Well here it is guys, the news we have been expecting ESPN.com news services The Golden State Warriors are placing former star forward Chris Mullin in charge of basketball operations, ESPN.com's Marc Stein has learned. It was not immediately known whether general manager Garry St. Jean will remain with the organization in a different capacity. The Warriors are expected to make Mullin's promotion official at a news conference later Thursday.
Well, here we go...I hope Mullin knows what he's doing. The Warriors are having a press conference at 2:00, hopefully we'll know what Mullin plans to do with Saint. I'm actually shocked right now. Everyone was expecting Mullin to be the GM, but he's not. It will either be Saint or someone else...geez I wonder if he'll bring in Higgins to be the new GM...
The Warriors are having a press conference at 2:00, hopefully we'll know what Mullin plans to do with Saint. I'm actually shocked right now. Everyone was expecting Mullin to be the GM, but he's not. It will either be Saint or someone else...geez I wonder if he'll bring in Higgins to be the new GM...
I think this is a good step in the right direction. Question: What is the difference between GM and head of bball operations?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">I think this is a good step in the right direction. Question: What is the difference between GM and head of bball operations?</div> My understanding of a head of basketball operations is pretty fuzzy as well, but I think that's because teams define it differently...sort of like special assistant to the GM... Mullin is now somewhere between Rowell and Saint on the totem pole. One of the guys on the espn Warriors board, who is a reporter and gets a lot of stuff off the rueters wire, is saying that this may mean Higgins will become the GM and Mario Elie will become the coach.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting wtwalker77:</div><div class="quote_post">My understanding of a head of basketball operations is pretty fuzzy as well, but I think that's because teams define it differently...sort of like special assistant to the GM... Mullin is now somewhere between Rowell and Saint on the totem pole. One of the guys on the espn Warriors board, who is a reporter and gets a lot of stuff off the rueters wire, is saying that this may mean Higgins will become the GM and Mario Elie will become the coach.</div> Is that a good thing?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">I didn't know Mario Elie was looking to be a head coach.</div> That's been the rumor that I've been hearing. Mullin is supposed to be good friend with Higgins and Elie, so people suspect if he were to go with a young coach it would be one of them. Elie is an assistant coach for the Spurs now and Pop is supposedly grooming Elie to be a head coach. If this is indeed the case that Higgins and Elie are coming in along with Mullin, I think it is a huge gamble for Cohan to bring in three guys with very little front office experience to run the basketball side of the Warriors.
Is anyone listening to the press conference, KNBR.com isn't working for me? If you are fill me in on what was said.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Gohn:</div><div class="quote_post">Is anyone listening to the press conference, KNBR.com isn't working for me? If you are fill me in on what was said.</div> Mullin, Rowell, and Cohan are being fairly vague, but here's what's been said so far: Saint: is out as GM, but has been reassigned in the organization Musselman: haven't decided yet, but it sounds like Muss is probaby out of there Draft pick: Mullin is going to make sure whoever they draft is going to have a strong work ethic and play a particular style of basketball. (this is the one criticism of Saint I have, he just went after the best player at each position and didn't worry about whether they could play together). On atrracting a marquee player: 1) is paying them big money 2) winning 3) who you're playing with. Said that if you don't have a star player, then it is important to realize it and play as a team.
The most positive spin I can put on this is that the Warriors now have a basketball guy who has about as much authority as Rowell, who is only a business guy.
Thanks wtwalker77 for the summary. I also like that idea of picking players that will fit in with the team, and not just random players that are good but won't be effective with the team. The press conference didn't seem too interesting. It seemed more like a formal way to establish Mullin as Head of Basketball operations and that was it. But it will be intersting to see what Mullin does this offseason, now that he officially has control. I wish they were a little bit more elaborate with with detailing some sort of plan.
The press conference didn't seem too interesting. It seemed more like a formal way to establish Mullin as Head of Basketball operations and that was it. But it will be intersting to see what Mullin does this offseason, now that he officially has control. I wish they were a little bit more elaborate with with detailing some sort of plan.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">With his spiked hair and smooth jumper, Chris Mullin was one of the most popular players in Golden State's history. The Warriors are hoping he'll be just as big in the front office. Mullin was introduced as the Warriors' executive vice president of basketball operations Thursday. Owner Chris Cohan believes the five-time All-Star will end the franchise's 10-year absence from the playoffs -- the longest streak in the NBA. The Warriors have groomed Mullin for the job for the last two seasons, employing him as a special assistant. He dabbled in everything from management procedures to scouting until he was prepared to assume control. "I didn't want to take this job until I was ready, but it's time," Mullin said. "I feel like this team is right on the cusp of doing some good things. I feel honored to be the person chosen to lead that." Garry St. Jean was stripped of his title as general manager to make room for Mullin, though St. Jean will get another job with the Warriors. Neither St. Jean nor coach Eric Musselman, who's expected to be fired soon, were at the news conference announcing Mullin's promotion. </div> http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n...1344EDT0085.DTL
I heard that same rumor about Mario Elie on the Mercury forum. I think it is BS. I think that this title for Mullin is just a glorified way of saying he is the GM and that Higgins is going to replace Muss as coach unfortunately. I would rather have Muss than Elie!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Gohn:</div><div class="quote_post">Is anyone listening to the press conference, KNBR.com isn't working for me? If you are fill me in on what was said.</div> You can watch and listen to the press conference on www.warriors.com It is about 22:00 minutes long...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Warriorfansnc93:</div><div class="quote_post">You can watch and listen to the press conference on www.warriors.com It is about 22:00 minutes long...</div> cool, thanks for the link.
Here's a bit more on how the Warriors are defining Mullin's new role as VP of basketball operations: "Chris Mullin and myself are accountable and responsible for all business matters of the Golden State Warriors," Rowell said. "And Chris will handle all aspects of basketball operations. He's responsible for building the team, managing the roster and taking it to another level." http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctime...ors/8501123.htm It's still unclear to me whether this means Mullin intends to act as the GM and also work the business side of it with Rowell or being "responsible for the basketball decisions" means Mullin will hire another GM. After my fourth or fifth reading of it, it sounds like Mullin is going to be the GM. But its things like this that make me really question Cohan and Rowell. If Mullin is the new GM, say he's the new GM. If his duties are going to be more than that, then say that. Also, Mullin repeatedly said he wants to keep the young core together (he listed Speedy, Richardson, Pietrus, Dunleavy, and Murphy as the young core). My guess is that he's going to get a coach who will get the Warriors to play an up tempo style of ball similar to what they played in Musselman's first year. Sort of a revival of the Run TMC days. I dunno Run SJMMT just doesn't have the same ring to it... But if that is indeed the case, I would be very happy with that. The Warriors were the darlings of the league in the latter part of the '02/'03 season because they played an exciting brand of ball. That's a good way to attract talent to the team, which is probably what Mullin was getting at when he said playing a particular style of ball would be one of the ways he'd make the team a desireable desination for free agents. I also think a fast break team concept is best for the Warriors right now. Speedy and Dunleavy are great at starting the fast break (Dunleavy's not the fastest guy, but it sure helps when a guy can rebound the ball and start the break himself), Pietrus and Richardson are great finishers and Murphy always been good at trailing the break. The key to success next year would then be for the Warriors to keep the opposing fg% down, and that's something guys like Pietrus and Robinson should be able to do.
