KOC moving on up. Jazz look for new GM

https://mobile.twitter.com/#!/WojYahooNBA

I wonder how this affects things.

The Voice of Reason wrote:

https://mobile.twitter.com/#!/WojYahooNBA

I wonder how this affects things.

This worries me. I am sure he will still have input on things, but for him not to be the main guy making basketball decisions is scary. In his tenure he has only had one bad season. He has been the master architect at rebuilding twice.

This makes no sense at all. He has put a plan into motion to make the Jazz a contender and now just gives up and brings someone else in to finish the job?

I don't see any possible reason for it. I'm sure it's more money, but they could have given him that and still kept him as GM. A new GM could come in and F up everything the Jazz have done. Not to mention unless it is a very established GM he won't have the relationship with other GMs that KOC has.

Stupid move by the Jazz

My guess is that this is a transition move. I'll bet KOC still has a hand in personnel decisions. Perhaps this is so KOC can groom the new guy slowly.

Rumors are that San Antonio and OKC GMs or assistand GMs are in the mix.

That is a decent mentoring system. Better than Isaiah Thomas.

Hey we've always got Scott Layton sitting on the Jazz bench!


I saw this:
O'Connor will stay with the franchise and remain a key decision-maker, however, while retaining the "executive vice president" role. Current Jazz VP Walt Perrin could earn the job if Utah makes an in-house selection, but they also have reported interest in Spurs assistant GM Dennis Lindsey and Cavaliers assistant GM David Griffin. Aug. 6 - 5:53 pm et

Anyone from the Spurs organizations would get a green light from me. The Cav's? Not as much.



I also saw this on the Des News that adds one more person to the list:

Wojnarowski reported that Oklahoma City's Troy Weaver was targeted for the job but will stay with the Thunder. San Antonio's Dennis Lindsey and Cleveland's David Griffin have also reportedly drawn interest.

The Thunder are the team that many Jazz fans want to model the Jazz after, but it appears he's staying put.



I read this on SLC Dunk's comments section. Makes a lot of sense:

O'Connor isn't going anywhere According to Wojehowski, he is only giving up the GM title, not the executive title. For the Jazz to hire an executive from another team league rules require the Jazz to give the new executive a promotion from their previous job. Since they wanted an assistant for KOC, they needed him to give up the GM title so they could promote an assistant GM to the main job.

You will still see KOC’s fingerprints all over the organization.

by sincityjazz on Aug 6, 2012 3:56 PM MDT via mobile reply actions

No worries boys and girls, and my fears are calmed:

Kevin O’Connor plans to relinquish his role as longtime general manager of the Jazz and is leading a search for a new GM, a high-ranking team source told The Salt Lake Tribune on Monday. O’Connor’s expected to still lead Utah’s basketball operations, though, and retain key aspects of the "executive vice president" portion of his job title. Salt Lake Tribune

also:

Brian T. Smith: Update: Jazz view O'Connor's move as a plus. Utah will retain O'Connor's expertise and "modernize" by adding a new front-office voice. Twitter

also the leading candidates are either Weaver from OKC or the guy from the Spurs; both elite organizations. And still keeping KOC's eye for talent and smart money buys.

Mutangclan wrote:

No worries boys and girls, and my fears are calmed:

Kevin O’Connor plans to relinquish his role as longtime general manager of the Jazz and is leading a search for a new GM, a high-ranking team source told The Salt Lake Tribune on Monday. O’Connor’s expected to still lead Utah’s basketball operations, though, and retain key aspects of the "executive vice president" portion of his job title. Salt Lake Tribune

also:

Brian T. Smith: Update: Jazz view O'Connor's move as a plus. Utah will retain O'Connor's expertise and "modernize" by adding a new front-office voice. Twitter

also the leading candidates are either Weaver from OKC or the guy from the Spurs; both elite organizations. And still keeping KOC's eye for talent and smart money buys.

I asked Salt City Hoops about this, and the writer of it is one of the best. Here was our twitter conversation:

@saltcityhoops do i understand that KOC's role does not change much, but this is basically just a move to get him an assistant? (That was me)

@therawns_nba That's the way I'm reading it, but they're luring the new person with the full title of GM, with "Protege" in tiny print. (His response)

I agree, my fears are now calmed. I had read some reports after work, and after I posted my initial fears on here.

Kevin O’Connor plans to relinquish his position as longtime general manager of the Utah Jazz, The Salt Lake Tribune learned Monday. Dennis Lindsey, San Antonio vice president/assistant general manager will take over the role.

O’Connor, 63, will still guide Utah’s basketball operations and retain key aspects of the "executive vice president" portion of his job title.



Yahoo! Sports first reported Lindsey’s hire.

O’Connor and San Antonio GM R.C. Buford declined to comment when asked about Utah hiring Lindsey. However, the Jazz announced late Monday they’ve scheduled a front-office-related news conference for 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Oklahoma City’s Troy Weaver and Cleveland’s David Griffin were considered for the job, Yahoo! reported, with Weaver deciding to remain with the Thunder.

The Jazz have one of the smallest front offices in the NBA, and O’Connor’s decision will push forward a modernization process that began when Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan resigned in February 2010.

Post-Sloan, O’Connor has run the Jazz’s day-to-day operations while guiding the small-market organization into a new era. Now, the second-longest tenured GM in the NBA can continue to oversee basketball operations at the same time he grooms a potential successor.

A league source with ties to O’Connor told The Tribune the move makes "perfect sense." By removing himself from the day-to-day grind of being a GM — dealing with agents, travel, nonstop phone calls and endless rumors — O’Connor should be able to streamline his responsibilities and provide the Jazz with sharper leadership.

"Kevin’s one of the most stable and well-respected GMs in the league, but the job wears on anyone," the source said. "Kevin’s the presidential-type. He’ll be able to oversee, delegate and run the Jazz like an NBA team should be run."

A league source with knowledge of the Jazz’s organizational operations envisioned a scenario in which O’Connor could take over all aspects of basketball operations, while president Randy Rigby would continue to control the business side of the Larry H. Miller Group.

story continues belowstory continues below
O’Connor is expected to continue to rely on Bob Hyde, Jazz executive vice president/chief financial officer, for salary-cap and financial expertise.

O’Connor’s move was not a surprise to some who regularly deal with him. However, many within the Jazz organization were completely caught off guard when contacted Monday by The Tribune.

O’Connor has been the Jazz’s primary basketball voice for 13 seasons, navigating Utah through two major transitional eras — the retirements of John Stockton and Karl Malone, Sloan’s resignation — and keeping the Jazz competitive during three decades. He’s trusted by Utah coach Tyrone Corbin, highly valued by Jazz CEO Greg Miller and Rigby, and respected by everyone from premier NBA agents to journeymen veteran players.

While O’Connor is widely regarded as one of the best GMs in an ever-changing league, aspects of the job have begun to wear on him during the past two seasons.

In the last 18 months, All-Star point guard Deron Williams and Sloan have left the Jazz. Utah returned to the playoffs last season, following a surprising 36-30 regular-season record that exceeded expectations. But the Jazz still have much work to do to become an NBA-title contender, and Utah could have as many as eight players under expiring contracts once the 2012-13 season starts.

After Sloan resigned, O’Connor became the most powerful figure in the basketball side of the organization. He orchestrated the blockbuster Williams trade, recently exchanged Devin Harris for Marvin Williams, and has provided Utah with major financial flexibility heading into the summer of 2013.



After reading this on the Trib it makes a little more sense. I was worried for a minute!

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/54643005-87/connor-jazz-miller-basketball.html.csp


Another good article about KOC moving positions.

Dennis Lindsey from the Spurs is the man.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/54648577-87/lindsey-jazz-connor-nba.html.csp

zero24gravity wrote:

Dennis Lindsey from the Spurs is the man.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/54648577-87/lindsey-jazz-connor-nba.html.csp

If he has had anything to do with finding the talented players that the Spurs seem to find year after year he is going to be a big deal for the Jazz in finding good players to help make them a contender in the coming years, they seem to be able to get very good players even with them having to get them with late first and second round picks.

Nice to see that we are adding high level, front office personnel and not merely substituting high level, front office personnel, and that young Miller is smart enough to understand that it needed to get done to effectively deal with all the decisions coming down the pike. With as many as eight Jazz expiring contracts (someone said on radio) coming next summer, I am glad O'Conner has some solid help to figure it all out, although I am sure Mags is disappointed that he didn't get the call.

Crunchtime1 wrote:

Nice to see that we are adding high level, front office personnel and not merely substituting high level, front office personnel, and that young Miller is smart enough to understand that it needed to get done to effectively deal with all the decisions coming down the pike. With as many as eight Jazz expiring contracts (someone said on radio) coming next summer, I am glad O'Conner has some solid help to figure it all out, although I am sure Mags is disappointed that he didn't get the call.

Could it be that Mags is actually Dennis? Haven't heard from him in a long while...which makes sense if he was interviewing and now moving his family to SLC

O'Connor needed help and you can only raid other team's staff if you give the person you acquire a promotion. Lindsey was already Assistant GM in SA, so for him to come here, the GM position was the only one available.

This way O'Connor will still be doing the same job, and Lindsey gets to do the hands-on, network-building day-to-day stuff. He gets to suck up to agents and do the Bullshit Dance with the other GMs. It's a perfect setup to guarantee (*again*) continuity for the franchise.

Smart move.

MTJazz wrote:

Crunchtime1 wrote:

Nice to see that we are adding high level, front office personnel and not merely substituting high level, front office personnel, and that young Miller is smart enough to understand that it needed to get done to effectively deal with all the decisions coming down the pike. With as many as eight Jazz expiring contracts (someone said on radio) coming next summer, I am glad O'Conner has some solid help to figure it all out, although I am sure Mags is disappointed that he didn't get the call.

Could it be that Mags is actually Dennis? Haven't heard from him in a long while...which makes sense if he was interviewing and now moving his family to SLC

No, I wasn't moving, I was brooding...that son of a bitch stole my job form me!! Seriously. and talk about being stabbed in the back, KOC new I wanted that job, he knows my qualifications form his years of lurking at the TT...

But it's fine, I'm over it, I've moved on...I swear.

I actually like this hire, and it will be interesting to see how he manages this team with so many options.

TheMagnus wrote:

MTJazz wrote:

Crunchtime1 wrote:

Nice to see that we are adding high level, front office personnel and not merely substituting high level, front office personnel, and that young Miller is smart enough to understand that it needed to get done to effectively deal with all the decisions coming down the pike. With as many as eight Jazz expiring contracts (someone said on radio) coming next summer, I am glad O'Conner has some solid help to figure it all out, although I am sure Mags is disappointed that he didn't get the call.

Could it be that Mags is actually Dennis? Haven't heard from him in a long while...which makes sense if he was interviewing and now moving his family to SLC

No, I wasn't moving, I was brooding...that son of a bitch stole my job form me!! Seriously. and talk about being stabbed in the back, KOC new I wanted that job, he knows my qualifications form his years of lurking at the TT...

But it's fine, I'm over it, I've moved on...I swear.

I actually like this hire, and it will be interesting to see how he manages this team with so many options.

Hee hee. I knew you were in the hunt. Don't brood too hard though, your time will come. And in the meantime you can beat up on all us wannbe GM's over here, which doesn't pay that well but gives you practice and allows you to sleep on top of the pile every night!