For all the KOC-hating Goons...
- Thread starter rd81kwc
- Start date
Hopper
Banned
"O'Connor may be the most underappreciated GM in basketball. Nobody does a better job of sticking to a plan. O'Connor has committed to Jerry Sloan as his coach and finds players that perfectly fit his system. Players like Wesley Matthews, Paul Millsap, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Miles, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, Matt Harpring and even Deron Williams would all have been successful elsewhere, but their success was magnified because they were all perfect fits for Sloan. O'Connor understands that you can't just throw together talent and expect it to jell. You have to find the right kind of talent, and for over a decade, he's done exactly that.
O'Connor has also done a great job managing the luxury tax, something that will always be an issue because Utah is a small market. Last season, he made cost-cutting moves that didn't affect his team's performance, then recovered from losing Carlos Boozer by trading for Al Jefferson. His one mistake was giving Andrei Kirilenko too much money in 2004, but otherwise, his record is impeccable.
The only thing lacking is a championship, but that's tough to do when you only get one top-five pick in a decade. O'Connor used that pick well, and he's made every last move count. That's the mark of a good GM."
O'Connor has also done a great job managing the luxury tax, something that will always be an issue because Utah is a small market. Last season, he made cost-cutting moves that didn't affect his team's performance, then recovered from losing Carlos Boozer by trading for Al Jefferson. His one mistake was giving Andrei Kirilenko too much money in 2004, but otherwise, his record is impeccable.
The only thing lacking is a championship, but that's tough to do when you only get one top-five pick in a decade. O'Connor used that pick well, and he's made every last move count. That's the mark of a good GM."
KOC is ranked #2 Amongst all 30 NBA GMs
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/7/22/1582380/nba-general-manager-rankings-pat-riley-heat
2. Kevin O'Connor, Jazz
Hired: 1999.
Coaches: Jerry Sloan (1999-present).
Long-term plan: Build a good team that fits Sloan's vision.
Key draft picks: Deron Williams (3rd, 2005), Gordon Hayward (9rd, 2010), Ronnie Brewer (14th, 2006), Kris Humphries (14th, 2004), Kirk Snyder (16th, 2004), Sasha Pavlovic (19th, 2003), Eric Maynor (20th, 2009), CJ Miles (34th, 2005), Paul Millsap (47th, 2006), Mo Williams (47th, 2003),
Key trades:
2000: Traded Howard Eisley to the Mavericks, Adam Keefe to the Warriors and a first-round pick to the Celtics for Donyell Marshall.
2010: Traded Kosta Koufus and a future first-round pick to the Timberwolves for Al Jefferson.
Key free agent signings: Carlos Boozer in 2004 (six years, $68 million), Mehmet Okur in 2004 and 2009 (six years, $40 million, two years, $21 million), Andrei Kirilenko in 2004 (maximum contract), Matt Harpring in 2006 (five years, $25 million), Deron Williams in 2008 (maximum contract).
Key free agents let go: Boozer (2010), Karl Malone (2003), Derek Fisher (2008).
O'Connor may be the most underappreciated GM in basketball. Nobody does a better job of sticking to a plan. O'Connor has committed to Jerry Sloan as his coach and finds players that perfectly fit his system. Players like Wesley Matthews, Paul Millsap, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Miles, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, Matt Harpring and even Deron Williams would all have been successful elsewhere, but their success was magnified because they were all perfect fits for Sloan. O'Connor understands that you can't just throw together talent and expect it to jell. You have to find the right kind of talent, and for over a decade, he's done exactly that.
O'Connor has also done a great job managing the luxury tax, something that will always be an issue because Utah is a small market. Last season, he made cost-cutting moves that didn't affect his team's performance, then recovered from losing Carlos Boozer by trading for Al Jefferson. His one mistake was giving Andrei Kirilenko too much money in 2004, but otherwise, his record is impeccable.
The only thing lacking is a championship, but that's tough to do when you only get one top-five pick in a decade. O'Connor used that pick well, and he's made every last move count. That's the mark of a good GM.
As I posted before, we underappreciated the job our FO has done for our team.
People here don't understand how good we have it. All the national media always praise the organization & our HOF Coach but we just take them for granted.... SMH
On a side note, I'm proud that this was my 100th post....
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/7/22/1582380/nba-general-manager-rankings-pat-riley-heat
2. Kevin O'Connor, Jazz
Hired: 1999.
Coaches: Jerry Sloan (1999-present).
Long-term plan: Build a good team that fits Sloan's vision.
Key draft picks: Deron Williams (3rd, 2005), Gordon Hayward (9rd, 2010), Ronnie Brewer (14th, 2006), Kris Humphries (14th, 2004), Kirk Snyder (16th, 2004), Sasha Pavlovic (19th, 2003), Eric Maynor (20th, 2009), CJ Miles (34th, 2005), Paul Millsap (47th, 2006), Mo Williams (47th, 2003),
Key trades:
2000: Traded Howard Eisley to the Mavericks, Adam Keefe to the Warriors and a first-round pick to the Celtics for Donyell Marshall.
2010: Traded Kosta Koufus and a future first-round pick to the Timberwolves for Al Jefferson.
Key free agent signings: Carlos Boozer in 2004 (six years, $68 million), Mehmet Okur in 2004 and 2009 (six years, $40 million, two years, $21 million), Andrei Kirilenko in 2004 (maximum contract), Matt Harpring in 2006 (five years, $25 million), Deron Williams in 2008 (maximum contract).
Key free agents let go: Boozer (2010), Karl Malone (2003), Derek Fisher (2008).
O'Connor may be the most underappreciated GM in basketball. Nobody does a better job of sticking to a plan. O'Connor has committed to Jerry Sloan as his coach and finds players that perfectly fit his system. Players like Wesley Matthews, Paul Millsap, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Miles, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, Matt Harpring and even Deron Williams would all have been successful elsewhere, but their success was magnified because they were all perfect fits for Sloan. O'Connor understands that you can't just throw together talent and expect it to jell. You have to find the right kind of talent, and for over a decade, he's done exactly that.
O'Connor has also done a great job managing the luxury tax, something that will always be an issue because Utah is a small market. Last season, he made cost-cutting moves that didn't affect his team's performance, then recovered from losing Carlos Boozer by trading for Al Jefferson. His one mistake was giving Andrei Kirilenko too much money in 2004, but otherwise, his record is impeccable.
The only thing lacking is a championship, but that's tough to do when you only get one top-five pick in a decade. O'Connor used that pick well, and he's made every last move count. That's the mark of a good GM.
As I posted before, we underappreciated the job our FO has done for our team.
People here don't understand how good we have it. All the national media always praise the organization & our HOF Coach but we just take them for granted.... SMH
On a side note, I'm proud that this was my 100th post....
Ray Stankel
New Member
My favorite part of this article is the list of "great" number one picks and how it includes John Wall. Because it's not too early to put him in the same list as Duncan, Olajuwan, Shaq, and Magic...
D Will> CP3
Member
Its freakin SB nation! There not that credible.
Koc has done pretty good but I believe he is not #2. He let go Mo Williams, drafted some horrid players but every GM does that and gave AK a bad contract along with Okur
Koc has done pretty good but I believe he is not #2. He let go Mo Williams, drafted some horrid players but every GM does that and gave AK a bad contract along with Okur
Maybe for your next 100, you can check to see if you're contributing something that was already posted. Vinylone, can you ask the mods to merge this, please?
Done.
LunaticWolf
Well-Known Member
Have you watched the Cavaliers play at all? Mo is garbage.
David Stern
Well-Known Member
That son of a bitch, KOC is the ****.
It's a ridiculous list. Danny Ferry is in the middle of the pack even though he lost Lebron and managed to screw up an unscrewupable situation, Chris Wallace is ahead of 9 guys, The Bulls front office is rated 19th even I though I think they're roundly considered to be very strong right now, Mitch Kupchak didn't crack the top 10 despite the fact that he built the team that won the last two championships, the GM that presided over a 13 win team last season is ranked #12, etc etc.
I don't think KOC is horrible, and some of what he does is constrained by the inability to make any coaching staff changes, but he should be in the 10-20 range of this list, not the second best overall.
I don't think KOC is horrible, and some of what he does is constrained by the inability to make any coaching staff changes, but he should be in the 10-20 range of this list, not the second best overall.
Scorpjazz
Well-Known Member
This. I find it funny how people whine about losing this guy.
David Stern
Well-Known Member
David Stern
Well-Known Member
He was an "asset"
Hitman
Well-Known Member
I understood that the late LHM was the driving force behind this contract. Plus this was just after Pau Gasol was given a max contract he didn't deserve which "set the market". I don't blame KOC for this contract.
Shaggy
Well-Known Member
I'm glad we haven't had to watch his hairy back coming up the court night after night. That **** gave me nightmares.
Shaggy
Well-Known Member
I have to agree with this. The biggest reason the contract is so bad is because his role changed. He was once the first option, now he is the 4th or 5th. How can anyone live up to that contract with that? Imagine if Gasol was the 4th or 5th option on his team??
Edit: Wait. You accusin a dead guy that can't defend him self? classy!
rd81kwc
New Member
KOC may or may not be the 2nd best GM in the NBA. I just think it goes to show that people outside the realm of Jazz fandom generally recognize and respect how good our organization, and specifically KOC, is at capitalizing on the opportunities they are presented with, even if they don't want to watch our boys on Sunday afternoons or see them on SportsCenter.