The Word from Philly: The Second Chance Is Worth It
by Net Income on Jul 15, 2010 6:59 AM EDT
81 comments
Billy King admitted Wednesday night that there were times he was worried he would ever work in the NBA again, that after a tumultuous time dealing with Allen Iverson, etc., he had been forgotten.
"I experienced it, the highs and lows. Some days, I had my head up, other days I would ask myself, 'What went wrong?'" he told Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News. "But I have a good wife [Melanie] and a good family, and they encouraged me."
That changed on July 6 when Rod Thorn called with an invitation to apply for the Nets job he was leaving. King had earlier sent Thorn an email congratulating him on the hiring of his friend Avery Johnson but was surprised Thorn had called.
Now, back in the NBA, King is receiving plaudits from those he spent time with in Philadelphia, including Larry Brown. On the other side of the Turnpike, the man sent south to replace King, Ed Stefanski, remembers his old boss, the tough guy.
- Former 76ers' executive Billy King hired as GM by Nets - Phill Jasner - Philadelphia Daily News
- Patience paid off for new Nets general manager Billy King - John Smallwood - Philadelphia Daily News
- Billy King, Ex-Sixers GM, hired by Nets - Frank Fitzpatrick - Philadephia Inquirer
- Thorn served Nets well - Al Iannazzone - The Record
- After tumultuous tenure with Sixers, Billy King ready to take over as Nets GM - Dave D'Alessandro - Star-Ledger
- King crowned Nets' new GM - Fred Kerber - New York Post
- Billy King, former GM of Philadelphia 76ers, hired as general manager - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
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Congrats to nets fans (all 3 of you jk.) on hiring a decent GM who was vilified in Philly for things that were not always under his control.
this
Heat and Sixers blogs combined does not equal the power of the Nets blog..waite until this battlestation is fully operational.
by KerrySkittles on Jul 15, 2010 8:05 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
nets
will become the Yankees of basketball.
by KerrySkittles on Jul 15, 2010 8:06 AM EDT up reply actions
Actually we don't.
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/netsdaily.com# see for yourself.. Ever since the signing of the BIG THREE of Miami they are having more traffic than us.. This just shows that people are just supporting teams because of big name players.. but hell yeah Sixers blog doesn’t even stand a chance against Netsdaily.. NI and ND rules all day..
The NETS is like my own sense of direction..
The MAGIC made me realize that one..
by silenthero07 on Jul 15, 2010 8:21 AM EDT up reply actions
Well kinda messed up with the link.. Here you go..
The NETS is like my own sense of direction..
The MAGIC made me realize that one..
by silenthero07 on Jul 15, 2010 8:24 AM EDT up reply actions
This just shows that people are just supporting teams because of big name players.
When I was in the sixth grade, we’d call these people “frontrunners”.
You did not want to be called a frontrunner.
we always called them “fairweather fans”
by Taylor Bartle on Jul 15, 2010 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Ahh, the good 'ol days
That was when things like Pride, respect and responsibility still existed. Where words such as Honor were still being floated around. Todays it’s just FU FU FU and FU. ME ME ME ME ME. Complete spineless self inflated narcissist society we live in today.
On a sort of related note: I think the sooner LBJ is outta the league the better for the league.
"waite until this battlestation is fully operational"
That’s what I said right before the rebels blew up my Death Star
- Darth Vader
not "that" Jersey Shore...Point Pleasant, 10 refreshing miles north of Seaside.
by John at the Jersey Shore on Jul 15, 2010 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions
Actually,
I think it was Grand douche Tarkin that said that…
SMH @ this
"No one stands on the top of the world. Not you, not me, not even gods. But the unbearable vacancy of the throne in the sky is over. From now on...I will be sitting on it."
by MrDollarBills on Jul 15, 2010 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions
even this guy cant beleive we hired him
avery must of asked thorn who the first person to email congradulations was and told proky to make him gm
I'll believe it when I see it, and until then...
Fire King!
Hollah
Easy buddy
You aren’t Shawn Carter
-Say man when I was growing up we wanted a Jacuzzi, we had to fart in the tub.
King bad decision
why hire a guy who has been out of the league for 3 yrs and before that had one of the worst track records in signing free agents. shocked by this hire and saddened that proky is not as wise as i had thought. billy king is clueless. kevin pritchard would of been the right hire. billy king would not have been in my top 50 candidates.
Avery Johnson hired a stiff who would listen to him
Am I the only Nets fan who is concerned by Avery Johnson’s consolidation of power?
I have nothing personal against Avery, but I don’t consider him a proven coach or executive. Sure, he had 3 strong coaching seasons in Dallas, but look at the team he inherited. Even dear ol’ Lawrence Frank could have amassed that 0.735 record. No doubt I think Avery has shown ability and we should give him a chance, BUT…
For someone without an extensive brilliant track record from coaching to scouting to recruiting to valuing player contracts, Proky (or Thorn) is giving Avery Johnson way way way too much power in shaping the next 3-5 years of the Nets team.
Avery Johnson wants to be THE MAN and I think he is too big of a risk
Since Avery was hired as coach, have you noticed the Nets have not been able to recruit another “big name” anybody (player, GM, president, etc). Call me a conspiracy freak, but I almost get the sense that Avery doesn’t want to bring in anyone who’s a bigger name than he is.
I want to give Avery a chance to bring success to the Nets, but its too much of a risk giving him the keys to the franchise when he’s unproven in so many areas.
Bring those conspiracy theories on! :)
Too early to tell. Let’s give him a chance to prove himself.
If the system works, we’ll all be a happy camper.
If not, well … we know who to blame.
"Beat the Heat!"
the Nets has King n James
As long as it is all about winning...
…I don’t care who Avery has to climb over.
If it turns out it’s all about power, chop him off at the knees
not "that" Jersey Shore...Point Pleasant, 10 refreshing miles north of Seaside.
by John at the Jersey Shore on Jul 15, 2010 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions
thats the problem
just because he’s all about winning doesn’t mean he’s going to make the right moves for it. Guys like Kahn probably think they’re doing everything they can to win.
I want Jerry Manuel fired now, not three years from now. That is my stance.- John Peterson
And there are some people who talk a good game...
…but really focus on amassing power and covering their a**. What you want is someone who actually bring the goods. I think AJ may be that guy. A real winners don’t get to the top by being nice guys. Have faith.
not "that" Jersey Shore...Point Pleasant, 10 refreshing miles north of Seaside.
by John at the Jersey Shore on Jul 15, 2010 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions
It could be a part of the deal
that he’ll have some control or input to the personnel he’s working on.
Can’t blame him, must have been a traumatic experience in Dallas.
"Beat the Heat!"
the Nets has King n James
I guess you'd rather have a GM
who is at odds with the coach. I think Proky was wise to seek a GM who wants to work WITH the coach. Characterizing Avery as some sort of puppet-master is just messageboard histrionics.
no I am too
Avery has absolutely zero track record, and we’re basically putting him in total control of the franchise direction???
I want Jerry Manuel fired now, not three years from now. That is my stance.- John Peterson
I think you are exaggerating a bit....
…as in “zero” and “total”
not "that" Jersey Shore...Point Pleasant, 10 refreshing miles north of Seaside.
by John at the Jersey Shore on Jul 15, 2010 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions
zero track record
in front office work.
I want Jerry Manuel fired now, not three years from now. That is my stance.- John Peterson
BOBBY RIGGS
Would have been a much better choice.
Gahhh! My childhood wet dream!
not "that" Jersey Shore...Point Pleasant, 10 refreshing miles north of Seaside.
by John at the Jersey Shore on Jul 15, 2010 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions
Does anyone else remember Emma Peel?
not "that" Jersey Shore...Point Pleasant, 10 refreshing miles north of Seaside.
by John at the Jersey Shore on Jul 15, 2010 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Depressing
Three years at 2 million a season for King. To be president and GM? Prokhy picked the wrong place to go cheap on. Should have paid up for Thorn, Prokhy. Big friggin mistake.
at least billy king has a cool names
IN KING WE TRUST
"We’re the new Nets. We’re leaving the old behind and we’re in with the new. Hopefully LeBron is going to be a part of that."
-Coach Avery Johnson.
Yeah, we love nicknames in here
It spice up the forum life!
"Beat the Heat!"
the Nets has King n James
3pt chucker i agree
only logic has to be that avery pushed it. why else? can’t be his track record. avery has proky’s ear and w/thorn gone and king a moron this is dangerous. unfortunately, i thought they were on the right track and the moves (including avery made sense). now, they have a bad GM and a coach bucking for more authority. i really do not like it.
Like the Dave D'Alessandro article
Gives a lil bit more insight into the tough situation King had in Philly..
So, as most people here I will root for him and wish him the best, hoping he learned from his mistakes.
I suppose Avery knows what he wishes his dream type of NBA team would look like and is pursuing that goal. Emulate a bit of the Spurs with a good big in the middle, a versatile PG and surround them with shooters and athletic guys. In a way, the offseason moves during plan B have his fingerprints on it, and I’d say you gotta start from somewhere.. For those that say nobody wants to come to NJ because of Avery, I think the team and AJ have to prove it on the court first..
Anyway, long story short, gonna give King a chance to prove himself. I hope that he gets some help, not just from Avery, but Marks along the way.
In the end though, its def. sad that Proky didn’t shell out the dough to keep Thorn happy. He was the one thing about the organization that was a selling point (thought hopefully we build other soon), and if he was upset about being lowballed seems like a poor move by Proky. If it was the new structure and people coming in with ownership that made Thorn wanna go, that is a different case..
Maybe it's not money...
…I think it’s sharing power with AJ.
not "that" Jersey Shore...Point Pleasant, 10 refreshing miles north of Seaside.
by John at the Jersey Shore on Jul 15, 2010 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions
he had 10 years to prove himself in Philly, and proved himself a bad GM. Why are we rewarding him for this track record? The heck with Thorn, we should’ve gotten KP.
Do you guys realized that more often than not, GM's actions were heavily influenced by the owners?
It’s true that they made bad decisions once in a while, but that’s because they’re limited to work on the parameters that the owners have given them.
Give them unlimited power and budget, I’m sure even crappy GM’s will get an excellent results.
"Beat the Heat!"
the Nets has King n James
Actually, It's good
to see that he admits he made mistakes, and had real low times as GM. It means he was dwelling on it and trying to figure out what he did wrong: It’s called learning. I like the honesty, and I like that he admits he messed up and had to learn through his mistakes, and that he admits he is going to need Avery’s help, and Thorns help (pick up the phone Rod!), and will consult with ownership on moves. Shows class, and someone who has put his ego behind him, for the good of the team…IMO
Could do worse
Has a good eye for young talent & should have a ball with our 10 draft picks over the next 3 years. 76ers made the playoffs back to back years with Mo Cheeks’ coaching & guys he picked (Iggy,Lou,Young,Dalembert, & traded for Miller). A solid choice & he should do better working with more talent than he had in Philly.
If I were Avery, I would want to make sure the NEW GM
is on the same page as I am.
Why would you sign up for something when the NEXT GM might want to come in and change everything around two months after you signed your contract?
by SIC One on Jul 15, 2010 10:59 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I think the reaction towards King is sort of kneejerk
Okay, we know his track record. It does not mean that he will repeat the same mistakes. And he seems to have a good eye for talent, which is a plus
Let the man hang himself before you decide to do it for him. Plus, we need the GM and coach to be on the same page.
"No one stands on the top of the world. Not you, not me, not even gods. But the unbearable vacancy of the throne in the sky is over. From now on...I will be sitting on it."
by MrDollarBills on Jul 15, 2010 11:30 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
like I said in another thread
you can say the same things about guys like Isiah and Kahn, do you want to give them second chances too? We could have just promoted Marks, or hired someone with a decent track record in pritchard, instead we go to a retread dinosaur who if nothing else is clearly a downgrade from Thorn.
I want Jerry Manuel fired now, not three years from now. That is my stance.- John Peterson
Or Joe Torre when the Yankees hired him. He was always “clueless Joe” before that. According to your theory, he’d have just been a retread dinosaur. Gene Michaels too!
We should only give people ONE chance. And if they don’t get it completely right the first time, regardless of the circumstances, off with their heads! So let’s give the job to Marks, cause he has never made a bad trade. He never made any trades, so none bad, so clearly he’s better than King. Great logic.
Um Joe Torre was known for being clueless as Yankees manager too
plus he was just the manager. he had absolutely zero power in the front office. He was basically a high paid baby-sitter who was given one of the best cores in baseball history and just told to make sure to occasionally give them days off and call Mariano when it was the 9th. AL managers essentially do nothing that’s a horrible analogy.
And the point is Marks at least has worked in an NBA front office, ours in fact, Avery has no track record as anything except a coach, and that was only for three years.
I want Jerry Manuel fired now, not three years from now. That is my stance.- John Peterson
yeah ok, Torre was horrible and did nothing to contribute to the team winning in 1996, 1998, 1999 or 2000 or make the post season every year as head coach.
get real
Someday somewhere someone on another NBA team is gonna hire Thorn, and some fan is gonna say:
Rod Thorn?? NOOOOOOOOO. His last team won 12 games!!! Then he abandoned ship right after it without a starting PF He hired Lawrence Frank as head coach! Sure he drafted Jordan, but he’s the greatest player in NBA history & that was a NO BRAINER, plus he fell into his lap with the third pick. He traded for a past his prime Mutumbo! He drafted Sean Williams! He let Kenyon walk! He got lucky that Jason Kidd had to get out of Phoenix because of a domestic dispute.
Sometimes you gotta make an extra effort to look past the initial set of facts and look at the situation.
And I have no idea why you’re telling me about Avery’s track record, but once again, you’re very wrong. He has a track record as a player, as a winner, as a hard worker, as a person with a lot of energy, as a good communicator, as knowledgable about the game and as to most a likeable person. These are intangibles that you look at when evaluating a person. These are charactaristics that you want in someone in your organization. There are other things that you look at besides just his 3 years as coach.
but ok. Just keep bashing King and don’t give him a chance or the benefit of the doubt that he progressed.
Your choice.
Someday maybe you look up Winston Churchill. Take a look at all the mistakes he made in WWI, and then how he was able to learn from his past and basically saved the free world in WWII. Just one of many examples of people learning and growing.
in that case?
why not give Isiah the benefit of the doubt? Or Kahn, or some other retread gm. I mean sure we can give him the benefit of the doubt, but by that argument there’s no reason to ever not hire a person as gm. because according to you everyone can be given the benefit of the doubt and everyone has some sort of track record even if it has absolutely nothing to do with the job they’re being hired to do. I mean are you saying you would pretty much accept anyone because of the benefit of the doubt?
I want Jerry Manuel fired now, not three years from now. That is my stance.- John Peterson
That would be nuts to give everyone the benefit of the doubt all the time, and i’m not that nuts… otherwise they never would have released me from that psych ward. :)
What i’m saying is that during the interview process, everything gets taken into consideration. The past jobs, past performance, circumstances, abilities etc. The interviewer/evalutators job is to weigh all of this and decide if the person is the best person available to handle this position today and into the future. So I’m not naively just giving him the benefit of the doubt, but rather I’m trying to be open minded about his current abilities and more importantly I’m trusting in Rod, Proky, Avery and whomever else went through the process of evaluating him and the other candidates. I’m trusting that they saw something in him which makes them think he’s gonna make a great GM.
I’m trusting that they looked at some of his bad signings or other moves and said, hmmm – that wasn’t his fault because ownership pushed that; or that was a mistake he made, but I’m confident he won’t make that mistake again; or he took a gamble with that Webber trade, which didn’t work out, but it took guts to take that chance because he knew he only had a short window to win that championship so went for the gusto.
I understand completely that there are doubts because of some bad moves he made. There is also reason for optimism because he made better moves later in his tenure with 76ers.
My main point is that I think it’s wrong for anyone to completely write him off and say that he can’t possibly make a good GM. Doubts are understandable. Just give him a chance.
And anyone who knows baseball
knows AL managers are basically high paid baby-sitters.
I want Jerry Manuel fired now, not three years from now. That is my stance.- John Peterson
Torre turned it into an artform. You are right Gina, but the job of babysitting in MLB is a major part of having a team run to its potential.
I actually think that Avery got his “rep” more as a tv commentator than as anything else. These guys are basically interviewing for jobs the whole time their on the tube. (And by coincidence, Torre was a tv guy too.)
"...where they don't play with a shot clock." - C. Sager
by kv on Jul 16, 2010 5:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Rec'd
Give him a chance. He came out and admitted he made mistakes, and that those mistakes punished him for years. He admits he will need Avery’s help, and Thorns help, and will consult with ownership. Seems like a guy w/out an ego who is eager to work in a team. I think that’s exactly what Prokhorov is about, creating a team that will work together for the best of the team. Give this a chance before you freak out. Proky is doing things differently.
Avery needs to focus on coaching
If he’s getting involved in the GM duties, I see trouble ahead. Billy King is his boss, not his partner.
by darrell1 on Jul 15, 2010 11:31 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Well Billy is def not the boss in this arangement...he's not even the partner
You do know that Avery interviewed Billy before he got the job…more likely Billy will be Avery’s lap dog…I just hope we don’t sign a WHITE big man to a humongous deal…Kp would have been great
um, what are you talking about?
what does a white big man have to do with anything, anything at all??
"No one stands on the top of the world. Not you, not me, not even gods. But the unbearable vacancy of the throne in the sky is over. From now on...I will be sitting on it."
by MrDollarBills on Jul 15, 2010 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions
are we talking about Wally Walker again?
Jim McIlvaine? Robert Swift? Rich King?
by Taylor Bartle on Jul 15, 2010 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions
white big man..
what it means is that he has no idea what he is doing. was a terrible GM in philly and all signs point towards him being a terrible GM in NJ and Brooklyn.
because all white big men are terrible?
Pau Gasol, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Marcin Gortat, Dirk Nowitzski, David Lee, Mehmet Okur, Andrea Bargnani, Andrew Bogut, Chris Kaman…
do I need to keep going?
by Taylor Bartle on Jul 15, 2010 3:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Chris Dudley
…oh never mind.
not "that" Jersey Shore...Point Pleasant, 10 refreshing miles north of Seaside.
by John at the Jersey Shore on Jul 15, 2010 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions
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