think I said that. I believe I said that, considering that Nico doesn't have the qualifications to perform certain aspects of the job, it is possible that Cuban only wants him to do the re-structuring and selling parts of the position while he learns to do the more technical stuff. I do think there is some evidence for that. For example, it is still Cuban dealing with the media about roster matters, and pontificating on details about what they need/are interested in/are not interested in, etc. not Nico. Mavs fans have become used to that, but it is not the usual NBA owner-GM dynamic. 

My response is "maybe, but maybe not." I at least think enough of what Nico brings to the table, of his "experience", to wait and see and not assume that he's just "staff manager" with a glorified title. 

At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what we assume about his title. I think the real issue to keep an eye on is whether the "cultural reset" is real, or whether it's just the same pig with different lipstick. The reset was headlined by a new GM and a new coach, but considering the circumstances, I don't see any reason to declare that the organization has undergone a sea change. Maybe they have, you never know. 

I'll give him a chance. And I'm gonna think of him as the GM until I see evidence, other than assumption,  that he's the staff manager with a grand title for window dressing.

Of course, we'll give him a chance. What choice do we have? And think of Nico however you want, I'll be rooting for you!

Fif, I sense that you might be offended on behalf of Nico. 

My uneasiness isn't even really about Nico. Although he has admitted that he has no experience with such areas as the salary cap, putting together a roster from top to bottom, knowledge of guys who aren't in the elite category, determination of what type of player the team needs in a particular situation, etc., there are other people in the organization who presumably do have some understanding of those things, and they are probably being counted on to prop him up as he gets his feet under him. 

My real queasiness has to do with Cuban, but I know you don't like hearing that he might still be the boss. Okay, let's say he isn't.  Then who is? Nico doesn't appear to be, either. Look at the casual committee of governance Cuban has established. Everything isn't being run through Nico, as one might expect in the usual case of an organization's team president. Nico appears to be one of an informal group of people who have an important voice in the enterprise. And that might be appropriate, given the situation. 

I don't think I have slandered Nico. If a person hasn't done something before, then he hasn't done it before, and I don't think it's mean to acknowledge that -- he has said it himself. If Cuban really wants the Mavs to be a professionally run organization, rather than a start-up-like, free-form affair without the usual defined roles and clear lines of authority that attend established enterprises, then that should become evident at some point. I just don't see it, yet. You may be more prescient than I!

Thanks for your detailed response. Much food for thought in your post!