(Yesterday, 12:15 PM)loki Wrote: The report from the Athletic the other day said they would prioritize someone with experience as a lead executive, so I'm not too worried about Finley or Riccardi being promoted. If that were the plan I don't think they would wait until the offseason.
Here's the actual quote: "Finley and Riccardi are under consideration to fill the permanent job, but league sources told The Athletic that the Mavericks will value previous experience as a lead NBA executive after how poorly the final 10 months of Harrison’s tenure went."
It certainly doesn't close the door on F/R, but it sounds like the bar they have to meet will be set incredibly high -- ie, they will have to be (or appear to be) WAY more desirable than the alternatives with a known track record, in order to be given the keys to the franchise at this juncture.
Some subpoints are (1) the Mavs are willing to be thorough and not in a rush, and (2) since they were burned so badly by the incredibly bad skills and judgment of an inexperienced guy (Nico) who they didn't know was a total idiot until he made unthinkably idiotic moves, they want more of a "sure thing" as to what to expect and proven judgment. They are now ultra cautious regarding opening the door to other inexperienced guys who they have no way to know if they might be prone to similar absurdities.
My preference? Presti, if I am specific. But in terms of traits and skills, I want an expert in player evaluation (draft, free agency, trade values), negotiation (trades, contracts), and roster building. And also someone with the ability to work wisely with skilled people (rather than see them as a threat and get rid of them when they show valued talents). The best executive is the one who is willing to hire people SMARTER than him, so that his potential exceeds his own personal skills. I'm not sure Nico ever did ANYTHING at an expert level in any of those areas.
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