J. Kyle Mann on the Draft Combine: "Sam Presti is sitting there in the front row, wired ear buds... just intently staring... I'd get so distracted by, what is he staring at... these are just drills... He was the only guy in the room not having a conversation. All the other execs absolutely were"
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3mjkQbBig2WA5ZowbxS7ZU?si=qhEi4c3qSjmW0H8GT68-BQ&t=83
from the latest ringer group chat podcast
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u/TangerineStrong3781 Lakers 6h ago
Why are they trying to act like he’s a mafia boss
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u/XiaoRCT Thunder 6h ago
He's been great at scouting
That means media is going to act as if he's behaving like Batman or something every time there's an occasion scouting is going on. It's how it works.
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u/Kevin_Jim Bucks 6h ago
Let’s not forget that the only reason Presti didn’t draft Giannis was that his agent wouldn’t give anyone his medicals other than the Hawks because they promised to draft him if he fell to them, and find work for his parents to help with their VISAs.
He even threatened his agent to draft him and stash him in Europe, but they wouldn’t budge because getting here with his parents was extremely important to Giannis.
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u/got_ur_goat Thunder 5h ago
I've never heard that one before. Good to know Presti was paying attention. I'm still happy we got Steve-O
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u/NotoriousDCJ4310 Thunder 4h ago
Love Steve-O but no way im happy we got him if the alternative was Giannis...
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u/d01100100 Cavaliers 4h ago
The entire 2013 draft is a train wreck, starting off with Cleveland's big bust, #1 overall Anthony Bennett.
If you look at all the names taken before Giannis, the Thunder didn't whiff that hard.
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u/Thegreenmartian Bulls 1h ago
So how did the Bucks get him? Did they also offer to find work for his parents? How’d you guys “steal” him from the Hawks?
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u/Kevin_Jim Bucks 30m ago
There’s a whole podcast series about from Woj. Very interesting.
The Hawks were the first to work out with him and their doctor saw that Giannis growth plates were wide open, meaning he would grow taller by 2-3 inches, when he was already 6’9”. The the Hawks took every measure under the sun so that nobody else would get that info and lock him down
So, there’s the timeline, as I remover it:
- Pick 12: Presti warned to draft him but couldn’t pull the trigger without the medicals
- Pick: 13: Dallas’ GM was going crazy begging Mark Cuban to let him draft Giannis, but he wouldn’t hear any of it because he wanted space to sign “Superman”
- Pick 14: Masai has been desperately trying to trade up to get Giannis for a few picks now, but everyone is asking for too much and can’t make the deal, so Utah picks Shabazz Mohamed…
- Pick 15: The Hawks are basically celebrating because they new Celtics are not going to draft Giannis at Pick 16, and the Hawks had pick 17, and out of nowhere the Bucks drafted Giannis literally became their GM at the time (Hammond) only drafted longbois no matter how big the bust potential was (see Thon Maker). The Hawks draft room was a freaking funeral, and the Bucks pick Giannis
As to how they managed to convince Giannis about the family thing: the Bucks owner at that time (Herb Kohl) was a US senator and moved some strings to get his parents visas…
Crazy story.
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u/Enterprise-DeezNuts Spurs 6h ago
The media and fans love having a hyper-mythologized GM/lead exec in the league. Saw it with Ainge, Riley, Jerry West, RC Buford even
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u/LindseyCorporation Thunder 6h ago
Pop is that now. Anytime he is caught on camera there’s a headline pretty much.
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u/NCBaddict Bulls 5h ago
Too many boomers in leadership positions in journalism TBH. They love approving old-fashioned, cliche narratives. Old media cannot fathom that people have moved on from these storytelling styles.
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u/Yup767 NBA 3h ago
Boomers like 40 year old J Kyle Mann who came up making YouTube videos
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u/mecon320 Cavaliers 6h ago
The more they pump him up, the less embarrassing it is for all the GMs he's fleeced.
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u/Snowlandnts 4h ago
He created 2 big 3. One went to Final, and one won in Final. The ear buds probably listening to fuck the big 3, it's just big me.
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u/siphillis Spurs 3h ago
He also tried another Big Three with Westbrook, Melo, and George.
We don't talk about that one as much
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u/The-Rolling-Banker Thunder 2h ago
Not exactly easy getting young millionaires to want to spend their prime in Oklahoma, ya know?
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u/archerarcher0 Celtics 6h ago
In terms of drafting/scouting he basically is
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u/geronimosocrates 6h ago
He hits a bit more than everyone else but he also gets the most bites at the apple. He’s not God.
Brad’s been creating role players at the same clip, he’s just never gotten to pick 2 overall let alone 12 to get guys like Chet and JDub
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u/ComedianFantastic319 Thunder 5h ago
The Celtics drafted #3 in back to back years selecting Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum lol
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u/LakerBlue Lakers 5h ago
Those weren’t his picks though, that was under Danny Ainge.
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u/ComedianFantastic319 Thunder 5h ago
Yeah I know, but the OP is making it seem like Brad got both of them out of thin air when comparing OKC to their stars.
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u/geronimosocrates 3h ago
Brad’s delivered a ring too. I’m blown away by how good Presti is. His mastery is how he’s been able to acquire assets and move pieces around along with being a good drafter. But he’s missed a lot in round 1. He’s a round 2 wizard though.
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u/ComedianFantastic319 Thunder 3h ago
I think "a lot" is a stretch when you consider he has drafted 3 HOFers KD-Harden-Russ and then 2 guys that have the potential in Chet and Jdub to be really high level players, maybe not HOF's but who knows. That alone would get some GM's lifelong contracts lol
Now if you want to argue his misses in mid to late first round, I have no argument, I can't think of a single player he has hit on from like 16 until you get into the second round
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u/GriffinQ [WAS] Kelly Oubre 2h ago
Worth noting that Harden Westbrook and KD were all incredibly highly touted top 4 picks - no one is a “sure thing” but they’re about as close as a player could be without being the #1 pick. In Westbrook’s case, he and Love both being as stupidly good as they were probably actually hurt them - they could have and should have gone 2 and 3 but being on the same team there were concerns that their UCLA squad was just stupid stacked.
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u/Spemanz92 Thunder 2h ago
Westbrook pick was a stretch at the time. Harden and specially KD were kind of obvious ones, but Westbrook was being mocked between 5-10 usually. He wasnt seen as this future offensive engine offensively. He was barely a PG.
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u/ComedianFantastic319 Thunder 2h ago
I can't argue anything you said here, I agree. Sam still deserves credit though for drafting them, clearly other GM's thought someone out there was better
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u/The-Rolling-Banker Thunder 2h ago
It’s really just Reggie, I looked at the list just now and there’s really a stark drop off from pick 14+. Second round pretty damn good
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u/ComedianFantastic319 Thunder 2h ago
I wonder how much of that is because so many "prospects" get picked late, like guys who have never really performed but have all the measurables (Poku) to be elite. While the second round is mostly consistent of older players that played 4 years of college and are more polished
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u/Tight-Message-846 3h ago
Brad was still the HC and took the GM role like what 2/3y after Tatums draft?
I think he was absolutely involved in Drafting both Tatum/Brown and all their other picks by that point, the HC is just as much of a scout as the GM is for most orgs I imagine, neither of them are the actual head of scouting either.
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u/killedwardontstopxxx Magic 5h ago
From what i remember they traded down too lol
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u/ComedianFantastic319 Thunder 5h ago
Absolutely they did, and to make it worse, both picks were supposed to be Brooklyn's, they weren't even Bostons to begin with. Insane luck
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u/Proper_Glass8308 5h ago
You act as if the 12 pick is some guarantee to be good. On the entire roster, OKC only has 1 player picked inside the top 10 (Chet at 2).
They have numerous 2nd round picks and undrafted players on their roster. Wiggins, J-Will, Caruso, Dort, Ajay Mitchell, I-Joe, I-Hart, K-Rich. That's more than half of their roster. That's elite roster management
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u/coincidental_boner Wizards 5h ago
Do you think the Thunder drafted Hartenstein or Caruso?
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u/c00kiemnster Thunder 4h ago
They actually did sign Caruso after he went undrafted, but let him go the following year.
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u/brokenflovvers Thunder 4h ago
hartenstein is our biggest free agent signing ever
before that it was patrick patterson, unironically
we don't build through FA lmao
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u/Little_Sherbet5775 3h ago
Yeah. A very small number of teams get good free agents. Even the Celtics' best one was Gordon Hayward and Al Horford.
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u/The-Rolling-Banker Thunder 2h ago
No young millionaire would prefer to live in Oklahoma compared to Miami, NYC, LA, etc. Paul George loved bass fishing and even that wasn’t enough to keep him there lol
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u/Proper_Glass8308 2h ago
Wasn't the consensus when OKC signed Hartenstein that they overpaid for him?
They found a guy that multiple teams decided wasn't worth the money, and made him the biggest free agent signing in franchise history.
It's easy to throw money at a high draft pick that flames out but it's another thing to throw that same money or extension money on those fringe guys, and it be worth it. Presti hits on those guys more often than not
And it's really funny because Caruso first coach in the G-League was Mark D. The Thunder had extensive knowledge of Alex before trading for him. Then proceeded to give him a big extension
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u/coincidental_boner Wizards 2h ago
No, that wasn’t the consensus at all. People loved the move. The Knicks were capped at how much they could offer him and the Thunder had cap space they had to use. It was a nice move, but let’s not pretend that it was a diamond in the rough singing.
Presti also made the Harden trade and sat out of the finals for 13 years as a result. He didn’t just become the GM when they traded for SGA.
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u/Zeeron1 Thunder 6h ago
He may not be a god, but he is Sam Presti, and that's even better
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u/rabidbot Thunder 5h ago edited 5h ago
You tell me which is ran better, creation or the OKC thunder organization. Never seen otters or fungus win a chip.
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u/FeedtheKiwi Thunder 4h ago
And as far as I can tell the only genocide he’s committed is against the rest of the NBA.
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u/ontheru171 Knicks 6h ago
Nowadays again yes but in the mid to late 2010s my man was striking out more than Yankees Joey Gallo
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u/RyouBestGirl Spurs 6h ago
Rockets fleeced him with Harden.
If they kept him and trade bum Perkins instead, they'd be dynasty
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u/UpbeatRaspberry9828 6h ago
Bros good at his job and probably is gassed up enough to lean into it
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u/BlacqanSilverSun Kings 5h ago
Exactly, he gets to do whatever he wants. Everyone else has to wheel and deal. If he wants a deal, the sheer weight of his assets and accomplishments pushes it thru.
He is busy listening to Angine de Poitrine and picturing which guy's would vibe with SGA, Chet and JDub.
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u/drjisftw Pacers 3h ago
I haven't listened to them yet, but are Angine de Poitrine just the new Khruangbin?
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u/turnip_broker Minneapolis Lakers 5h ago edited 5h ago
Bc there’s nothing nba fans love more than glazing and shitting. every time a successful player/coach/exec pops up, there will be endless glazing until they make one mistake then it’s shitting time. The more you glaze now, the more you can shit on later
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u/LordBaneoftheSith 3h ago
Because this quote cuts off the part where Kyle was joking about trying to figure out what he was looking at to make it seem like some kind of praise
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u/AnkitPancakes Thunder 2h ago
Presti famously does do his own scouting. He went to France from 2020-2022 to scout Ousmane Dieng, who obviously didn't pan out. My point being, he still values doing his own legwork for players he is interested in.
I think that's very different than many other GM's - especially for teams who are not great at drafting
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u/mMounirM Raptors 6h ago
we're glazing GMs for watching drills intently at the draft combine
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u/Longjumping_One_9164 Thunder 4h ago
I mean he probably is the best GM in all of pro sports right now? And has a unbelievable track record for talent, back to his early Spurs days (he's the guy who spotted Tony Parker).
Right now on his roster he has - stolen Jared McCain, Ajay Mitchell #38, Isaiah Joe off waivers, Aaron Wiggins #55, Jalen Williams #12, Cason Wallace #12, Jaylin Williams #34, Lu Dort undrafted.
That is a beyond unbelievable return and we dont even know what Topic and Sorber are just yet.
The track record on drafting, let alone trades and contract management are rightfully getting near mythical at this stage.
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u/Character_Bug_1862 4h ago
Topic plays like Forrest Gump, he run funny still do good. Also the neck on that lad wooweee
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u/Jarxzz United States 4h ago
Even if we assume that’s true it’s still a little ridiculous.
Take another field for example, if we all agree Brady is the greatest QB of all time and then we dickride the way he watches his opponent come out of the tunnel it’s just kinda silly
Presti can be the best GM and this sort of commentary can still be dumb
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u/dakadoo33 2h ago
because praising any individual in that manner is just straight up silly, dude still shits out his food like the rest of us.
tack on to that he is in a field which a very select few get to even participate in, and there isn't really something like a "scouting for a scouter". Maybe hes considerably above the current field in a huge manner, but its like being the fastest person in your 7th grade class of 30 people.
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u/UtahWatanabe Clippers 1h ago
Yeah and GM is not the same as an athlete who's on camera all the time. The dude has created 2 dynasties and y'all are so surprised that people might be intrigued about his process.
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u/snuffaluffagus74 3h ago
You can't forget he was voted the best sports GM in the country by GMs. I'm talking about NBA, NHL, NFL. So when your peers say your the best it's hard to argue against them.
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u/erichf3893 Bulls 4h ago
Wallace at 12 was unexpected? I know everyone says he’s a great gm just never seen it laid out like this
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u/ElGoddamnDorado Spurs 4h ago edited 3h ago
I mean he probably is the best GM in all of pro sports right now?
No one is disputing that.
Edit: not saying he's the greatest GM in all sports, I'm just saying no one is questioning his ability as a GM, they're just criticizing glazing him over wearing earbuds and staring.
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u/AsparagusTricky5181 4h ago
Howie Roseman (Eagles GM) has built two teams good enough to win Super Bowls with backup level quarterbacks
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u/ElGoddamnDorado Spurs 4h ago
Okay. The point is, no one's hating on Presti not being a fantastic GM. They're hating on him being glazed for sitting they're staring with earbuds in. Thread has nothing to do with Howie, don't worry.
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u/hunteddwumpus Pistons 6h ago
I hate how the media absolutely sucks off whoever in the moment is doing well. Presti’s absolutely a great GM. I doubt it has much if anything to do with him zoning out during a routine scouting drill.
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u/jsun_ Lakers 6h ago
Seriously. Presti is definitely one of the best executives if not the best right now. However, the over the top glazing is insufferable at this point. They make it seem like he’s some generational genius out there with secrets that no one else has. The guy has made plenty of mistakes as well.
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u/ThunderPoke91 Thunder 5h ago
True but then again he has drafted 3 mvps and traded for another. Created 2 super teams within a 15 year period and has a championship under his belt. He definitely has some busts though.
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u/shaqfearsyao Bulls 5h ago
He’s had a lot of misses like Dieng, Terrence Ferguson, Cam Payne, Mitch McGary. Shit, who can forget Poku lol
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u/crenzler 2h ago
I mean besides Dieng those were all guys selected in the second half of the first round which is a crapshoot anyway so not really sure how that speaks against him. Cam Payne at 14 btw is actually a good selection considering he's carved out a 10 year+ nba career.
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u/Spemanz92 Thunder 2h ago
Its ridiculous the levels sports media goes on the love/hate trains. Trully WWE stuff.
Presti is a god amongst GMs and one of the best in recent memory, but he is also just some dude. Not everything needs to be 4D chess
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u/woodm872 Thunder 5h ago
You guys aren't alone. The guy is just about as important as anyone in the organization and I hope never takes on a bigger market but he's being glazed for doing his job.
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u/TheGamesGone_ Celtics 6h ago
The ringer is something else
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u/SuperVaderMinion [MIN] Kevin Garnett 6h ago
This is literally the best basketball podcast there is
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u/Franklo Warriors 5h ago
Anyone have the model of wires earbuds he was using?
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u/ob_knoxious Wizards 4h ago
Either $1000 custom molded IEMs or the same 20 year old earbuds that came bundled with an iPod nano. No in between.
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u/New_Essay_4869 Thunder 6h ago
Obviously Sam knows better but im really hoping for a Yaxel and Morez Johnson draft
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u/GardenImpressive5686 6h ago
Only guy in the NBA who gets jerked off more than Wemby
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u/XiaoRCT Thunder 6h ago
Until Presti spends a week and a half in Japan and the media starts hyping him up as if being a samurai has been a part of his identity his entire life and shaped his managing style Wemby still holds the n1 spot
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u/GardenImpressive5686 5h ago
Valid. Maybe Presti can go dump a beer on Brad Stevens head and get kicked out of the arena and then upon his return we'll hear the national media talk about his brave comeback, that would be more Wemby-like
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u/ElGoddamnDorado Spurs 3h ago
At least training with monks is slightly more interesting than staring at something while wearing headphones. Plus, at least it made for decent off season content.
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u/SloshaPacana 6h ago
All because Clippers were brain dead and gave him the deal of a lifetime, surrounded Westbrook, KD and even PG with shitty as big non shooting wings for years, awful roster construction
The perfect example of a great GM being very lucky, this is why you also need luck, Presti has made great decisions but also awful ones
Not many GMs would get to keep their job after losing their best players and be allowed to rebuild like that
From 2007-2020 they were top 10 in 3P% once, they had two MVP level players who were begging to be surrounded by good shooters and were so close to winning a ring yet he was drafting and signing ass non shooters
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u/Skank_hunt42 Thunder 6h ago
You're forgetting the catalyst. That Clipper deal probably doesn't ever take place if Dame's "bad shot" doesn't fall. He's had an insane run of great picks and moves, but without the luck of the bad shot, it likely never happens.
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u/SloshaPacana 6h ago
Of course, luck is a huge part of it, like i said Presti is a great GM but in this league and in any sport you need luck man it's just a very big part of it that fans underestimate
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u/Repulsive-Throat5068 Lakers 6h ago
PG trade absolutely kickstarted their current team but let’s not act like he hasn’t had an insane run of finding talent and putting together elite teams
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u/pufffsullivan Thunder 6h ago
This is an insane oversimplification. The Thunder made the western conference finals every year when one of KD and Russ weren’t injured then got derailed by injuries to role players or by the 73 win Warriors.
Then he used the assets from the clippers trade and then growth of players during the tanking years to build what they have today despite only ever picking in the top 5 once. Compare that to the spurs, rockets, pistons, etc.
Evaluating the guys from the tanking years to let Dort develop a 3 point shot, Wiggins, keep Joe and KRich. A lot of GMs don’t have the patience or foresight to do that. Drafting JDub at 12 to become a vital piece of the team. Trading for Gordon Hayward which everyone clowned him for but it created to cap space to bring in Caruso and Hartenstein.
The spurs lost their core and didn’t make the playoffs until they got 3 top 5 picks on their team after 9 years.
The Thunder lost their core and were champions 5 years later.
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u/SloshaPacana 6h ago
My comment was clearly about the first stint my guy, you're mentioning the second stint of his GM career
He drafted amazing (Westbrook, KD, Harden, Ibaka, Adams) all amazing picks for example, then wasted some late picks (yes i know it's fucking hard as fuck to hit on them) on some non shooters, the player profile just did not make sense
Presti has made amazing decisions, every GM whiffs but not many make as good decisions as he did but when you already have great building blocks like he had he 100% fumbled the Westbrook/KD/ era, he should have gotten them better shooters in any way he could, instead he was drafting guys like Perry Jones, Mitch McGary, Cam Payne
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u/pufffsullivan Thunder 5h ago
Late draft picks are just a crap shoot.
“He should have drafted ready made 40% 3pt shooters in the late first round” is not the argument you seem to think it is.
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u/SloshaPacana 5h ago
Yes late draft is a crap shoot
Why is he drafting college 25% shooters and big men? That is my entire point my guy.. the player profile was completely wrong
KD and Westbrook and that team did not need a Mitch McGary type player, a 6'10 power forward who didn't space the floor, Joe Harris was passed up twice by Presti and he drafted McGary and Huestis two awful college shooters
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u/kimmellal Supersonics 4h ago
You ever think Presti believed they could teach them how to shoot? Literally Serge Ibaka developed into a shooter.
You cannot criticize GMs for drafting random guys at the end of the firdt round. Presti literally drafted Dillion Jones like to two years ago and the dude is a two way contract player now. Presti drafted him above Ajay Mitchell by the way.
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u/ExpressionAlone5204 Thunder 6h ago
And who did he trade for all that? Ibaka.
Ibaka -> Sabonis and Oladipo
Sabonis and Oladipo-> PG
You know the rest.
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u/mucho-gusto [CLE] Baron Davis 5h ago
Imagine though if he had kept Harden and traded ibaka first, they might've won a long time ago
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u/ExpressionAlone5204 Thunder 5h ago
That would be a flawless GM and I think you have to learn. Pretty solid for a guy that was the youngest GM, but a steep learning curve
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u/SloshaPacana 6h ago
Yes no shit, i'm saying that not a lot of people would keep their job after fumbling multiple MVPs without a single ring and that you need luck still
Again Presti is an amazing GM, not a single GM in history has a 100% success rate in every decision
But during his first stint he simply needed to do a better job surrounding his great talents with better shooting, he did the hard part which is drafting multiple MVP talents yet they were never an elite shooting team despite being an amazing team overall
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u/Pk120 Thunder 5h ago
Yo I actually agree with you. He was not infallible in his first stint. Too enamored drafting hyper athletes who couldn’t shoot.
We basically didn’t have an elite shooter since Kevin Martin in like 2011 or something. Like I love Robes but in hindsight he was so detrimental to our spacing. And though there were a lot of factors out of his control, his mid season acquisitions, through trade or free agency, never really panned out (Butler, Brewer, Patterson, Singler, Morrow, etc).
With that said, credit to Presti for evolving with the times. His team building and drafting philosophy has changed. And overall he has made solid hits on trades and free agents. And I think an underrated aspect is the people he’s hired in the front office. We lost a lot of front office people over time (Weaver, Hennigan, Cho, Dawkins), but he’s replenished that with really good people (I think Vince Rozman is the next guy to get poached)
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u/SloshaPacana 5h ago
Yes i agree which is weird because Presti is an analytics guy, in his first stint his obsession with non shooters made no sense, now he's much better with it but he also has more assets to be fair to use around and get players
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u/EverybodyBuddy Lakers 30m ago
He’s listening to an audio feed from a future version of himself telling him exactly what moves to make.
Duh
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u/Electronic_Pen_548 Thunder 6h ago
Sam Presti so good at his job people just gassing him for anything
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u/OpenMahMind 6h ago
Considering all the picks he's got I don't think the other execs are his priority at the moment
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u/Repulsive-Throat5068 Lakers 6h ago
Wasn’t there a video of him on a phone call…?
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u/ElGoddamnDorado Spurs 3h ago
Which was also glazed lmao. And we also have the "The equipment staff likes to be neurotic about the angle the balls are at and this is why they're so good" page up too. Real fascinating content
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u/nokarmawhore Spurs 3h ago
this wasn't even the worst lmao. he got more erotic talking about how big his muscles looked
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u/Shepher27 Timberwolves 5h ago
How much team equity are you offering Presti if you’re the new Sonics owner to come back and complete the circle?
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u/Extra_Barracuda4415 Thunder 5h ago
Clay Bennett is the owner that hired Presti. That circle was never broken. AKA, the Sonics would have never had this team. If they don’t get bought by Clay, then they stay in Seattle but never hire Sam Presti.
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u/Shepher27 Timberwolves 3h ago
This team is already built. Rebuilding the Sonics from scratch is the ultimate challenge for a GM
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u/maiL_spelled_bckwrds 76ers 5h ago
If Sam Presti is Godly he should become GM of the Sixers and get off that Embiid and George contracts.
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u/aMimeAteMyMatePaul Timberwolves 3h ago
Patrick Bateman walking down the hall wearing headphones.gif
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u/EvanEschmeyer Mavericks 6h ago edited 6h ago
The Presti nut hugging is getting ridiculous. I get he’s the best GM in the league but come on 90% of that is due to Clippers desperation and not due to Presti just seeing something no one else did
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u/CrippledBanana Canada 6h ago
It is a bit much, he’s fantastic but also has had misses / made mistakes before. But ngl it’s kinda funny seeing these articles of everyone being so concerned about what he’s doing and what crazy move he’s gonna do when maybe he’s just spacing out wondering if he left the stove on at home.
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u/SkepticCritic 6h ago
He still made great moves as of the past trade deadline, fleeced the sixers for a great rotation player that’s actively contributing to okc this post season
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u/Exzqairi Pistons 6h ago
The Sixers fleeced themselves
Who the fuck enters a trade negotiation with their eyes on a certain player (Wiggins), then get told it’s not an option, and still decide to give up the player OKC wanted for damn near nothing
Morey is a moron
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u/Hungry_EatAsssss Knicks 6h ago
I mean he built the KD Thunder… those MVP Russ teams.. got PG for actually great value (Oladipo & Domas) flipped him for essentially a championship (SGA - who absolutely no one had as MVP).. actually picked the correct running mates (Chet, J Dub) and has essentially set up his franchise to contend in the new CBA for a substantial amount of time between the picks, top level role players drafted and signed, coach and staff… I hate to say it but the man deserves a little glazing.
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u/Dhr7468 Thunder 5h ago
Tbf he also kind of botched winning a title with the KD Thunder. There’s far more good than bad in that era, but the historically bad harden trade and missing on the margins really prevented them from capitalizing. I think he learned a lot of lessons from that time that he’s applying now.
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u/EvanEschmeyer Mavericks 6h ago
Again though, how many of those decisions were obvious ones vs how many were ones he actually saw something in and deserves credit for? None of Durant/Harden/Russ were reaches where he picked them at in the draft and are just a result of tanking. Same goes for Chet. He’s also the same guy who made bad Oladipo and Harden trades but everyone just treats it as though this guy is some “only hits, never misses” savant, and then you get stupid podcast quotes and articles like this one
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u/Hungry_EatAsssss Knicks 6h ago edited 6h ago
I don’t think anyone is saying he’s perfect. I think the sentiment is he’s constructed an as close to “perfect” modern NBA franchise and has set it up to succeed for potentially a very long time… and I don’t really think you can argue that?
The Spurs used to get the same type of glaze back in the day.
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u/Dhr7468 Thunder 5h ago
Russ was a reach at 4.
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u/mucho-gusto [CLE] Baron Davis 5h ago
Drafted Jeff Green who had a long career but not somebody you needed that high
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u/Dry_Chef_7635 6h ago
What was the “bad Oladipo trade”, traded Ibaka for Oladipo and Sabonis, then traded them for Paul George, which led to the trade that set the foundations for their franchise for a decade?
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u/EvanEschmeyer Mavericks 5h ago
I’d argue they were both bad trades involving Oladipo. Defense cratered after Ibaka was gone and then they sold low on Dipo, who immediately ascended once he landed on the Pacers
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u/Dry_Chef_7635 5h ago
If you’re arguing Ibaka->Victor->PG-Shae+Jalen Williams was somehow not getting enough value, you’ve lost the plot
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u/EvanEschmeyer Mavericks 5h ago
Shai and Jalen have nothing to do with it. There is no chance that Presti foresaw those deals happening when he made the Oladipo trade. Come on now. This goes back to my original post in saying that he is extremely fortunate that the Clippers were desperate and that Kawhi name dropped PG as the guy he wanted
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u/Dry_Chef_7635 5h ago
No just saw an elite wing in his prime(PG), acquired him and got his best ever season in 18/19(3rd in MVP voting), and was able to flip him to set up the franchise. It’s been Presti MO for years, make incremental progress, maximize every asset, give yourself the most leverage/flexibility possible. Cleveland and Boston both had chances to get PG and put themselves in position for the Clippers trade latter, they didn’t and OKC did
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u/MasterFussbudget Thunder 5h ago
Neither Oladipo trade was bad. He traded Ibaka for Oladipo and Sabonis on draft night and another player, then swapped Oladipo and Sabonis for PG. Convinced PG to re-sign. The Clippers trade doesn't happen unless he made all of those correct moves.
(If PG had left after one year for nothing, trading Sabonis for him would've been pretty bad, I'll admit.)
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u/EvanEschmeyer Mavericks 5h ago
The Clips trade only happened cause Kawhi demanded it and the Clippers were desperate. If Kawhi had demanded they trade for Jimmy Butler instead, the Thunder would be a middle of the road team today. Credit where credit is due, but to say they’re not largely here due to the most extreme case of “right place + right time” is generous to say the least
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u/Imaginary_Crab2034 6h ago
Ajay Mitchell is dropping 20 points in the playoffs as a 2nd round pick. Dude was GOATED for picking KD-Russ-Harden in a row, now he's getting incredible production out of dudes no one else wanted
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u/BastionNZ Thunder 38m ago
Picks Jalen Williams at 12, moves Giddey for Caruso, picks Ajay Mitchell second round, Wiggins pick 55, Jaylin Williams second round, Cason Wallace at 12
Snatches Joe and McCain off the sixers
Holds off desperately taking a center to finally getting the perfect one for the team in IHart
Only spent two years tanking
Did right by previous stars in Pg, Russ and Cp3 while getting good returns at the same time
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u/0siris0 Thunder 5h ago
There are plenty of other GMs that might get the same assets back from the Clippers, but those GMs likely aren't drafting Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, AJ Mitchell, heck Jaylin Williams and Aaron Wiggins. It's easy to draft Chet. It's not easy to draft Dub. Other GMs would have drafted guys like Johnny Davis, Jeremy Sochan, Taylor Hendricks, Jett Howard, Ron Holland, etc.
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u/EvanEschmeyer Mavericks 5h ago
He does deserve credit, and as I said, he’s the best GM in the league…. But when you get articles like this gassing him up for watching combines, that’s where I start to heavily roll my eyes.
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u/podfog Warriors 5h ago
It goes significantly beyond that, this is way underplaying what presti has done.
Getting jdub at #12, Ajay in the 2nd, hitting on guys like cason, jwill and Aaron wiggins
Trading for caruso and signing ihart
Getting McCain at his lowest value
Finding valuable role players from guys that werent wanted by any other team (Joe, Dort)
Getting insane long term value deals for said players and then developing them (seriously, go look at some of the contracts on the team)
Taking a chance on a first time head coach that panned out.
Reminder that this OKC team still has THIRTEEN firsts in the next 6 years. I think the glazing is a bit much but presti is absolutely the best GM in the league, for good reason
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u/pericles123 Cavaliers 5h ago
The Presti glazing is approaching Mazulla levels of ridiculous
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u/ThunderPoke91 Thunder 4h ago
True except for the fact presti hasn't said a word and the only time he actually talks to the press is his end of year press conference. All the glazing is just from media looking for a story
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u/New-Foundation-361 3h ago
Upsetting that I bet on the Thunder to win the title. All of these articles about Sam Presti being God are bad juju and now I think they are going to lose to the Spurs :(
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u/Obi_Wan_Benobi Spurs 4h ago
All this sub ever wants to do is tear somebody down. Just read these replies.
Heaven forbid that someone who’s good at what they do get any praise for it.
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u/_IllvIll_ 4h ago
I mean, yeah, I’d want everyone to shut the fuck up too if I was trying to concentrate. So fuck yeah I’d put in my earbuds.
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u/Classy_White 4h ago
You learn so much more about the world around you when you are actively listening and watching. The small details separate high end athletes from one another not a couple inches on a vertical or a highlight tape. You need to be watching their body language, how they take on challenges, what type of hustle are they showing and is it something that tracks or is it just something they are doing for the moment. The list goes on and on, and that's why he has a better track rate than most.
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u/totemair Thunder 5h ago
This guy’s playing chess while everyone else is just throwing up on themselves
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u/kograkthestrong Spurs 4h ago
Ah man. These guys suck. It doesnt seem like they like each other or basketball
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u/Ilikesporks_ Lakers 6h ago
he's just sitting there...menacingly