Posted by:
gwoelfel on
April 8, 2008 at
2:49PM CST
BY GERY WOELFEL
Two former NBA general managers have drawn considerable interest from the Milwaukee Bucks for their vacant GM position.
Both Billy King, a former GM with the Philadelphia 76ers, and John Gabriel, once the GM of the Orlando Magic, are the latest to emerge as potential candidates to replace Larry Harris, who was relieved of his duties nearly three weeks ago.
Gabriel, who was chosen the NBA’s Executive of the Year in 2000 while general manager of the Orlando Magic. is believed to have recently spoke with the Bucks.
Gabriel is now a scout and advisor for the Portland Trail Blazers. Gabriel has a reputation of being a tireless worker with a keen eye for talent.
Gabriel was the Orlando Magic's vice presidents of basketball operations when the team advanced to the NBA Finals in 1996.
One of the coaches Gabriel hired while the Magic's GM was Doc Rivers, the former Marquette University star who is now the Boston Celtics head coach.
Gabrial, 52, also lured some key free agents to Orlando, including Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill.
Gabriel, contacted Tuesday, wouldn't divulge whether he had interviewed with the Bucks.
'"I would love the opportunity to be a general manager again,'' Gabriel said. "I've been in the NBA 25; I have a passion for this business.''
While it isn’t known whether King has interviewed for the Bucks’ job, it is known the Bucks have done an extensive background check on him, having contacted some high-ranking officials in the 76ers’ organization.
King was fired by the 76ers last December after the team got off to a 5-12 start.
King began working for the 76ers in 1997 and was their GM when they beat the Bucks in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2001. But the 76ers haven’t come close to matching that success since.
King took a major gamble in February of 2005 when he acquired aging and injury-plagued Chris Webber, along with Matt Barnes and Michael Bradley, from the Sacramento Kings for Brian Skinner, Kenny Thomas and Corliss Williamson.
The gamble failed as the 76ers bought out the remaining two years on Webber’s contract for reportedly $25 million on Jan. 11, 2007.
King, currently working as an analyst for NBA TV, declined to be interviewed for this story.
King’s name has also been prominently mentioned with the New York Knicks. The Knicks’ new president Donnie Walsh is a friend of King’s and is apparently considering him for a front office position.
There are also whispers Walsh is considering Harris for a position in the organization.
Harris is regarded as a shrewd draft evaluator and helped the Bucks unearth several gems in the second round, including Bucks star guard Michael Redd and Houston Rockets’ starting point guard Rafer Alston.
Some other second-round picks who are still in the NBA that were chosen by Harris are Ronald Murray, Keith Bogans, Dan Gadzuric, Jason Hart and Ramon Sessions.
It was reported in The Journal Times that the Bucks have already interviewed for Seattle SuperSonics GM Rick Sund and current Phoenix Suns senior vice president of basketball operations David Griffin.
The Bucks have also explored the possibility of interviewing John Hammond, who is Pistons’ general manager Joe Dumars’ right-hand man.
However, it is believed the Pistons don’t want to lose Hammond and are attempting to provide him with more incentives to stay with the organization.
The Bucks are hoping to have a GM in place sometime around the end of the regular season. The Bucks’ final game is April 16.
I was hoping for an article about MU getting a coach, or about the Brewers hot start, or the Admirals getting to the playoffs, the Masters starting, or maybe KU's win. Nope. Keep dreaming. Another FRICKIN article about the Bucks. Expand your horizons Gery.
Here comes the delete........5....4....3.....2....1...
Posted by: Silky Johnson on April 8, 2008 4:30PM CST
While you make some great points there Wacko, this is the only Bucks story worth reporting. The team is junk and needs to be blown up. At least we're hearing some established names with some seasoning that will be able to make the rebuilding process that is ahead of us less painful than it has to be.
Wacko, don't you have anything better to do than to respond negatively to a post that provides info. to Bucks fans? Come on Dude - Gery is the only link to the Bucks that most of us have.
I'm hoping that this is a sign that Babcock or Sund will not be our GM. I'd be okay with King or Gabriel, but would prefer Gabriel.
Keep the news coming Gery!
Thanks!
Posted by: brewpackman on April 8, 2008 7:38PM CST
Congratulations, you are the only remaining Bucks fan, Gery will be happy to know there is still someone out there. As for the Bucks, WHO FRIGGIN CARES? The draft is only a couple weeks away for the NFL.......Time to second guess some more of Teddy Bears picks, who will end up serving you heaps of crow.5.....4.....3....2.....1...
Just look at what I've done in Philly: Since we made the 2001 Finals, I gave Mutombo a $68 million extension even though he could have been, like, 48 years old for all we knew. I gave $35.5 million to Aaron McKie. I gave $29 million to Eric Snow. I gave $18 million to Greg Buckner. I gave $40 million to Kenny Thomas and $25 million to Brian Skinner. I gave $25 million to Kyle Korver and $60 million to Sam Dalembert last summer. That's $300 million of contracts to guys who were either on the decline or never that good in the first place. Plus, I traded for other bad contracts, guys like Keith Van Horn, Glenn Robinson, Kevin Ollie, you name it. And then, last February, the pinnacle -- dumping three bad contracts for C-Webb, who everyone thought couldn't be traded because of his contract and because he ran with a limp. Now we have an aging team built around two past-their-prime stars and our cap space is killed through 2008. And we completely wasted Iverson's prime, when he was one of the best players of his generation.
My preference is Gabriel, but King is better than Sund or Babcock....especially if LB joins him.
Posted by: Dan Miller on April 9, 2008 10:07AM CST
Are you kidding? The Bucks are a joke if they hire either of these two losers. Really, two guys who were horrible as GMs before? That's who we can interview.
Simmons for GM! Yes we can!
Simmons for GM! Yes we can!
At least this hiring would generate PR and would be fun to see. Better than hiring two guys who have PROVEN they can't be GMs in the league.
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