MAVS hire Masai Ujiri as new team President

[hakeemfaan]

It is not someone from within. Plus it is someone who has enough cred that Kidd cannot push around.

Just those two things are more than good enough for me.

If 4 years from now this didn’t work out, I would still have no complaints. All you can do is make solid moves and then hope for a little bit of luck as well. This the first real GM since Nellie. Donnie doesn’t count.

[SwisherPrice]

He wouldn't have been my first, second, or even third choice but I'm willing to give him a chance. I would have preferred some new blood but I can see why the ownership were not willing to take that risk with the franchise at a crossroads. Now let's see what kind of staff he assembles

[mvossman]

I guess my one complaint about this is that it feels like a move that could've been made weeks or months ago. For all the talk of going after someone from another team (which most of us thought wasn't possible, really), they ended up hiring one of the two big fish that was currently between gigs. Not a huge deal, I suppose, and I'm glad they made the hire before the draft.

I think Ujiri was still under contract by the Raptors and wanted to get paid through end of season.  That would explain this happening soon after they got bounced.

[DanSchwartzgan]

So, he showed up in Toronto end of May 2013 and didn't have a pick in that draft.  He did make a trade in July and another one in early December.

July was Bargnani to NY for a 2016 first and two seconds (and matching salary).  This was restocking the cupboard.  Something similar might be using the TPE to take on some salary and getting draft capital in return.

December was the Rudy Gay trade.  This was a reset.  Gay was higher usage but inefficient.  His leaving unlocked Lowry and DeRozan and they started winning more (42-22 after the trade) and made the playoffs that year.  The return was mainly role players...Greivis Vasquez and Patrick Patterson (so, more ball handling and some floor spacing off the bench).  He flipped Vasquez later for a 2017 pick which became Anunoby.   

He has a "big swing" reputation, but early in his tenure in Toronto it was filling out the rotation and clearing out stuff more than what he brought in.

[mvossman]

So, he showed up in Toronto end of May 2013 and didn't have a pick in that draft.  He did make a trade in July and another one in early December.

July was Bargnani to NY for a 2016 first and two seconds (and matching salary).  This was restocking the cupboard.  Something similar might be using the TPE to take on some salary and getting draft capital in return.

December was the Rudy Gay trade.  This was a reset.  Gay was higher usage but inefficient.  His leaving unlocked Lowry and DeRozan and they started winning more (42-22 after the trade) and made the playoffs that year.  The return was mainly role players...Greivis Vasquez and Patrick Patterson (so, more ball handling and some floor spacing off the bench).  He flipped Vasquez later for a 2017 pick which became Anunoby.   

He has a "big swing" reputation, but early in his tenure in Toronto it was filling out the rotation and clearing out stuff more than what he brought in.

Which is exactly what they need now.  They are not ready for a big swing, but some cleaning up of the roster and smart draft picking is just what the doctor ordered.  I already had some hope that we get a useful piece at 30 given how strong/deep this draft is, and that hope has grown with this hire given Ujiri track record.

[Smitty]

Masai Ujiri is expected to name a General Manager to work alongside him, per @TheSteinLine.

He will be meeting with Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley in the coming days.

[DanSchwartzgan]

Which is exactly what they need now.  They are not ready for a big swing, but some cleaning up of the roster and smart draft picking is just what the doctor ordered.  I already had some hope that we get a useful piece at 30 given how strong/deep this draft is, and that hope has grown with this hire given Ujiri track record.

I tend to agree about 30.  He's got a fairly good track record of getting value in the 20's and 30's.  Not necessarily starter quality, but he seems to understand the importance of good depth beyond the top five.  What tends to work in this range of the draft is combining athleticism with one NBA ready skill and hope the rest comes eventually.

I probably need to change my thinking about what we will do with 8-10.  I could see Brown or Flemings moving up and Burries (positional size seems to be a priority) moving down the Mav's board.

I don't think we use the TPE on a keeper, but rather to take on a salary and pick up a future pick.  

I probably need to rethink Klay and Middleton now.  It seems moving Klay makes more sense now and taking a second to S&T Middleton seems more likely to me than before today.  

I wonder about Kyrie.  Not during the summer, but the cupboard is kind of bare and time is on Masai's side.  Kyrie is the one asset likely to bring back a young player and some draft assets.  If the next big swing is coming at some point down the road, then we need more assets to work with.  If done right, moving Kyrie could also open more cap flexibility.

When he arrived in Toronto, he got rid of his predecessor's mistake (Bargnani) and moved on from the guy who was taking the most shots per game.  He later turned some of the return from those trades into more draft assets.  Toronto was bad at the start of 2013, but got much better once Gay was gone and was a little bit better the next year.  If he prioritizes winning, he probably can't turn some of these guys into assets.  If he prioritizes assets, we probably aren't quite as far along as that Toronto team was the back half of 2013/14.

[DanSchwartzgan]

Masai Ujiri is expected to name a General Manager to work alongside him, per @TheSteinLine.

He will be meeting with Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley in the coming days.

Andrew Baker is supposed to be a well respected cap guy, so there's that to decide also.  

I'm not sure how you split the baby as it relates to Finley and Riccardi.  If Masai is himself the mad scientist that everything flows through (Cuban-esque), then he keeps the relationship guy in Finley (if he keeps either).  If he wants to outsource some of the daily grind, then Riccardi strikes me as a very effective loyal lieutenant type he might want to keep.  I'm not sure how you keep both as one has to be demoted.

[mvossman]

I probably need to change my thinking about what we will do with 8-10.  I could see Brown or Flemings moving up and Burries (positional size seems to be a priority) moving down the Mav's board.

The exception to positional size is PG where he employed two 6 footers (and actually played them together 15 minutes a game in the championship playoff run).  Both guys were short but stocky/strong and plus defenders.  If he sees Burries developing into a PG the rest is already there.

[cow]

Masai Ujiri is expected to name a General Manager to work alongside him, per @TheSteinLine.

He will be meeting with Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley in the coming days.

Bummer

[F Gump]

I'm not sure how you split the baby as it relates to Finley and Riccardi. 

.....

I'm not sure how you keep both as one has to be demoted.

"Has to be"? Why?

A year ago, they were both underlings to The Idiot. NEITHER answered to the other.

Once The Idiot was (finally) sent on his way, they kept doing what they each had been doing, and also split the big empty chair. Again, neither answered to the other. 

Now Masai is here to sit in the big chair. 

If he wanted them to stay, why wouldn't there be room for each to be able to continue to do what they were doing a year ago? They never stopped doing it. It's not as if they are going to be in demand somewhere to fill someone else's big chair. And unless Masai just doesn't want them around, it's not like they would be getting a demotion from what they have previously been doing.

Unless Masai is insecure, he won't see them as a threat - because they really aren't. You want the best support team you can get. (Remember when Carlisle hired Stotts and Casey, both former head coaches? Kidd hired Vogel? A smart manager would want smart skilled guys, not scrubs, wouldn't he?) Assuming they are both skilled at what they do, it's seems like they would be assets to be retained. 

But what do I know?

[F Gump]

The exception to positional size is PG where he employed two 6 footers (and actually played them together 15 minutes a game in the championship playoff run).  Both guys were short but stocky/strong and plus defenders.  If he sees Burries developing into a PG the rest is already there.

I can see that. Burries can defend. As a PG, he's probably not undersized.* And he can score. The one unknown is whether he can run a team, but it sure feels like he might have the skills they would be looking for. 




*Deferring to upcoming combine measurements to answer that definitively.

[DanSchwartzgan]

"Has to be"? Why?

A year ago, they were both underlings to The Idiot. NEITHER answered to the other.
 

The comment I'm responding to is that he intends to name a GM.  If one of them is the GM, then the other reports to him or is under him...no?

[F Gump]

The comment I'm responding to is that he intends to name a GM.  If one of them is the GM, then the other reports to him or is under him...no?

As I read it, so far there will be 1 guy in charge (Masai), and everyone will work for him. I'm not depending on the semantics being precise, given that they barely have the ink dry on the contract. He's going to interview people and see who he wants to keep, and where he might use them, it seems. 

But it didn't say who is "expecting" that a GM will be named. It doesn't actually say that Riccardi or Finley will be interviewed for THAT job. (Or any job.)

It's certainly possible there will be a GM selected who everyone else reports to, with clearly defined lines of authority, but who knows? Everything was always quite hazy under Cuban, and Masai is essentially doing the same job (and seems to have been given a blank check to do it however he wishes). Is that the only title? Then who gets the POBO title (because it sure did sound like Masai was titled one step further up that ladder)? Does everyone report directly to Masai? And do they even want to keep both. Or either.

[DanSchwartzgan]

But it didn't say who is "expecting" that a GM will be named. It doesn't actually say that Riccardi or Finley will be interviewed for THAT job. (Or any job.)

Smitty Wrote:[url=https://www.mavsboard.com/showthread.php?pid=270058#pid270058][/url]

Masai Ujiri is expected to name a General Manager to work alongside him, per @TheSteinLine.


I will try to be more precise since it apparently wasn't clear from the context of the rest of my post:  I don't see how you keep both if one is elevated to GM.

[Chicagojk]

Not a ton here but footage of Masai trying to trade up Giannis.  Sort of fitting, masai was trying to trade up while Cuban was trading down.

Question- why did he not call Dallas.  If he did, wasn’t in this video
https://youtu.be/Ficds0wx8bY?si=YRnR2n5QkeQmT0vz

[Smitty]

Not a ton here but footage of Masai trying to trade up Giannis.  Sort of fitting, masai was trying to trade up while Cuban was trading down.

Question- why did he not call Dallas.  If he did, wasn’t in this video
https://youtu.be/Ficds0wx8bY?si=YRnR2n5QkeQmT0vz

Can you edit and post the video again? I think the link is wrong.

[Chicagojk]

Can you edit and post the video again? I think the link is wrong.

It should be updated now

[Chicagojk]

The Scottie Barnes vs Jalen Suggs debate was pretty hot.   Barnes averaged 10 points a game at FSU.  There were plenty of people who like Barnes better but it wasn't a consensus.  i think Masai got that one right.

https://www.nbadraft.net/ranking/bigboar...nking=2021

[michaeltex]

So where does Welts fit in the new hierarchy? Isn't he CEO? Will Masai report to him? If so, wouldn't it be strange to have the Alternate Governor reporting to the CEO, who then reports to the owner/Governor?