O'Connor: Thorn Still Best Man for Nets Job

Not surprised that O’Connor is defending Thorn.

I honestly believe Rod needs to go.

And no thanks to O’Connor’s suggestion of hiring JVG, trading Harris and signing Lee. Those are not the answers and would take us nowhere.

I’d rather bring in a coach who can teah the game to the kids (Fratello, Cal, Pitino) and not blow our cap space overapaying 3rd tier FAs like Lee and Gay, who would be upgrades at some of our weakest positions, BUT ain’t the kind of players we should spend the big bucks on, IMO. I’d rather take on the overpaid expiring contracts (see AK) of some veteran who could help the kids and make the team more competitive next season. Rebuild through the draft.

And I don’t buy the John Wall hype yet. I’d rather have Evan Turner. But even if we land Wall, we should stick it out with Devin, who is an AS caliber player and is playing at a great level as of late.

Blood is on everyone’s hands. They all need to go!!

Wow. This i never knew. Hiring Kiki was Stern’s idea? and was PUSHED by him?
Well, that explains everything.
It’s like getting the stamp of Satan.
No wonder this thing was cursed from the beginning by Lucifer Kiki and his Prince of Darkness Yi.
(In Seinfeld’s ‘Newman’ voice): “STERN”

For whatever reason can’t access page 2 of this story. So I don’t see what his suggestions to improve are….

I agree with Andres. I think that Rod needs to go. Rod was a great GM and really changed this franchise for the better with the trade for JKidd, drafting KMart (but with the first pick there were no other options), pulling off the Eddie Griffin for RJ, Collins, Armstrong trade (he could have had Arenas over Armstrong), pulling off the VC trade from Toronto, and drafting Kristic. Its hard to really knock many of his moves as they were dictated by Ratner who clearly is viewed as a joke in the NBA, and can single handedly be to blame for the Nets not having a ring at this point.

But….the Nets most important asset over the next 3 years is a bevy of draft picks (5 first rounders, 5 second rounders). And Rod is just not very good in the draft. The Nets draft fortunes dramatically improved when Kiki came aboard. Kiki proved in Denver and again in NJ that he has a good eye for talent (Yi notwithstanding). We need Kiki in the front office to man the draft. That is how this team is going to continue to improve – rebuilding thru strong drafts.

I think forcing Kiki into the coaching role this season was Rod’s way of trying to take over in a power struggle. He figured he could push Kiki to the bench, and ultimately over a cliff. That is not the character I want to see in a guy leading a franchise.

As for free agency – if we can’t get Lebron, I would really like to see us get David Lee. The guy is a warrior, competes every night on a dismal Knicks team (his entire career), and is playing as a center when he is a natural PF, and giving away 3-5 inches nightly. Last night against Boston, he had 28 and 15 in yet another losing effort. That is the kind of guy I want to see on this team to play next to Brook. Also, when the Knicks legends all commend David Lee and criticize the Knicks rebuilding plans for leaving David Lee in the cold – that tells you something. He is a throwback type player, a guy who would be a winner back then, and should be a winner in the present. A player like him is worth more than what he does on the court, he will provide leadership that is lacking and be a positive influence on not only Brook, but also TWill and CDR.

Maybe Stern can get us the #1 pick since he seems so involved with the Nets franchise. Stern was the one who got Thorn his current job with the Nets.

He is the most powerful commissioner in sports history.

Now I understand why Kiki has not been fired. He is friends with Stern. Nice to have friends in high places. Good for him..

The big question is how to make this disaster into a contender. With a joke of an owner who is broke, no GM could have done any better than Thorn. Since the year 2000 Thorn has had 4 picks in the top ten. Martin, Lopez, TWill and Griffin who was traded for RJ, Collins & Armstrong. Every other pick was no lower than 15th and anybody who thinks that they have a GM who could consistently get good picks with that draft position is dreaming. With the situation we’re currently in it’s doubtful that any FA would come here that could make us a contender, let alone have the ability by themselves. Imo only Lebron is capable. The two best draft prospects are guards and neither will put us in a position to contend so that leaves the ability to trade for what we need as the best way to make us a contender. Now, who is better than Thorn for that?

Thorn should be fired. You don’t throw Kiki into the coaching job due to personal reasons. People can make up a number of reasons to defend Thorn, but that one move right there warrants a pink slip.

I love what Thorn did to turn the franchise around, but the crap that has been going on behind the scenes has been inexcusable.

You are not allow to “fire” David Sterns friends. I.E. Thorn, Kiki.

Does any head of operations for a professional sports team expect to get a new contract after a year like this? What has Thorn accomplished during the past year to justify his large salary? Let’s think, he used a lottery pick to select a guy who can’t shoot. And he accepted a bad trade with Orlando after demanding that the magic remove a guy who can shoot replaced by a guy who can’t shoot while also sending a second guy who can shoot. So for those keeping score at home that’s Nets losing 2 shooters and taking on 4 that can’t shoot. You can see the result.

Well this franchise started it’s decline with KMart’s trade, that’s a trade that sent the Nets in a spiral, I want to see if Brook commands a big contract, will they let go of him as they did with KMart? It’s big men that are a franchise maker or breaker, guards and forwards are a dime a dozen.
Now the KMart move was a money move, he is now in a position to win a championship with the Nuggets, and during all those year what’s the Nets beeen? A mediocre team at best.
Right now they have a good center, pg, and a SGuard, they need a forward and a small forward that will put them over the top and they will start wining.

Oh I forgot, they still need a coach, and my point was that Thorn made those moves, weather they were dictated by the Rat or not they were still Thorn’s moves.

I’m fine with Thorn, there are no other GM’s out there that are clearly better than him that are available, I mean he fooled Colangelo into taking Marbury for Kidd. I just think now that he has a owner who cares about winning, and getting a talented team around him executive wise as well as good coach, we should be alright. But I agree with everybody in that this all sucks, this type of ineptness is seeping down to our players, the energy around the organization right now is not so good, hopefully that changes by the time we find out our draft number.

Ohhh yeah unless Stern can get us the #1 pick, his friend KIKI gots to go.

This is why Proky is talking about keeping Thorn… until he’s approved, this team is run for the benefit of Stern and the owners of other teams. And Thorn is who they are comfortable with. Similarly, Thorn can’t fire Kiki, because he’s a friend of the league. After Proky’s approved, I hope he goes Full Metal Al Davis and drives David Stern crazy.

The same guys write the same column every year…probably after not seeing a single game.

i said it be4…i’ll say it again

KMart was one of my favorite NBA players…. he saved this franchise… he was our heart and soul….but under no means was he worth A MAX CONTRACT….

Should Kiki receive credit for all the draft picks but Thorn for the trades? I thought that Thorn has the final word on every transaction.

Maybe Kiki was working harder than Thorn, but Rod has the respect of every NBA executive, it seems. They always answer his calls, as far as I know.

The Yi deal, however, is the one that we can assume was more Kiki’s idea. However, today we learned that Yormarket is apparently also “calling the shots” as he is involved with marketing Yi/Nets in China for the future!

I am now convinced that Yi is in the center of the Nets major player problems as there is a battle between Thorn and Yormarket/Yi and Kiki/Yi/Stern.
I can’t wait for someone to break the story.

If Nets Brass wants to be better, they should just have someone reading NetsDaily regularly for ideas!

Another vote for Nets exceeding any offer for David Lee that Knicks would make (or immediately if possible). Lee says he wants to stay in New York (area) so lets show him he is wanted. Knicks can get Amare and Boozer (and McGrady (LOL)).

Regarding Kiki as coach – from everything we know, Thorn had no money to get a new coach. In retrospect, Rod saved Frank’s future by letting him go early. Kiki as co-coach made sense at the time. He had the respect of the players. Kiki+Harris seemed better than putting Tom Barrise in charge of the Titanic.

However Kiki has lost respect of the players with the double standard due to Yi. You can see it from the reaction of Hump and CDR and we know what Harris and BLopez thinks too.

Fire Kiki
Hollah

Sorry Can’t fire Kiki – he is Stern’s boy!

@ Mr dollar Bills
i agree allll the way… kiki sucks