More GM / President Candidates

[Karma]

This list grows, then drops off every day. Kiki Vandeweghe rejoins the list, as does John Hammond. They join other posibilities in Larry Brown and Danny Ferry.

If anything should alter Cleveland's recruitment of Brown -- a strong possibility based on his history -- the Cavaliers may turn their attention to Denver Nuggets GM Kiki Vandeweghe. League sources tell me that Vandeweghe, who is entering the final year of his contract, has been granted permission by Denver owner Stan Kroenke to interview with other teams.

The Cavaliers' owners are taking the weekend off from searching for new front office leadership, but the river of speculation rolls on.

According to various reports, the Cavaliers informed Milt Newton, the director of player personnel for the Washington Wizards, Friday that he was no longer a candidate for the general manager position.

Newton is a close associate of Detroit Pistons coach Larry Brown, the Cavaliers' top candidate to become president of basketball operations.

Newton's exclusion as a candidate certainly raises some questions.

Along with the tireless denials from Brown and Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, there's a growing perception that the sides aren't as close to a deal as some media reports suggest.

Or, perhaps, it is part of a plan to deflect the massive media spotlight that has been on Brown during the Eastern Conference finals.

Gilbert has lashed out at media members in recent days and, speaking before Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals, Brown ripped ESPN commentator Bill Walton for his comments criticizing him.

San Antonio Spurs director of basketball operations Danny Ferry interviewed for the general manager job with the Cavaliers last Tuesday.

When contacted Saturday, Ferry declined to comment on his candidacy. But two people close to him said he wasn't deeply interested in the position.

There had been some reports the Cavaliers had received permission to speak with Denver Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe.

But Vandeweghe's agent, Warren LeGarie, said Saturday the Nuggets haven't given permission.

According to a team insider, new Cavaliers coach Mike Brown has told assistant coaches Kenny Natt and Brendan Malone that they will not be on his new staff.

Natt has two years left on his contract, Malone has one.

It is believed Hank Egan, a former assistant with the Spurs and Golden State Warriors, will join Mike Brown's staff.

No real harm will have been done to the Cavaliers, who can quickly refocus their presidency search on Vandeweghe or Detroit vice president John Hammond.

 

[NarlCavs]

I posted in another thread that Kiki might not be a good fit with Mike Brown because Kiki has more of an offensive minded uptempo philsophy.
When hiring a GM or president you have to factor in how they will work with the coach and if the right chemistry will be there. That's why the smart thing to do would have been to hire a president or GM and then have them play a big role in the coaching hire. It could be a problem now since Gilbert did things backward and L. Brown and other candidates might not be as likely to come here. The president or GM should play a big part in setting the tone and philsophy of the franchise and then bringing in the people who fit that philosophy.

Ferry or Morway would have been solid candidates who would fit. Ferry might not have as much interest in the Cavs as previously reported.
Hammond wasn't interested before but they might have to make a strong run at him again.

I think Larry Brown to the Cavs is far from a done deal. It shouldn't be a surprise if it doesn't happen which I think would be in the best long term interests of the Cavs.

 

[King]

It's good to hear more rumors about us pursuing Hammond. I remember him being talked about for the job a while ago and he was one of my top choices back then.

 

[Karma]

Just read this.....

Kiki and Tim Grgurich are friends and have the same agent.

Grgurich was supposedly considering taking an assistant position in Denver because of Kiki. Now Grgurich is coming to the Cavs.

This should please most as it points away from Larry Brown. I would too prefer Kiki over Larry. He has been quite successful in Denver and is currently grossly underpaid. The only problem with this is as Narl has posted previously is that Kiki is an uptempo guy and Mike Brown more a half court guy.

 

[cavincali]

man what a bad 2 weeks to go on vacation. :chuckles: i am so behind on this stuff, i dont know whats going on.

who is this brown guy? an assistant i heard but is he any good? whats with all the talk with brown i talked to a friend who said that it sounds like we will be getting brown? i thought kiki wasnt allowed to talk to us and now he can?

 

[LyXo]

Just because he's uptempo doesn't mean he's not defensive minded. I think that Mike Brown will also recognize that the offense should be fairly mobile with LeBron in the line-up. Kiki picked up Camby, an excellent defensive player.

It also might be hard to pry Kiki away from Denver. They have a great team assembled there that is a few trades and the draft away from being contenders. Since signing George Karl, the team has just gone up. Kiki could wait out and get a considerable raise next year.

 

[NarlCavs]

Kiki and M. Brown could work out fine but there is a possibility of problems arising since they do have some differences in style and vision of a team.

Kiki has done some good things but has made some mistakes too. Taking Tskitishvili #5 overall can be considered worse than either the Wagner or Diop picks. I also think giving a max contract to Kenyon Martin was a mistake. He's a solid player but not a max player.

I would be fine with Kiki as GM. I really don't want Larry Brown taking over--only if others are put in place to help control him and have say in decisions.

One more thing to note is that Denver would probably ask for compensation if Kiki came to Cleveland since he's still under contract for 1 more season.

 

[West Remy]

I hope with Detroit beating Miami and Larry Brown being busy preparing for the NBA Finals, Cleveland will look elsewhere and not wait on him.

 

[PIP]

the one thing i remember about KIKI last year was-- every damn rumor on hoopshype and insidehoops had the nuggets looking to pursue that free agent.

he's aggresive in the market.. so i think he would be a perfect GM from the fact or going and getting the guys we need..

just get the damn GM in house already.. "i can't wait until july" just open up the wallet and "LET IT FLY"

 

[King]

I would be much more content with hiring Kiki instead of LBrown. Kiki is more proven and has a fairly good reputation, though he has made a fair share of mistakes.

 

[West Remy]

The Plain Dealer

Cavs to interview Vandeweghe

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

Branson Wright
Plain Dealer Reporter

The Denver Nuggets denied the Cavaliers' request to interview General Manager Kiki Vandeweghe about a front office position three weeks ago. Suddenly, the Nuggets have reconsidered.

The Nuggets have permitted Vandeweghe, who has one year left on his contract, to speak with any team, according to a league source close to the situation. The Cavs, according to a source, will interview Vandeweghe one day this week in Chicago during the NBA's predraft camp.

The Cavs could ask Vandeweghe to take over as GM and assist Larry Brown, who is expected to become the Cavs' President of Basketball Operations following the Pistons' season. Or Vandeweghe could become president if Brown changes his mind.

Vandeweghe has had a solid career as a GM. Three seasons ago, the Cavs and Nuggets finished tied with the worst records. Since then, the Nuggets have been to the postseason twice.

 

[Bonafide]

man what a bad 2 weeks to go on vacation. :chuckles: i am so behind on this stuff, i dont know whats going on.

who is this brown guy? an assistant i heard but is he any good? whats with all the talk with brown i talked to a friend who said that it sounds like we will be getting brown? i thought kiki wasnt allowed to talk to us and now he can?

Mike Brown is our new head coach.

 

[6ft7 and bald]

I want David Morway. Bob Finnan writes today that no one should be surprised if he gets back into the mix.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14657939&BRD=1699&PAG=461&dept_id=46370&rfi=6

Morway is known as an salary-cap expert. And he learned the job from Donnie and Larry. And he's got ties with Mike Brown. And I want him to take the GM job !

 

[West Remy]

Beacon Journal | 06/08/2005 |

Gilbert heads to Chicago

Cavaliers owner to check out talent at draft camp

By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sports writer

CHICAGO -It's time for basketball decisions, yet the Cavaliers are operating with a provisional government. Perhaps, for the time being, it's a monarchy.

The NBA Pre-Draft Camp started Tuesday at Moody Bible Institute, and the Cavaliers' personnel department showed up, not knowing whether they will be employed tomorrow or next week. Today, the only known boss arrives.

NBA officials said, in a rare circumstance, that team owner Dan Gilbert is scheduled to visit the draft camp to view talent.

With the top candidate for the team's president's job, Detroit Pistons coach Larry Brown, unable to give the team a final decision for perhaps three weeks, the club is looking at having to make draft decisions without a certified leader.

The Cavaliers don't have a draft pick, but the current voice of the franchise, Gilbert, said last week that the team intends to move into the draft.

New coach Mike Brown is on board but likely won't make personnel decisions. Unless the team makes a hire, the duty to make a move to get back into the draft and execute any acquired pick will belong to acting general manager Mark Warkentien.

There have been reports that the Cavaliers will interview Denver Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe soon. Vandeweghe had no public comment in Chicago, but he contradicted a report in the Rocky Mountain News, saying no interview had been set up.

Vandeweghe, in the last year of his deal, is trying to get a contract extension from the Nuggets. He was regarded as a possible candidate with the Cavaliers and the Trail Blazers in the past month, but the Nuggets denied teams permission to speak with him.

In an act of strategy, now that the Trail Blazers have picked up the option on GM John Nash's contract and the Cavaliers have identified Larry Brown as their top candidate to lead the front office, the Nuggets freed him up to talk with other teams. In response, it appears that Vandeweghe doesn't want to appear to be seeking another job or looking to be a backup if Larry Brown backs out. Thus, he and his agent have been sketchy in discussing his plans.

Yet Gilbert, Vandeweghe, and agent Warren LeGarie will be in town at the same time today.

 

[LyXo]

League source here, league source there. I don't think these articles really say much. Sure, they're going to be in the city at the same time. Gilbert is there to try to talk to Kiki. Kiki is out there to evaluate talent. Let's see how good of a fisherman Danny boy is.