I know it’s a couple days old, but I can’t pass up commenting on the departure of Kiki Vandeweghe as Nuggets GM.
First: it’s honestly too early to say if this is a good move for the Nuggets, mostly because we don’t know who will replace him.
In theory, though, replacing Vandeweghe shouldn’t be hard-he was steady, decidedly unspectacular, and, like a good veteran, avoided making any killer moves. While he was inclined to overpay for free agents (Andre Miller, Kenyon Martin), they usually stayed healthy and played hard (until the Clippers series, at least). That put Vandeweghe miles ahead of previous regimes, which handed long-term, guaranteed contracts to the likes of Tariq Abdul-Wahad.
That said, even Kiki’s best moves were tarnished by what could have been. The selection of Carmelo Anthony with the third pick in 2003 finally gave the team a true go-to guy, at least in the regular season. Yet it’s clear that Dwyane Wade, who went two picks later, has surpassed Carmelo as a player. Kiki’s finest trade was moving Tin Man Antonio McDyess (and Frank Williams) to the Knicks for Marcus Camby and Nene (and Mark Jackson and a second-round pick). But the Nene pick could have been used on Amare Stoudemire or the player I liked at the time, Caron Butler. (The Nuggets also passed on Stoudemire that year when they drafted Nichol…Nicolo…Nik…when they drafted Skita with the fifth pick.)
In the context of recent Nuggets history, Kiki has been fantastic. While the Nuggets still aren’t title contenders, they’ve made the playoffs three years in a row. It’s easy to take for granted, but the playoffs were a pipe dream for years.
Lately I’ve enjoyed reading old issues of Sports Illustrated. One article came during the 1997-98 season, when the Nuggets went 11-71 and narrowly avoided setting a new NBA benchmark for losing. Remember that? The strategy that year was basically to tank the season in exchange for a high draft pick and huge cap room. The Nuggets even traded away so-called “star of the future” McDyess to help in future acquisitions. It worked, in a way; after the year, the Nuggets had plenty of money to throw around. Their big signing? Antonio McDyess! Looking back on it, I can’t believe I still root for this team.
So yes, Kiki has erased some painful memories and brought the Nuggets back to prominence in the local sports scene. Now he must be replaced. Are the Nuggets smart enough to find the right man for the job?
4 comments:
A standstill shooter may be the easiest thing to find in any of the major professional sports. Kiki has been pretty average, so we ought to be fine without him, but with this franchise, you never know.
Game at Fenway...that's awesome. Cool, man, definitely let me know.
if they are drinking the same water as the rockies management. no.
i think the tools are in place for some clown to come in and essentially whisper sweet nothings into karl's ear.
do you think reddick goes top ten in the draft?
i will give props to kiki for changing the team colors, having the foresight to do it (it takes a couple of years for approval from what i read) and it came right when mello came. good work for sure.
Hmmm, Redick in the top ten...I don't think so. He could, I just don't find it likely. But if I have to guess now (and I will definitely get more into this later), I'd guess middle of first. Maybe very late lottery.
I think you are spot-on that they'll find someone who will kowtow to Karl.
Dude! I forgot to mention the jerseys, and I was totally going to. They do rock. However, I am disgusted by the Golden State Warriors-inspired alternates. That is just sick that someone would do that; it's the basketball equivalent of people who look up to Charles Manson. Okay, not really. But the Warriors suck! And while they had good days, it was with a different colour scheme, if you will.
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