IZTOK DIAGNOSES DECLINE OF MAVS OFFENSE

[KillerLeft]

The GM doesn't need to be the face of the franchise from a PR standpoint, so for me I am much more concerned about how is he one on one with players and other GMs, etc. We KNOW for a fact players love him, but it is an open question on how he is with other GMs and how they perceive him. 

Agree that the most crucial part is how other GM's perceive him. I'm not sure I agree that he needs a great relationship with the players. In fact, I could make an argument that a good relationship with the players could be a negative. After all, he's the one who has to fire them, trade them, hold them accountable (in off-court ways), imo. 

Harrison, himself, said there are different ways to approach the job, ie traveling, not traveling, etc. I feel like this is what he was alluding to - whether to get to know the players or not. There are probably pros and cons to both approaches. 

I think he needs a great relationship with Luka, and I'm sure you agree with that. Past that, I feel it's a little subjective, and there are probably a variety of approaches that could work for different people who do the job. 

But, what I feel is pretty likely to be asset to any successful GM is the ability to control the media narrative around the team and to come off in interviews like you're in control, unfazed and focused on a path that will "obviously" make the team successful. Sometimes, I imagine projecting that will require stretching the truth or at least dancing around it artfully. This might not differ from what you're suggesting. It might just be that we got two different senses of whether he has this skillset from the public statements he has given, so far. And that's fine!