The guy I think will be the next GM is Terry Porter. Is he qualified? Who knows, but from a PR standpoint it would work. Terry tried to buy the Blazers when it looked liked Allen was going to sell. We know he loves the Blazers and the city. He knows basketball as a player and coach. We could do worse. Paul Allen owns the Blazers because it is his passion. If he is not enjoying it , why do it? Some how KP irritated PA. Paul does not have time to be irritated. I think this relationship would work.
I thought the TP would be Tom Penn. Porter isn't smart enough. The new guy should be a lawyer, accounting manager, hardball negotiator, and oh yes, talent evaluator. The least important things are former player, and popular with the Oregonian. Former coach would be helpful, but not former player.
Horrible idea. Has he ever worked in a front office? I'd much prefer someone who is an assistant GM to a good GM (like Presti who worked for RC Buford).
Jerry West never worked in the front office before his first gig. What did Dumars do? Terry Porter is a pretty smart guy. If we were talking Drexler, I would say no way. But Terry has demonstrated he is willing to work. He has always been a leader. Part of being a manager is letting his "team" do their job. Listen to your scouts and not make the decisions on your own. Hard negotiater? Way down on the list IMO. Vulcan does that job anyways. And TP is a former coach............maybe not a great one, but if he was a great coach then he would still be coaching and not an option here.
I don't know this, but has TP ever done any scouting or been involved in player personnel decisions at any time in his life? If the answer to that question is 'no,' then there's no way he should be at the top of the list to replace KP.
Terry Porter is my favorite Blazer of all time. I own one Blazer jersey, and it is Porter's #30. I love the fact that TP is once again associated with a team that should have never let him leave. That being said, I don't think he's shown he has the skill set necessary to be a GM. If he were hired, it would be a tacit admission that someone else was really running the department.
Is that all that bad? Larry Bird is a GM and has a "director of Player Personell". (until they just fired him) The Blazers have often done this. They pay scouts to scouts. Plus if he wants input on players, he can come to this website.
Heck, I'll give him him email address. KP had my email AND phone #, but I don't know Porter that well. We'll start off with email.
How is Larry Bird having been an abominable GM and personnel guy an argument for TP to assume the same role?
I wouldn't use Joe D as an example of a positive for past players being successful. His Pistons have been getting worse or staying even. I look at their roster and see very few players to build around. He wasted his FA money last year on BG and CV, they are both nice players, but not something to build around. Nevermind, BG is nice, but CV was a waste of money, no defense and he got benched for long periods of time this year due to poor play. I would like TP as an assistant, but not a GM.
This may sound dumb, but aren't Buchanan and Born considered the lead researchers behind KP's genius? Is it out of the realm to promote from within here? If not, I could see a "name" being brought in while B&B's roles/responsibilities increase.
My point is that many teams use a separate Director of Player Personell. A GM has a lot of other duties. TP could be a stablizing figure with in the organization. Am I guessing? Sure. But other retread GM's are not getting me excited either. They all have baggage.
I actually see those two following KP when he lands with another team. All KP's new team has to do is offer them a title promotion to let them out of their deals.
Born and Pritchard were scouts together, and Buchanon became part of the trio soon thereafter. Pritchard brought both to Portland because he had worked with them in the past. Both were extremely supportive of Pritchard in the Oregonian last week. I thik the 3 of them have an incredible working relationship, as is evident after listening to Prtichard give them some much public praise over the past 4 years.
I seriously doubt Porter will be a GM ever, let alone the next GM of the Portland Trail Blazers. Ed O.
