Will Gores really hire a new Head of Basketball Operations? (final say on all moves)

[BDM22]

Connolly or bust. Does he leave Wloves given ownership issues there. Does Gores make him a monster offer and keys to the franchise. He will likely have new landing spot agreed to before opting out.

I think he'll use Gores' proven deep pockets as leverage to improve his contract/power in Minny and re-up with them. Some playoff success this year will basically force ownership to do the smart thing and keep him.

[zeebneeb]

Connolly or bust. Does he leave Wloves given ownership issues there. Does Gores make him a monster offer and keys to the franchise. He will likely have new landing spot agreed to before opting out.

I think he'll use Gores' proven deep pockets as leverage to improve his contract/power in Minny and re-up with them.

We are going to find out a bunch on Monday. Bucks are out. Perfect time to work through Horst deal publicly. If we don't hear anything at all, someone else is in play.

If it's anyone but Conelly or Horst, Pistons are dead meat.

We all know how critical this hire is. If Gores screws it up, prepare for 5 more years of pain. New York guy hired, pain. Random from New Orleans, pain. Casey, pain, bathed in fire.

Conelly or Horst for me. Otherwise, barring some kind of miracle, hiatus.

[BDM22]

Connolly or bust. Does he leave Wloves given ownership issues there. Does Gores make him a monster offer and keys to the franchise. He will likely have new landing spot agreed to before opting out.

I think he'll use Gores' proven deep pockets as leverage to improve his contract/power in Minny and re-up with them.

We are going to find out a bunch on Monday. Bucks are out. Perfect time to work through Horst deal publicly. If we don't hear anything at all, someone else is in play.

If it's anyone but Conelly or Horst, Pistons are dead meat.

We all know how critical this hire is. If Gores screws it up, prepare for 5 more years of pain. New York guy hired, pain. Random from New Orleans, pain. Casey, pain, bathed in fire.

Conelly or Horst for me. Otherwise, barring some kind of miracle, hiatus.

Horst is pain too. Without Giannis and Middleton (whom he inherited), the team he has "built" in Milwaukee would be total trash and is in a terrible position because Dame, Lopez, and Middleton are all in the downswing of their careers and on inflated contracts which have them with no flexibility.

Even Weaver has a better draft record. Virtually no home-grown talent of any regard from the 7 years Horst has had the job. Not sure why people think he has any track record that would indicate he can re-build a team out of the cellar. Seems like he's trash at picking coaches too. Unless he's going to magically bring Giannis with him, I don't see the appeal.

And since Connelly is very likely to return, I think we need to brace for more pain. Gonna get some random dude Arn Tellem worked with at some point.

[Snakebites]

I think he'll use Gores' proven deep pockets as leverage to improve his contract/power in Minny and re-up with them.

We are going to find out a bunch on Monday. Bucks are out. Perfect time to work through Horst deal publicly. If we don't hear anything at all, someone else is in play.

If it's anyone but Conelly or Horst, Pistons are dead meat.

We all know how critical this hire is. If Gores screws it up, prepare for 5 more years of pain. New York guy hired, pain. Random from New Orleans, pain. Casey, pain, bathed in fire.

Conelly or Horst for me. Otherwise, barring some kind of miracle, hiatus.

Horst is pain too. Without Giannis and Middleton (whom he inherited), the team he has "built" in Milwaukee would be total trash and is in a terrible position because Dame, Lopez, and Middleton are all in the downswing of their careers and on inflated contracts which have them with no flexibility.

Even Weaver has a better draft record. Virtually no home-grown talent of any regard from the 7 years Horst has had the job. Not sure why people think he has any track record that would indicate he can re-build a team out of the cellar. Seems like he's trash at picking coaches too. Unless he's going to magically bring Giannis with him, I don't see the appeal.

And since Connelly is very likely to return, I think we need to brace for more pain. Gonna get some random dude Arn Tellem worked with at some point.

He added key pieces like Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez to the team that won a title. Contending teams often feel a pinch when their pieces enter the back ends of the deals needed to keep the core together.

And it’s hard to hold a draft record against a guy who never had anything other than bottom 5 picks to work with. Many of which were traded.

I’m not holding him up as an ideal candidate but you’re probably not going to get someone who’s track record clearly and explicitly proves they can successfully rebuild. Those candidates aren’t available (I doubt we get Connelly).

[BDM22]

We are going to find out a bunch on Monday. Bucks are out. Perfect time to work through Horst deal publicly. If we don't hear anything at all, someone else is in play.

If it's anyone but Conelly or Horst, Pistons are dead meat.

We all know how critical this hire is. If Gores screws it up, prepare for 5 more years of pain. New York guy hired, pain. Random from New Orleans, pain. Casey, pain, bathed in fire.

Conelly or Horst for me. Otherwise, barring some kind of miracle, hiatus.

Horst is pain too. Without Giannis and Middleton (whom he inherited), the team he has "built" in Milwaukee would be total trash and is in a terrible position because Dame, Lopez, and Middleton are all in the downswing of their careers and on inflated contracts which have them with no flexibility.

Even Weaver has a better draft record. Virtually no home-grown talent of any regard from the 7 years Horst has had the job. Not sure why people think he has any track record that would indicate he can re-build a team out of the cellar. Seems like he's trash at picking coaches too. Unless he's going to magically bring Giannis with him, I don't see the appeal.

And since Connelly is very likely to return, I think we need to brace for more pain. Gonna get some random dude Arn Tellem worked with at some point.

He added key pieces like Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez to the team that won a title. Contending teams often feel a pinch when their pieces enter the back ends of the deals needed to keep the core together.

And it’s hard to hold a draft record against a guy who never had anything other than bottom 5 picks to work with. Many of which were traded.

I’m not holding him up as an ideal candidate but you’re probably not going to get someone who’s track record clearly and explicitly proves they can successfully rebuild. Those candidates aren’t available (I doubt we get Connelly).

Yeah, I'd rather go with someone fresh then. Horst has left Milwaukee with a very old core of players on the decline, no young players worth noting, no control over future picks until like 2030, no wiggle room with the cap (probably going to have to add assets to guys to dump salary), and musical chairs at the coaching spot.

I don't rank highly getting one championship when 99% of the reason you won is because of Giannis and you weren't responsible for him being there. Jrue was a good move. Lopez was a good move. The rest has been rough IMO.

[LaSheed]

I like Horst but Holiday for Dame is the modern day Chauncey for Iverson. But you don't make a trade like that without consulting Giannis I feel like? Idk I would still be ok with the hire.

Still Connelly for me.

[zeebneeb]

One more thing that needs to be thought about when Gores finally does make his move;

The Pistons are the absolute worst, or amongst the worst teams to run in the league right now. Some of the "great gets" may look at the situation as a no win scenario, and even if Gores backs up the brinks truck, they may pass.

That leaves us with second choice, or even third choice.

Expect the worst, cheer for second best.

[LaSheed]

Still crossing my fingers and hoping Connelly is the guy and he can land us Naz Reid.

What was I thinking? I've been sick all week. Just woke up from that dream.

[Mr Peanut]

I think he'll use Gores' proven deep pockets as leverage to improve his contract/power in Minny and re-up with them.

We are going to find out a bunch on Monday. Bucks are out. Perfect time to work through Horst deal publicly. If we don't hear anything at all, someone else is in play.

If it's anyone but Conelly or Horst, Pistons are dead meat.

We all know how critical this hire is. If Gores screws it up, prepare for 5 more years of pain. New York guy hired, pain. Random from New Orleans, pain. Casey, pain, bathed in fire.

Conelly or Horst for me. Otherwise, barring some kind of miracle, hiatus.

Horst is pain too. Without Giannis and Middleton (whom he inherited), the team he has "built" in Milwaukee would be total trash and is in a terrible position because Dame, Lopez, and Middleton are all in the downswing of their careers and on inflated contracts which have them with no flexibility.

Even Weaver has a better draft record. Virtually no home-grown talent of any regard from the 7 years Horst has had the job. Not sure why people think he has any track record that would indicate he can re-build a team out of the cellar. Seems like he's trash at picking coaches too. Unless he's going to magically bring Giannis with him, I don't see the appeal.

And since Connelly is very likely to return, I think we need to brace for more pain. Gonna get some random dude Arn Tellem worked with at some point.

I don't think you can separate the job Horst has done from Giannis and Middleton, because basically all of the moves he has made are because of Giannis and Middleton and without players of their caliber on the roster it would have definitely altered his team building approach. The lack of flexibility comes with being a team that is being built for championship contention - you would tend to have more players on higher salaries and signed longer term because they are naturally better, and you're more likely to have traded your future picks to add extra win-now talent around what you have.

And it's been said in other threads but it's hard to judge Horst's drafting as we only have data from mostly late first round picks or second rounders where your chances of finding a rotation level talent is much lower.

And reports out of Minnesota would also suggest the coaching debacle shouldn't be attributed to him. Giannis made the push for Adrian Griffin and then ownership made the push for Doc Rivers. Horst actually wanted Kenny Atkinson.

I'm not saying all of this because I support Horst or believe he's best for the job. I'm saying that the only GM style of his we have been able to observe is championship team building and we don't have a comparison for how he will perform in a role such as the Pistons where he is trying to build a collection of young talents that fit together and draft in the early to mid lottery. The simple (and boring) answer is we don't know how he will do.

[BDM22]

We are going to find out a bunch on Monday. Bucks are out. Perfect time to work through Horst deal publicly. If we don't hear anything at all, someone else is in play.

If it's anyone but Conelly or Horst, Pistons are dead meat.

We all know how critical this hire is. If Gores screws it up, prepare for 5 more years of pain. New York guy hired, pain. Random from New Orleans, pain. Casey, pain, bathed in fire.

Conelly or Horst for me. Otherwise, barring some kind of miracle, hiatus.

Horst is pain too. Without Giannis and Middleton (whom he inherited), the team he has "built" in Milwaukee would be total trash and is in a terrible position because Dame, Lopez, and Middleton are all in the downswing of their careers and on inflated contracts which have them with no flexibility.

Even Weaver has a better draft record. Virtually no home-grown talent of any regard from the 7 years Horst has had the job. Not sure why people think he has any track record that would indicate he can re-build a team out of the cellar. Seems like he's trash at picking coaches too. Unless he's going to magically bring Giannis with him, I don't see the appeal.

And since Connelly is very likely to return, I think we need to brace for more pain. Gonna get some random dude Arn Tellem worked with at some point.

I don't think you can separate the job Horst has done from Giannis and Middleton, because basically all of the moves he has made are because of Giannis and Middleton and without players of their caliber on the roster it would have definitely altered his team building approach. The lack of flexibility comes with being a team that is being built for championship contention - you would tend to have more players on higher salaries and signed longer term because they are naturally better, and you're more likely to have traded your future picks to add extra win-now talent around what you have.

And it's been said in other threads but it's hard to judge Horst's drafting as we only have data from mostly late first round picks or second rounders where your chances of finding a rotation level talent is much lower.

And reports out of Minnesota would also suggest the coaching debacle shouldn't be attributed to him. Giannis made the push for Adrian Griffin and then ownership made the push for Doc Rivers. Horst actually wanted Kenny Atkinson.

I'm not saying all of this because I support Horst or believe he's best for the job. I'm saying that the only GM style of his we have been able to observe is championship team building and we don't have a comparison for how he will perform in a role such as the Pistons where he is trying to build a collection of young talents that fit together and draft in the early to mid lottery. The simple (and boring) answer is we don't know how he will do.

I agree that we "don't know" what he'd do with building a young team. I'm just saying that I look at what he's done with his MVP + All-Star core and haven't been impressed overall. And I don't think we can just write off all of his questionable moves as "Giannis made him do it".

[Snakebites]

Looks like we will ask the Bucks if we can interview Horst soon (next couple of days would be my guess).

Totally possible for them to say no.

You really get the sense Connelly isn’t going to happen. The Wolves my have ownership issues but as a team they’re on the crux of something.

[Mr Peanut]

The rumors of Scott Perry are unsettling. Not only does he have a mediocre track record as GM of the Knicks but he has a previous relationship with Weaver and will probably keep him on.

[zeebneeb]

For the Pistons to get Conelly, Gores would have to back up fort Knox, and give him total control. It just isn't going to happen.

I mean, he is my top choice, followed by Horst. That means expect someone else, then followed by a parade of BS that "INSERT NAME is the best thing since sliced bread."

I am now at the point, that no matter what happens, i don't care. Prove it to me. Show me a team that after 20 games is damn close to .500, or better.

Otherwise the whole damn thing can burn for all I care. Enough is enough already. There are decades of blueprints to follow, along with 20 some odd other teams that have some level of success.

[Kalamazoo317]

For the Pistons to get Conelly, Gores would have to back up fort Knox, and give him total control. It just isn't going to happen.

It’s absolutely what we *should* do.

[The Moose]

Read on Twitter

Horst out of the running

[Mr Peanut]

Feel pretty ambivalent about not getting Horst. Just hope it doesn't mean we pivot to someone like Scott Perry to be our #1 option.

[zeebneeb]

Do the hits ever stop coming? Conelly or bust now. Gores is gonna have to make a godfather offer to land him.

This has all the makings of a complete, and utter disaster, which would just kill the franchise at this point.

[Snakebites]

Not surprising. Horst was interested but the Bucks won’t let him go.

Connelly isn’t happening.

Honestly I’m kind of at a loss here. No idea who we’ll hire. Tough time to be a Piston fan.

[Mr Peanut]

Dennis Lindsey was a name mentioned, not the "sexiest" pick but he could be solid. Spurs assistant GM from 2007-2012 before he stepped up to GM of Utah from 2012-2021.

Traded into picks to draft both Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. Made some shrewd FA signings and a few nice trades. Those Utah teams never really got over the hump to truly contend, but like us they struggled to bring in decent FAs.

[BDM22]

Not surprising. Horst was interested but the Bucks won’t let him go.

Connelly isn’t happening.

Honestly I’m kind of at a loss here. No idea who we’ll hire. Tough time to be a Piston fan.

That's the thing, be careful what you wish for.

Everyone wanted to get rid of Casey but we ended up with someone clearly worse and are now seemingly stuck with him. It's easy to bag on Troy's moves (he does deserve to be fired IMO), but I would argue he has still been significantly better than the previous couple of GM's with their truly horrendous drafting across the board and signing of guys like Jon Leuer, Charlie V, Josh Smith, etc. to back breaking contracts. The short-sighted desperation trades like the Blake deal.

Troy's biggest flaw is maybe a hesitation to commit to anything, but at least it doesn't cripple you for 5-6 years into the future like the previous few GM's have.