Posted by:
gwoelfel on
April 11, 2008 at
1:03PM EST
BY GERY WOELFEL
Since the Milwaukee Bucks began looking for a new general manager three weeks ago, they've targeted John Hammond.
It now appears they may have secured his services.
Hammond, the Detroit Pistons' highly-regarded vice president of basketball operations, has verbally agreed to take the Bucks' GM job. Hammond has yet to sign any documents to seal the deal, but that appears to be just a formality.
There have been national reports that Hammond could be officially hired by early next week. However, I have been told Hammond could be be working for the Bucks by as soon as Saturday..
Hammond didn't return a call Friday morning. Neither did Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president of basketball operations. Both were in a meeting late Friday morning.
Ron Walter, the Bucks' vice president - alternate governor of the Bucks, couldn't be reached, either.
The Bucks have privately wanted to have a GM in place by the end of next week. While they coveted Hammond, they also interviewed former Seattle GM Rick Sund and front office executive David Griffin of the Phoenix Suns.
They have also shown keen interest in Billy King, the former Philadelphia 76ers general manager. They also talked to Donnie Walsh, the former president of the Indiana Pacers who reently accepted a similar job with the New York Knicks.
Hammond told The Journal Times last week he would have some interest in the Bucks' GM position, which opened up when Larry Harris was relieved of his duties.
However, Hammond has had a close relationship with Dumars and was reluctant to give up what was a personally rewarding job. Hammond felt so comfortable in his job that in recent years he turned down GM openings in Toronto and Portland.
Hammond's first major assignment as Bucks general manager will be to determine the fate of Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak. It is unlikely Krystkowiak will be retained as the Bucks are headed to the draft lottery for the second straight year.
The scuttlebutt is the Bucks already have three potential head coaches on their radar screen: Larry Brown, Jeff Van Gundy and Rick Carlisle.
While Brown has impeccable coaching credentials, it is believed he is looking for a situation where he would have complete control over player personnel matters. His name has also been linked to possible openings in Memphis and Chicago.
That is something, especially with the impending hiring of Hammond, wouldn't occur in Milwaukee.
Carlisle, who is a television basketball analyst, recently told The Journal Times that he wants to be an NBA head coach again. Carlisle also said he was extremely confident that would happen this summer
Carlisle had been a head coach for the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons.
Van Gu\ndy, like Carlisle, is also doing television work. Before that he was the head coach of the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks.
Two things that have piqued the interest of the Bucks in Van Gundy is that he has an outstanding reputation for getting his teams to play defense and that he has worked well with centers i.e. Patrick Ewing in New York and Yao Ming in Houston.
The Bucks have one of the best young centers in the game in Andrew Bogut and are likely to grant him a five-year contract extension in July.
* Hammond's soon-to-be hiring shouldn't have any impact on Dave Babcock, the Bucks' director of player personal. In fact, it is believed Babcock has been given a multi-year contract extension
There are also rumblings the Bucks could hire John Gabriel in some capacity. Gabriel, the NBA's Executive of the Year in 1999 while the Orlando Magic's general manager, is currently a scout and advisor for the Portland Trail Blazers.
While the Magic's GM, Gabriel engineered several major moves, acquiring stars Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill and hiring Glenn 'Doc' Rivers as coach.
great hiring I hope he builds a team like the one he built in Detroit. those some bad-ass mofo's
Posted by: Silky Johnson on April 11, 2008 6:36PM EST
Wurd, great hire! It's like Ted Thompson coming to the Packers. While it may not make the big splash, it will be good in the long run. Can't wait to see how he blows up this collection of selfish players!
Posted by: brewpackman on April 11, 2008 8:21PM EST
Silky....Are you familiar with how this columnist feels about Ted Thompson? If this ends up like the Ted Thompson hire, Gery will deem it a failure. I know next to nothing about basketball and the way it is run successfully, but I do hope this works out well for the Bucks....the team they put out there every night as it is....SUCKS!
Rick Carlise is the next coach of the Bucks I can guarantee it! He is going to keep three players Bogut, Williams and Yi the rest are going to be traded before draft. I hear Reed is on his way to the Clippers for Cory Maggette and cash. I'll keep you updated.
Posted by: brewpackman on April 13, 2008 12:37PM EST
You should change your name from...the fish that saved pittsburgh to.....the dork that nobody takes seriously
Posted by: brewpackman on April 13, 2008 9:53PM EST
Dude........Take a look at your previous comments, you should tell no one to get a life, as far as a job.......you wish you had a job like mine, instead of manning the fryer at wendys
and pud from pitt - 2 things.... 1. how do you expect a GM to trade an entire team except for 3 players? who would want any of those guys and their huge contracts? 2. who's Reed, and why would the clipps wanna give up Maggette for him?
Posted by: brewpackman on April 15, 2008 12:07AM EST
I hear the Bucks are going to trade Ramon Sessions, Michael Redd, Bobby Simmons, and Dan Gadzuric to the Lakers for Kobe, Gasol and Andrew Bynum....I'll keep you updated.
I heard Michael Jordan is going to come back to the league next year and the only team he wants to play for is the Milwaukee Bucks. I'll keep you updated.
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