GM of the Year?

[Jules Winnfield]

The race for GM of the year is between Danny Ainge and Mitch Kupchak.

I am going to lay out the case for why Mitch Kupchak should prevail.

Danny Ainge trading for KG and Allen was a no brainer. Nonetheless, they managed to give up one of the better young big men in this league in Al Jefferson. They've got some really old core and really have to start winning now. In any event, Boston is going to be mediocre again in a couple of years because they mortgaged their future for this opportunity. Should they have done it? Absolutely. Any time you get KG on a team with two perennial all-stars, good things are going to happen. Boston is a championship team.

Mitch Kupchak, however, was in a more imprecise position. It wasn't clear what he should do. He had to stick to his guns and principles and you've got to reward a guy when he basically is under as much scrutiny as he was.

Mitch was called out by Kobe. Kobe demanded to be traded. Fans and the media (not just Kobe, mind you) put this guy under the bus for not trading Bynum for Kidd or JO. When everyone said Kobe should be traded immediately as to get maximum value, Kupchak laughed. He didn't rush into a deal during training camp even though it seemed inevitable. He didn't trade Kobe. He didn't trade Bynum either. He stuck to his guns about Andrew and now Andrew is a top 4 center in the league (arguably).

Other notables:

1.Decides to let Smush walk, signs Derek Fisher for pennies on the dollar.
2.Trades Maurice Evans and Brian Cook for Trevor Ariza
3. Refuses to part with Jordan Farmar in deals - the most impressive sophomore guard behind Roy
4. Trades basically a prospect for an All Star Caliber player

In 6 months, Mitch went from being mentioned with Isiah and Kevin McHale to turning the Lakers into a contender.

Is this impressive? Consider that there are only 24 players averging at least 12 points and 8 rebounds per game in the league. The Lakers have 3 of those players - Gasol, Bynum and Lamar Odom.

You add that to who I consider the best player in the league in Kobe and appease him at the same time - impressive.

But the most important thing here is that they have time to dominate for years to come:

Kobe is 29 years old.
Gasol is 27 years old.
Bynum is 20 years old.
Lamar is 27 years old.

So you have your core in their prime along with a clutch triangle savvy PG.

The bench is very talented and young and has been gelling together.

Farmar
Vujacic
Ariza
Walton
Mihm
Radmonovic

Obviously they still have assets which they can trade into another good-great player...notably Walton and Radmonovic who are expendable now.

That's my case for Mitch as Executive of the Year. Feel free to add a case for Danny or anyone else (Blazers GM perhaps?)

[magicfan4life05]

a lot of people will choose ainge, and that's fine, but ill go with mitch because i think he had a lot less to work with than ainge...but you really cant go wrong with either imo...

[Bucky O'Hare]

Kupchak, easily.

[RoxFan08]

I think Daryl Morey deserves an honorable mention.

[Spykes]

You at least have to throw Kevin Pritchard in this conversation.

[MagicFan3]

Absoutely Ainge. He traded for two star players, and his team is now the best in the league.

[MVP16]

It's too early to tell because we have to see how the Lakers do with Gasol and whether the Celtics are going to keep the best record in the league, but as of right now, it's clearly Ainge IMO for several reasons.

1. The possible improvement of last year to this year. The Celtics had the 2nd worst record in NBA last year. They have a good chance of having the best record in the NBA this. They might have the best record turnaround in history. On the other hand, the Lakers were a playoffs team last year.

2. Ainge acquired 2 great players in KG and Allen. Kupchack's best moves were not making moves. He acquired Gasol who doesn't make the difference of KG/Allen.

3. Ainge completely retooled the roster. People look only at KG and Allen, but Ainge made other great moves. Posey has been a great addition and has been responsible for many wins. House has also been a very good addition to solidify the bench and complement the big 3. His 2nd round pick, Big Baby, has even contributed and made the Celtics bench very respectable.

No doubt Kupchak made a coup in the Gasol trade and he definitely deserves to be up there in GM of the year consideration, but I give Ainge the nod because of the greater turnaround and more player overhaul (and the fact that I'm a Celtics fan helps Ainge's cause).

[INKtastic]

Absoutely Ainge. He traded for two star players, and his team is now the best in the league.

They have the best record, they've also had the easiest schedule. Lets see how they do on their two 5 game road trips, one out west, one than includes the 3 texas teams. They haven't even played New Orleans, San Antonio, Phoenix, or Houston yet.

[EvadedHavoc]

It's a Toss-Up between Ainge and Kupchak. Both of them made there respective teams instant title contenders. But id go with Ainge because he got Big Baby / Ray Ray / KG.



Spykes: That avatar is just freaking awesome

[EvadedHavoc]

-= original quote snipped =-



They have the best record, they've also had the easiest schedule. Lets see how they do on their two 5 game road trips, one out west, one than includes the 3 texas teams. They haven't even played New Orleans, San Antonio, Phoenix, or Houston yet.

Actually they did and won. Without T-Mac thou.

[risktaker91]

I'll go with Ainge because he brought in 2 all-stars and really turned that franchise around.

[East_Coast]

With Ainges, at least we've had a chance to see how good his trades have been. i think that Gasol will work out well, but at this point we haven't seen anything.

I say make them Co-GMs of the Year.

[Sephiroth]

This thread is a joke.

The guy that brought in one of the greatest players of all time and one of the best shooters of all time gets the vote.

[HarlemHeat37]

does Kupchak really deserve all of this credit? it was a deal anybody could have made..Memphis GM and possibly other parties involved, deserve as much credit..

at least Ainge had to give up a good big man in Big Al..

[tkb]

I'd award Kupchak and Ainge as co-EOY. Both have done terrific jobs this season.

[The Big Dog]

does Kupchak really deserve all of this credit? it was a deal anybody could have made..Memphis GM and possibly other parties involved, deserve as much credit..

at least Ainge had to give up a good big man in Big Al..

So the guy who gives up virtually nothing to get an all-star did worse than the guy who gave up a lot to get an all-star?

[HarlemHeat37]

no, but Memphis GM did as much as Kupchak for the Lakers here..he had better deals, but he took LA's, which was just fortunate for them, because he wanted the money aspect of this..

any GM in the NBA would give up Kwame and a PG that doesn't even play, if they're getting an all-star in return..it doesn't take any effort..

Ainge didn't have that luxury..he was dealing with someone that wasn't thinking fully about the money aspect, and he had to give up a good young player..he made the better deal, because look at how Boston has performed this year..

[CupcakeNoFillin]

The race for GM of the year is between Danny Ainge and Mitch Kupchak.

I am going to lay out the case for why Mitch Kupchak should prevail.

Danny Ainge trading for KG and Allen was a no brainer. Nonetheless, they managed to give up one of the better young big men in this league in Al Jefferson. They've got some really old core and really have to start winning now. In any event, Boston is going to be mediocre again in a couple of years because they mortgaged their future for this opportunity. Should they have done it? Absolutely. Any time you get KG on a team with two perennial all-stars, good things are going to happen. Boston is a championship team.

Mitch Kupchak, however, was in a more imprecise position. It wasn't clear what he should do. He had to stick to his guns and principles and you've got to reward a guy when he basically is under as much scrutiny as he was.

Mitch was called out by Kobe. Kobe demanded to be traded. Fans and the media (not just Kobe, mind you) put this guy under the bus for not trading Bynum for Kidd or JO. When everyone said Kobe should be traded immediately as to get maximum value, Kupchak laughed. He didn't rush into a deal during training camp even though it seemed inevitable. He didn't trade Kobe. He didn't trade Bynum either. He stuck to his guns about Andrew and now Andrew is a top 4 center in the league (arguably).

Other notables:

1.Decides to let Smush walk, signs Derek Fisher for pennies on the dollar.
2.Trades Maurice Evans and Brian Cook for Trevor Ariza
3. Refuses to part with Jordan Farmar in deals - the most impressive sophomore guard behind Roy
4. Trades basically a prospect for an All Star Caliber player

In 6 months, Mitch went from being mentioned with Isiah and Kevin McHale to turning the Lakers into a contender.

Is this impressive? Consider that there are only 24 players averging at least 12 points and 8 rebounds per game in the league. The Lakers have 3 of those players - Gasol, Bynum and Lamar Odom.

You add that to who I consider the best player in the league in Kobe and appease him at the same time - impressive.

But the most important thing here is that they have time to dominate for years to come:

Kobe is 29 years old.
Gasol is 27 years old.
Bynum is 20 years old.
Lamar is 27 years old.

So you have your core in their prime along with a clutch triangle savvy PG.

The bench is very talented and young and has been gelling together.

Farmar
Vujacic
Ariza
Walton
Mihm
Radmonovic

Obviously they still have assets which they can trade into another good-great player...notably Walton and Radmonovic who are expendable now.

That's my case for Mitch as Executive of the Year. Feel free to add a case for Danny or anyone else (Blazers GM perhaps?)

blah blah blah, all you have to say is Mitch got an all-star big man to pair up with Kobe Bryant, without having to give up Bynum and a lot of key players.

[The Big Dog]

no, but Memphis GM did as much as Kupchak for the Lakers here..he had better deals, but he took LA's, which was just fortunate for them, because he wanted the money aspect of this..

any GM in the NBA would give up Kwame and a PG that doesn't even play, if they're getting an all-star in return..it doesn't take any effort..

Ainge didn't have that luxury..he was dealing with someone that wasn't thinking fully about the money aspect, and he had to give up a good young player..he made the better deal, because look at how Boston has performed this year..

Well other teams could've helped him with the money aspect as well, Kupchak knew the market and still was able to make this trade. You know that there were better offers out there?

It does take effort, you have to play hardball to make a deal like this.

And how can you say Boston made the better deal due to their performance compared to the Lakers when Gasol hasn't played one game for them yet?

[Doctor MJ]

Kupchak deserves major props but I go with Ainge hands down. He was more active, the team had a bigger turnaround, and now we're seeing the additions he add look fantastic even when his biggest move is out with injury.