(06-23-2021, 06:56 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: As they say, it is an upgrade-game. At the end of the day, is all of this an upgrade? We don't know yet. Better soft skills and worse X's and O's from Mosley could be an upgrade. A more clearly defined hierarchy and youthful energy might supersede Donnie's vast experience. Maybe not. I'm at least willing to wait for the actual announcements.This is the argument I used against I think a KL doom and gloom post (always good to feel like I am on the same side as you in any argument, always feels like a win when that happens!). It’s for sure a hope for the best while facing what looks like pretty much no change from the real guy in charge. An optimistic way of thinking about it while keeping the thought in the back of your mind that this could also just be same as it ever was (love Talking Heads).
But, in the end, it all comes down to 0. Owner: Mark. I don't buy the criticism that "he's not a basketball guy". After 21 years of this, he's a basketball guy. The question is whether he's a good one or not. If he's going to make all major decisions, then quit hiding behind this veil of secrecy about how decisions are made. Man up and take responsibility for the good and the bad. I think being the money guy and the vision/strategy guy and the spreadsheet guy and a fan and the person through whom most media inquiries flow directly is self limiting.
My hope in all of this is Cuban upgrades himself by narrowing his role to whatever he's best at and hires the rest of it out. I have serious doubts as to whether vision/strategy guy is the right answer. He appears to hold to certain philosophies that haven't been productive. Undervaluing the draft and this constant pursuit of Sammie Superstar is killing us. Singles and doubles would be much better than striking out because you are trying so hard to exclusively hit home runs. Where would we be if someone had convinced him that we should actually use resources the last two summers rather than chase Giannis (hint...probably still playing). Atlanta and Phoenix are still playing and we are not partially because we kept our powder dry while they went out and got Paul and Crowder and Gallinari and Bogdanovic and Lou Williams and Torrey Craig to supplement the core that was already there. That isn't just a failing on Donnie's part. It is a failing of vision and strategy. The madness has to stop.
My head keeps pulling me away from wanting to be optimistic in this decision based on the reports of the day. I feel like this new hire is basically what they tried to do with Gerson Rosas, but basically with the twist that there won’t be a guy like Donnie to throw his weight around to make the new guy feel uncomfortable in his position.
We’ll see how this goes. Just really hoping for the best, but expecting the worst (are you gonna drop the bomb or not…ooh Alphaville, you are my little gentleman).